Rest this case...

Rating: 6/10 (20 January 2012)

One had to expect only the most memorable results from an association between Taurus Films and Warner Bros. - and as much as I disagree with many elements of the end product, 1997's The Devil's Advocate certainly is that; memorable...
I lament the fact, though, that, just like quite a few other similar offerings out there, it offered only the most violent and repulsive resolution as possible means of triumph over evil. I guess that they catered to the most obvious common denominator in doing so, and since almost everyone out there would take the easy way out if they were faced with the Adversary himself, they thought that it was the way "to go" - literally... Almost everyone out there is self-loathing to the extreme, so double the reason right there to go this route, I suppose? Tinseltown thinks these things through, you know! And it certainly the way they are in that town - is it not?
Neiderman's novel, which served as the basis for this one, was itself inspired by various other opuses, it is evident, as the movie itself is reminiscent of previous fare in this very same genre as well... Disappointing, as is the choice of first name for the actual advocate here...! But that is another matter, a trifle less important as it is not universal...
The devil's DAUGHTER here, though, is a true and true temptress... No disappointment there! The character delivered on all fronts, as did the actress chosen for that, one must admit, key part.
Not one but TWO suicides mar "The Devil's Advocate" and its lesson about VANITY - first, the poor MaryAnn, portrayed magnificently by Charlize Theron (between this and being "The Astronaut's Wife", she really doesn't know how to pick'em! May have been why she turned into a Monster afterwards...?) And then the title character himself (it still feels awful to call any lead character "Kevin" - let's say Keanu instead! Darn - that sounds odd too... Not as much though! At least, this isn't a Bill & Ted feature... *Whew*!)
The real problem is entirely another, however: for it is not quite acceptable to wipe everything off at the end either, to still have the mandatory "happy ending" - complete with EVIL STILL LURKS AND IS MOST DEFINITELY NOT DEFEATED AT ALL after-taste. This, after TWO GRUESOME SUICIDE SCENES? At least, "Fallen" was not so hypocritical and stuck with its "very unhappy ending" - for pure logic's sake! Both films err in the same manner though - to pretend that the only way to elude an opponent such as the ultimate Adversary is through auto-destruction and nothing else is simply the WRONG MESSAGE TO SEND... Is there truly no other way to battle the devil in Tinseltown? In real life there are plenty: crucifixes, holy water, prayer! Alas, none of these are regular props in these flicks... not anymore! The days of The Exorcist and Hammer Films are long gone - crucifixes used to be worth something, back then!
Hollywood has to be more careful with this sort of thing, one figures, for they seem not to want to spread such things as "piousness" and "faith" nowadays...! We dare not offend nor alienate all the other beliefs, these days...! As it is already the case, only the sun will destroy vampires for instance - lest we make them vulnerable to ALL symbols of ALL religions, we make them invulnerable to all and do not even broach the subject anymore! Alas, the first bloodsucker, Dracula and everyone of the same ilk that has followed were NOT vulnerable to the sunlight but were vulnerable to other things... Guess what it was now! This is not the biggest problem here, again: the end solution is.
No heroes should simply escape the conflict by blowing themselves up... Prototypical action heroes do not do it - why should anyone who has to deal with the devil itself resort to this ultimate tactic?
I know that I lauded Al Pacino's performance in Carlito's Way and in many other films - but, here, I shall remain silent about his histrionics as "the devil"... He seemed to enjoy it; that is for sure.
It is amusing though to note that both "Fallen" and "The Devil's Advocate" (as also "Interview With A Vampire", of course) had a Rolling Stones song playing as they finally rolled the end credits... Sexagenarian, sex-obsessed rock'n'rollers who are STILL going strong; they must have indeed struck a deal with the devil (but they're not vampires - no) - hence the music fits on more than one level here! Again, the after-taste is just a tad bitter to swallow...