The Usual Suspects is a film that keeps the mind open and in wonder all the way through to the end.

Rating: 8/10 (5 February 2011)

The Usual Suspects is a film that keeps the mind open and in wonder all the way through to the end. The movie begins with an explosion on a ship which has killed all but two men. One of the men, Roger 'Verbal' Kint (Kevin Spacey) is brought in for questioning. Kint's story begins when a truck full of weapons is stolen. The police have no suspects so a lineup of five criminals that reside in the city are brought together. While waiting to be released, an all-star cast of criminals, consisting of Roger 'Verbal' Kint (Kevin Spacey), Dean Keaton (Gabriel Byrne), Michael McManus (Stephen Baldwin), Fred Fenster (Benicio Del Toro), and Todd Hockney (Kevin Pollack) decide that they would pull off a heist together.
As the heists become more elaborate, the criminals find themselves in the presence of a Mr. Kobayashi (Pete Postlethwaite) who works for a Kaiser Soze. Soze, who some of the men consider a myth, offers to forget about the men's past actions against Soze in return for their participation in one last heist. The mystery of Kaiser Soze, and the events as Kint recalls them, helps create a plot, similar to that of Reservoir Dogs (1992), which causes the viewer to make attempts to discover the identity of Soze, but as the events continue many of the initial identities are ruled out; mostly because they end up dead.
Excellent acting by almost every cast member really creates an atmosphere that brings you into the movie. Kevin Spacey (who won an Oscar for his role) does a remarkable job of maintaining a character that appears to have cerebral palsy. Mr. Baldwin's acting, however, did not win him an Oscar for obvious reasons. His 'crazy' character was only crazy when Mr. Baldwin was over-the-top acting, causing a feeling of disinterest in the movie. When he wasn't acting 'crazy', he appeared to be in his element with his character.
Background music and low-key lighting help create a menacing feeling throughout the movie. With the exception of a few scenes which take place in the open daylight, the low-key lighting brings an additional level of eeriness to many scenes in the film. With the help of some sinister background music and sound effects, the overall creepiness of the film is enhanced, but does not interfere with the scenes events.
Overall, The Usual Suspects was an extremely entertaining movie with only a hint of gore and excellent acting. The mystery of the film is only revealed at the very end and takes a keen eye to discover the identity of Kaiser Soze before the film reveals it and is a must-see for action-adventure, mystery, and drama enthusiasts.