Sympathy For The Devil Review: An Entertaining, Cokedup Collateral Clone

This is a spit on the grave of Michael Mann, a cheesy riff, a movie that makes you want to feel sorry for the devil . There's no doubt that the best compliment that can be given is that the film knows exactly what it is in its 90-minute running time. Directed by Yuval Adler and directed by Nicolas Cage, the B-movie has a clear goal: it's easy to get lost in, have fun, and move along at its own steady pace.

Unfortunately , pitying Satan does not lead to anything particularly original and satisfying. It deliberately spins its wheels for the first hour, relying on the same predictable but exciting cycle of violence and frustration, which eventually leads to a final act that is less dramatic than it should be and more incoherent than it should be. As such, the film is nothing more than a predictable, sketchy cinematic distraction. One is Cage's maniacal wall-spinning performance and Joel Kinnaman's commendable straight-up move associated with it.

Written by Luke Garden, The Devil's Mercy begins in the suburbs of Las Vegas, the region that takes up most of its run. There, the audience meets a chauffeur (Kinaman) heading to the hospital where his seemingly decent wife is about to give birth. However, the driver's plan goes awry when he arrives at the hospital only to be held at gunpoint by his passenger (Cage), a redheaded alcoholic man who makes it as difficult as possible to take the new hostages.

From the moment it appears on the screen, Cage's cannonball becomes the last passenger from Hell. His latest eponymous character is someone who not only sticks a gun in someone's face, but is also quick to recite bad Bible verses, piss off the police, and control the sidewalk if anything. Please note that Cage also plays on the edge of his character's insanity, giving a performance that is sometimes unnerving, sometimes liberating, but always horrifying.

For most of their journey, it is unclear why Cage's passenger chose Kinneman's driver as the target of his unbridled rage and psychotic attacks. The "Paradise" script contains several early hints and clues, but all point to the possibility of an actual story between the two "Sympathy for the Devil" characters. However, the mystery was long overdue when the film gave a full explanation of the basic hostage situation. Instead of providing the final revelation in one short passage, the film errs by dragging out the narrative longer than it needs to.

Although "bitter to the devil" does not have much historical significance, it is better to amuse you and spoil the original relationship. Although they don't appear together that much, Kinnaman and Cage make a great couple on screen. The former, in turn, evokes a palpable emotional desperation, allowing himself to be pitted against Cage, whose performance doesn't go far but embodies his own brutal cartoon grandeur.

There's plenty of comedy and tension in the film from Kinnaman and Cage's scenes together, nowhere more so than in the dinner shootout that closes the second act. The scene in question begins on a sweet note and gradually becomes more intense and bitter, marking the moment when the devil's black humor and brutal bitterness combine so effectively. Not all of what follows is successful, but it's a testament to how well the series was adapted, executed, and managed to remain as compelling as it is today.

If all of this sounds like faint praise for The Devil's Compassion , that has more to do with the film's lightness and unevenness than the quality of its best parts. The film is not a quietly effective exercise in tension and violence on screen, but deeply and convincingly explores various stylistic and thematic ideas of other films and directors. It's a fun way to spend 90 minutes with minimal commitment, but it's less effective than the indifference to genuinely sympathize with the characters.

The Devil's Mercy opens in theaters on Friday, July 28.

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