Reservoir Dogs (1992) **1/2

Rating: 6/10 (3 July 2004)

This is Quentin Tarantino's first movie -- a really down and dirty, realistic affair about gangsters and what can occur when they screw up a jewel heist. It starts out great (I liked those early diner discussions about tipping and the point behind Madonna's "Like A Virgin"), and the torture sequence featuring Michael Madsen is disturbing and very effective. But there isn't much of a plot to all of the goings on, and the bulk of this picture consists of a lot of aimless cursing and yelling. I tend to think of the excellent PULP FICTION when discussing Quentin's other movies, as that was the first of his films I'd seen, and I fell in love with it...a real work of art, that movie. So after going back and discovering DOGS, it becomes apparent that Tarantino rehashed some of this for FICTION. Maybe "fine tuned" a few things. This is evident with moments like the aforementioned discussion and philosophies in the diner. And Tarantino's obviously fond of working with the same actors again and again.
RESERVOIR DOGS is an occasionally interesting yet pointless start for the video clerk geek turned director, but he was to really improve and hone his craft with future movies like PULP FICTION and KILL BILL. **1/2 out of ****