Very pulpy... perhaps too pulpy for my tastes

Rating: 7/10 (30 April 2005)

I'm not sure what would have made this film more appealing to me... maybe Tarantino should have directed it... maybe someone other than Christian Slater should have played the lead role... maybe there should have been fewer deaths... maybe the film should have been shorter. As is, the film just didn't interest me all that much, and I only really paid attention to the first few and the last few scenes. The plot never really got my interest, though I thought the love story between the two leads was surprisingly good. The pacing seems much too slow and jolted for a Tarantino film(honestly, either Tarantino should have been allowed to direct it or Scott should have written his own script). The acting ranges, but most of it is good. Slater is acceptable, but a good actor he is not. His performance is passable at best, and him being the leading man definitely took a lot out of the experience for me. The film never really seemed to take off or go anywhere... and not long into the movie, it was just waiting for the next guy to get killed. The dialog is typical Tarantino, meaning somewhat roundabout, but usually funny and/or insightful. The humor is pretty good, and also fairly typical Tarantino(though it too would have benefited from Tarantino directing the film). To make it perfectly clear; the film is clearly and obviously and in many, many ways a Tarantino film. His unique and easily recognizable style is here, just like in Reservoir Dogs, both volumes of Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown. However, this is, by definition, not a Tarantino film. He didn't direct it, and believe me, it shows. Scott just doesn't "get" Tarantino's style, and messes up so many of his trademarks(most notably, he removes the important non-linear time-line) and references, stuff that Tarantino never would have blown, not in a million years(here I feel it is necessary to point out that I am not a fan of Tarantino's). Yes, that's what really brings this film down; another director trying to shoot a story that Tarantino has put together, and who completely misses the boat. Just for the record, an example of a director's perfect use of a Tarantino script is the Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino collaboration From Dusk Till Dawn. Go see that one before even thinking about this one. I recommend this film to Tarantino/pulp fans. Give it a chance. Just don't expect a Tarantino film. 7/10