Yawn, gasp, sigh and repeat.

Rating: Null/10 (25 January 2008)

This film is amazing because it takes you through a whole gamet of emotions. It is also one of the very few movies you can watch and re watch again and again.
Yawn - At times it is excruciatingly slow. Everything from De Niro's walking pace to the unfolding of little episodes of drama is unravelled extremely precisely and slowly. With most directors you get a quick close up of an actors face and then a cut back to the drama. With Leone each close up is a self portrait with the camera fixed on the face and recording even the subtlest gesture or expression. I'm not knocking this but it is occasionally demanding especially to a modern audience used to fast technology and instant messages. Fortunately the wonderful score relieves the boredom.
Gasp - Gasp at the absolutely beautiful cinematography. The street scenes are really brought to life by the width and depth of the shot and further enhanced by that majestic, sweeping score. Gasp at some of the many standout stylistic touches that Leone includes, which include the high pull back shot of a room full of babies crying accompanied by that exhilarating score and the the head on shot of the boy running in slow mo towards the camera with the pan flute cranked up, so unbelievably stylish.
Sigh - at the general confusion of a narrative which is about as linear and straightforward as a triangular road with large holes in it. The out of sequence time-frame means you're pulled in one direction and then another and leaves you afterwards with the feeling that the "Usual Suspects" was a simple tale which your hard of hearing Granny could understand in a late night viewing. I mean one minute you've got an ever changing suitcase the next you've got a frisbee being thrown. I'm surprised that Leone didn't then cut to a dog barking in an open field as a metaphor for confusion and randomness.
Repeat - Its amazing that despite the muddy plot line and slowness of the unfolding drama you become almost addicted to it and go back for repeated viewings. There are 4 main reasons I feel for this:
The beautiful poignant score The charismatic performance of James Woods Those stylish, amazing standout shots Unravelling the mystery that is OUATIA.