Time: 98 Minutes
Cast:
Nicolas Cage as Detective Rick Santoro
Gary Sinise as Commander Kevin Dunne
Carla Gugino as Julia Costello
John Heard as Gilbert Powell
Stan Shaw as Lincoln Tyler
Kevin Dunn as Lou Logan
Director: Brian De Palma

Snake Eyes isn’t one of Brian De Palma’s best movies, but after revisiting it, I do think it’s one of his more underrated films.

Snake Eyes is a pulpy conspiracy neo noir thriller involving assassination plots, corruption, and the military. The story is definitely derivative of other films in the same genre, there’s plenty of cliches on display and it can get a little convoluted at points. However, it was still an engaging mystery to watch. It takes place in one location in an arena, and it makes the most of that setting, and does well at creating a real feeling of paranoia.

Nicolas Cage really shines here in the lead role of a corrupt detective who has to solve this mystery. The film really utilises his craziness to full effect, and is wild, hyperactive and entertaining to watch. He’s funny, but also sells the more emotional moments and conveys his character arc. The supporting cast is also really good, especially Gary Sinise and Carla Gugino.

Brian De Palma elevates this movie with his energetic direction. It’s very stylish with flashy camerawork and makes use of first person shots, overhead shots, POV shots, split screens and split diopters. The impressive opening 10+ minutes are captured in a single take, and it’s not surprising that it’s probably what this movie is most known for. The score from Ryuichi Sakamoto is also great, and it fits in very well with De Palma’s style here.

Snake Eyes is a solid, stylish, well paced, and greatly directed mystery thriller with good performances, especially from Nicolas Cage.