Yar, you be here: A Perfect Murder > Customer Reviews

A Perfect Murder Customer Reviews (1 - 3 of 26 Reviews)

The Film is So-So, Douglas Gives a Great Performance Though
A Perfect Murder is a remake of a play that was made into a movie by Alfred Hitchcock called "Dial M for Murder". I saw it, but don't remember a thing about it. So, this review is for this movie only and is not comparing it to anything. The movie stars Oscar winners Michael Douglas & Gwyneth Paltrow (Best Actor, Wall Street; Best Actress, Shakespeare in Love) and
a Pre-Lord of the Rings Viggo Mortensen as three people caught up in a twisted love triangle. Douglas plays Steven Taylor, a powerful executive who's wife Emily (Paltrow) is having an affair with David Shaw (Mortensen),
an artist who is not who he appears to be. When Steven finds out about the affair, he approaches David and offers him half a million dollars to kill Emily.
David happily abliges. The plan is worked out, everything is worked out. It's a perfect murder...Sort of. But, midway through things go awry and everyone in the movie has a secret agenda planned for the other. Now, all the twists in the movie are good (although there are a few that you can clearly see coming); The performances are great, especially Douglas. The movie is very entertaining, but it loses it's stride mid-way through and picks up later which brings my grade for it down a bit. But, anyway; I do recommend it and it will keep you entertained.

GRADE: B-


Much Better Than The Original....Except The Ending
Boy, here's one re-make I thought was far superior to the original ("Dial M For Murder," with Ray Milland, Grace Kelly and Bob Cummings.) In this film, the stars are Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen.

The best part of this film may not be the story, or the acting, both of which keep you glued to the screen, but the stylish photography and sets.. They look magnificent, mainly the apartment of the the two leads. I was constantly awed by how good this film looks. The DVD transfer is beautiful.

I also prefer the sequel because it has more twists and is complex enough to thoroughly enjoy every 3-4 years. Also fun are the short speeches each character gives on occasion, usually when they smugly think they have the upper hand. Each time that happens, their antagonist winds up going one up on them! There isn't much action in here but when it occurs, it's very intense.

The only thing that annoys me - unfortunately it's a big one - is the ending in which I don't believe justice totally prevailed. I can't wrote much more without spoiling it for those who have not seen this. One of the parties comes out looking like a 'an innocent victim" and that person was hardly a "saint." If all the parties had received just due, it would have been more satisfying and I would have rated this a '5' without hesitation.


A perfect thriller with unexpected twists
+++++

This movie is based on the play "Dial M for Murder." Contrary to popular belief, this is not a remake of the famous 1954 Alfred Hitchcock movie that was also based on this play.

In this movie, Wall Street businessman Steven Taylor (Michael Douglas) seems like a devoted and caring husband...He isn't.

His beautiful, rich, sophisticated, accomplished, and much younger wife Emily (Gwyneth Paltrow) seems like the perfect wife...She isn't.

And when Steven hires Emily's lover (Vitto Mortensen) to kill her, it seems like a perfect murder...It isn't.

In fact, nothing is what it seems to be in this sleek and stylish thriller filled with suspense and smart, sharp dialogue.

At each unexpected twist and turn in his "perfect" murder plot, Steven manages to improvise brilliantly. (The numerous twists in this movie is what keeps it interesting and suspenseful.)

Michael Douglas gives an extraordinary performance as the Wall Street wheeler-dealer Steven Taylor. Both Paltrow and Mortensen also give good, interesting performances.

The inside photograpy of the Taylors' luxurious apartment is beautiful. Actually, this entire movie is filmed quite well. The background music helps add to each scene.

I had problems with the movie's ending. I felt it was not of the same high calibre as the rest of the movie. But wait! There is an alternative ending that I thought was much more satisfying.

Finally, the DVD itself (Special Edition) is perfect in picture and sound quality. It has a few extras, the alternative ending (alluded too above), I felt, being the most interesting.

In conclusion, this is a sleek, sophisticated, and stylish movie that keeps you absorbed in it due to its numerous twists and turns!!

(1997; 1 hr, 50 min; wide screen; rated 'R')

+++++

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Next Page