RESERVOIR DOGS, 1992
Movie Review

After a failed jewel heist, eight seasoned criminals find themselves doubting each other’s intentions when suspicions arise as to how they were discovered so quickly.

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REVIEW:

Reservoir Dogs, for a film at its time, was revolutionary and unconventional; two words that can describe Quentin Tarantino as well. While his direction may not be the absolute best in the business, his films are never predictable or tacky. He brings a fresh, new, and distinct style to the movies. When watching a Tarantino film, an educated viewer can point out that it’s a Tarantino film within the first three minutes. Reservoir Dogs, being his first film, is the perfect exemplar of this distinct filmmaking style. It makes for an undoubtedly immersive experience, and is a unique take on caper movies past and present. While it’s not his most famous, it is still worth the watch.

The non-linear plot is surprisingly easy to follow, mostly due to the simplicity of the characters’ situation and the ensemble cast. Throughout the movie, flashbacks give crucial information about characters in a fitting style, and the actual timeline unfolds in only a few hours. The plot’s time clock (in the story’s present day) is almost accurate with the screen time the film has. It follows eight professional robbers before and after a failed jewel heist, where they question the cause of the immediate response of the police. Tensions flare and suspicions arise, plus unsettling twists and intimidating angles that make this film a very peculiar thing to witness.

Tarantino doesn’t answer the question immediately, but more so flaunts an answer to the audience. He sparks the curiosity and then builds upon it, which is a plus in incorporating a non-linear plot. With most non-linear plots, it can either confuse the audience or draw them in, and Tarantino successfully does it with Reservoir Dogs, not only drawing me in, but pushing the story forward because of it. With each occurrence happening in the story’s present day, we try piece together the events that happened prior, with the help of effective dialogue and convenient flashbacks. It especially works here because he takes his idea of not showing the main plot point in the movie (the actual heist) and forms everything around it instead. On paper it would be strange, borderline ridiculous to omit the main part of your movie, but on screen it makes for amazing Tarantino cinema.

With this all being said, it still won’t beat the fame of his later masterpiece. If this film was Tarantino’s experiment, then Pulp Fiction is its finished product. Not to say this film is not great, it’s quite the experience to watch. You can feel the tension coming off all the characters, and each event that fuels the other hits us repeatedly. It’s basically a non-stop, high-voltage cinematic jig-saw puzzle. We wait to see who’s who, and we ultimately end up feeling a sense of closure, yet slightly shell-shocked from its conclusion. The film begins and ends with thought provoking scenes, and much of the dialogue provides witty and effective commentary. The flashbacks coupled with the non-linear plot make for a great structure. The absence of close-ups and the incorporation with many still shots and slow-moving dollies contrast well with the snappy character interaction and the dramatic stand-offs. Technically, this film has Tarantino written all over it, as it is meant to be.

I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys caper movies in general, or is already a fan of Tarantino. If you’ve watched Pulp Fiction, this is a great follow up. Being in the same canon universe as where Pulp Fiction occurs is a plus. It’d make plenty of sense to watch these two together, as both are filled with thick plots and the same kind of run-and gun violence you can find in action, with the slightly exaggerated and unique characters that keep it interesting. Reservoir Dogs is an all-around classic, and like any Tarantino film, you won’t see anything quite like it again.

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Reservoir Dogs