The Purest Evil

Rating: 10/10 (14 August 1998)

Quentin Tarantino proved his cinematic genius to the entire film industry with the revolutionary Pulp Fiction. Yet, several years before that, he burst onto the scene with this film, with just as masterful a showcase of solid, colorful ensembles of characters, dramatic empathy for usually unsympathetic archetypes and gory violence subdued and made watchable by mixing a sadistic sense of humor and style into the mix. Michael Madsen delivers one of the most frightening performances ever seen in modern cinema as Mr. Blonde, a devil-may-care sociopath. After watching his most graphic scene, you will never be able to listen to "Stuck in the Middle With You" in the same way again. Also, Havey Kietel and Tim Roth give the film its most touching edge, as Kietel's Mr. White develops a very paternal relationship to the mortally-wounded Mr. Orange, creating a trust and honor to protect him at any cost, which is just what he is challenged with. The cast is rounded out with equally remarkable performance by the likes of Steve Buscemi, Chris Penn and Laurence Tierney as this drama eventually hits a crucial peak, leaving you with a climax that won't soon be forgotten, even when listening to the spookily sedate Harry Nillson song "Coconut" as the credits roll.