A true gem of 90's...that is now getting its due

Rating: Null/10 (12 October 2017)

Why this movie was never widely appreciated is quite a mystery to me. Must be just ahead of its time. It never got on my radar I had a chance to see it on a rare slow evening ....and it is a stunning, rare experience. If you have not seen it --ignore all the negative reviews--just get ready for a fantastic ride. It is not what you expect but no short-cut in story telling is taken. It is a thinking man's thriller, with an exceptional cast. This movie would not be same without Keanu, Theron, and Pacino. The acting is first-rate and they sell you the story the old-fashioned way. A thrilling ride that pick's up pace and reaches a logical but slightly drawn out conclusion....It is a long movie but it allows for complex theme of evil and how it manipulates the gullible is developed .,...but gullible (s) are not just plain and passive people---they have a complex psyche and their own strengths and reasons. All comes together spectacularly.
The movie is also great visually but it never overwhelms you with dominating special effects. I hope some day the smart folks in Hollywood realize (or develops more faith)--- that the biggest special effect of all is the face, tone, and mannerism of an actor..yes it is called ACTING...so mesmerizing that it make you forget the celluloid screen and you believe and get invested in the character completely. This is why Casablanca can still give you a bittersweet feeling even more than five decades later and any product from (Master) Ingmar Bergman makes thinking during the movie easy and so pleasurable.