Don't read Agatha Christie

Rating: 7/10 (25 December 2006)

I have read many, many enthusiastic reviews. The movie is so complex. To understand the plot you have to see it at least three times. Etcetera, etcetera. Alas, already after 45 minutes I exactly knew how the movie would end and who Kayser Soze was. Probably I have read too many mystery crimes. You see, the very first one to use this idea was Agatha Christie back in 1926. Her novel "Who killed Roger Ackroyd" caused a scandal in England. Her readers felt betrayed. The second one was a crime novel (forgotten the title and author) woven around the characters of Punch and Judy. Well, I did not feel betrayed while watching The usual suspects. I only felt a deja vu. So the tension completely fell away. Not much was left: decent, but not extraordinary acting, flat characters and artificial twists and turns. As the script remains ingenious of course and the direction skillful, 7 out of 10.