This is clearly an intelligent man/woman's action thriller! Like a good puzzle/mystery? You'll want to watch this movie through once, and then look at it from a philosophical angle, putting the violence aside for a moment. On the surface this is a gangster style 'shoot 'em up' action, but savvy audiences will see there is a deeper, intellectual story going on. I do love these kinds of surprises, and it's a welcome bend in the road from your usual straight action movie genre. Jake, a tough ex-con finds himself in a casino game full of mind twists...but exactly who is doing the twisting? Jake is focused on getting even with the crime boss (played by the talented Ray Liotta) who killed his sister-in-law when two mysterious characters appear in his life. He's soon involved in a mind game that will leave him forever changed mentally. Like an intense Chess game, each move made by the two mysterious men seems to be very calculated and not without an end purpose. Chess players will really appreciate this one.

Chrissy K. McVay - Author

This is a thinking man's action picture. If you simply want to be entertained, it's not for you. Huge difference between a film not being "for you" and it being a bad film though.

In essence, it's an exploration of ego. Deeper explanations would ruin the movie for you. There's plenty of shooting and interesting crime world characters. I think what makes people uncomfortable with the movie is two things. 1- They're caught up in their ego and don't want to admit it. 2- It's just not a straightforward formulaic Hollywood flik. It's just not. 3- They don't "get" it.

I hate it when I don't get a movie and don't know where to turn at the end too, but the director deals with this. When you're done watching the film, stay for the credits and listen carefully, it's spelled out for you. Repeated viewings and director commentary reveal the film on additional levels.

Some say it's a pretentious film, but that isn't true either, not by definition of the word. It doesn't come across as trying to appear more important than it is. In fact, the struggle of the ego, whether internal or external, is THE most important battle any of us faces. Ego maturity is directly related to whether and how we evolve, learn or grow. Honestly, what in your life is more important to you than you?

Jason Statham dug a little deeper than usual for this performance. Andre 3000 was a little bland in line delivery, but in overall portrayal, awesome. Lots of good lines in here too. But take note that the books it claims to quote from or reference don't all exist.

See this when you're feeling introspective, or when you're ready to take your exploration of self to the next level. It's got high replay value as well, every time I see it I learn something new about myself and notice things I didn't see before.

This movie was way too artsy for me.... Or at least it tried to put a new twist to the typical crime/drama theme dealing with the whole casino and confidence antics so popular today in many Hollywood movies.

The cinematography was awesome and so were the special effects. The acting was decent, BUT the storyline was worse for the wear overall. I had the storyline figured out early on as the ending is predictable.

its good, if you liked his other movies you'll like this one.


...and if ya don't know, ya better ask somebody.

Guy Ritchie's Snatch (Widescreen Edition) & Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels (Widescreen Edition) were excellent flicks. "Revolver" has nothing to do with the classic Beatles' album Revolver [UK], although a little music tie-in might have been interesting. Jason Statham who achieved superstar status with The Transporter does his usual journeyman's job as our action hero. But this is where Ritchie throws a bit of a curve, having a bit less action and a bit more contemplation. [spoiler alert] The film takes the viewer on a journey and winds up showing Statham's Jake Green as schizophrenic, breaking off into two people, an ego-based alter-ego and the outer physical man. It seems a bit at odds with the very logical performance we see from Statham, but that's my interpretation. Ray Liotta who won an Emmy for his 2005 guest appearance on TV's "ER," plays Macha, the bad guy crime boss who runs around either in his underwear or with nothing at all in several parts of the film. Liotta's performance is actually very good, but not particularly connected to the other people in the film. Andre 3000 from the band OutKast, also known as Andre Benjamin, plays Avi, the brainy criminal who plans crimes like chess matches. Benjamin has previously been in the films Four Brothers (Special Collector's Edition) & Hollywood Homicide. His sidekick is Zach played by TV's "Sopranos" star Vincent Pastore. Much of the film is a puzzle that the viewer tries to unravel. Since Ritchie is the screenwriter, we seem to be pitted against him as he feeds us small clues until the final revelation. I also watched Statham in Chaos, which was another average effort. "Revolver" was interesting, neither awful nor overly memorable. I'm glad to have seen it and will probably strain to remember it a year down the line. Enjoy!

"Anyone who didn't love this movie is a complete idiot." That's the opinion of the Amazon reviewer "Majesty." Keep an eye on Majesty's reviews. This person has to be an intellectual giant who knows a lot of stuff. I watched this DVD for about 40 minutes, and I was thinking that the movie was a based on quotes some stoner picked up from self-help books, world history courses at a community college and all those philosophy books we all read when we were hippies. An enigma within an enigma wrapped in an enigmatic fridge magnet. Deep superficiality like the director's wife. I was ready to take the DVD back to the rental machine at Safeway until I got up to powder my nose, and decided to look up the reviews at Amazon. I read Majesty's review, and went back and watched the rest of the movie. I felt shame about thinking that the movie was a self indulgent, confused, amateurish try at hipness. I promise that I really liked the movie . . er uh make that LOVED the movie. I'm not an idiot. I really really really loved the movie. I must repeat: I'm not an idiot. I promise - I loved the movie. I'm not an idiot.Merkur Double Edge Safety Razor Blades 3-PackThe Complete Idiot's Guide to Movies, Flicks, and Films The movie was real good, but I won't be buying it. Buying those two Pee Wee Herman DVD box sets blew my budget. Pee-wee's Playhouse #1 - Seasons 1 and 2Korres Sage & Nettle Shampoo For Oily Hair 250 mlComplete Idiot's Guide to Eastern PhilosophyLike a VirginSpeedo Men's Fashion Xtra Life Lycra Solid Solar 1" Brief Swimsuit

Jake Green (Jason Statham) is out after spending seven years in jail for a crime he didn't commit. Dorothy Macha (Ray Liotta) is the man who's secret he's kept. The movies revolves around the concept of the game and the perfect con. It uses chess as a clumsy metaphor for the interaction between "players" in the control of drug trade in a city.

I loved the preview and am huge fan of Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. Guy Richie and Matthew Vaughn made two great films: Guy directed and Vaughn produced. Now when Vaughn did the amazing Layer Cake, I thought maybe he was the real talent in that duo but then Stardust. So I'm thinking there's some magic in their collaboration. Magic that's clearly missing from Revolver.

A few good action sequences, good dialogue, and spotty but great moments in performance from the cast mix into a fair film. However, it really was uneven and suffered many issues keeping with the central plot device. Richie is an obvious fan of Fight Club and The Usual Suspects, as am I. Both earlier films executed their twist with much more creditability and style. The psychological aspects wear a bit thin by the end and the "expert" commentary during the credits make you think more than the entire film does. I really think a script tweak, less cryptic pacing, and a redesign of the reveal and climax would make a much better film.

I've seen four feature films written/directed by Guy Ritchie, two of which I like very much. His first full-length feature "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" shows a lot of energy, creativity, and wit in style which he may not have created but to which he certainly contributed a lot. Immediately, Ritchie was compared to Quentin Tarantino but with all the similarities, Ritchie's debut was a refreshing, lean, original, and very enjoyable on its own merits British mixture of Action Comedies/Gambling Dramas/Crime Thrillers. "Lock, Stock.." also introduced Jason Statham with whom Ritchie went on to making two more films and Vinnie Jones, a football player turned an actor. This one was certainly a Hit. Ritchie's next, Snatch, his first movie I saw, is simply marvelous and my favorite. It uses the same broken narrative as Lock and Stock, intertwines numerous plot threads which intersect and play off each other, and follows the characters who are over-the-top deliciously evil, marvelously clueless and always funny. A Big Hit! Then there was "Swept Away" which I better skip. Remakes are rarely a good idea, and that particular remake was certainly a bad one. A miss.


Now we are coming to "Revolver" (2005) that was described as Ritchie's return to the genres he had proved to be the most successful with, Crime / Drama / Thriller but with the psychological and even philosophical twist. Sounded great and I was very exited. The fact that two of the respected film critics rated "Revolver" one star and half star, only added to my interest. "The Revolver" revolves around Jake Green (Jason Statham with long hair and a beard), a gangster, a gambler, a chess-player, a con-master who had spent seven years in the Solitary Confinement thanks to the crime boss, the Casino owner, Dorothy Macha (Ray Liotta) and is out for revenge. It is definitely better than half star or one star. Visually, it is the most polished Ritchie's work, the acting was good, and I really liked it up until 1 hour 27 minutes mark. The final scenes were laughably bad, annoying, devoid of any humor, and tried too hard to finish the movie on some complex metaphysical note regarding the game, the winners, and the losers. The trick Ritchie tried to pull on me was hitting me over the head again and again with the pieces of wisdom such as "The greatest enemy will hide in the last place you would ever look", "in every game and con there's always an opponent, and there's always a victim. The trick is to know when you're the latter, so you can become the former", and the deepest of them all, "The greatest con, that he ever pulled... was making you believe... that he is you." Thanks for trying to enlighten me but I found these quotes rather banal, superficial, and worst of all absolutely not funny. Revolver is a typical example of how a potentially enjoyable movie was ruined by its creator's ambitions to make an ultimate complex metaphysical-psychological magnum opus.

Guy Ritchie says he got into the film business because he always wanted to direct entertaining movies. And his latest crime thriller "Revolver" is exactly that. It's heavily flawed and utterly ridiculous, but at least it's entertaining. The story, confusing as it is, focuses on Jake Green (Jason Statham), a quick-witted gambler who puts his life on the line when he insults Dorothy Macha (Ray Liotta), a powerful casino owner. After Macha orders his ruthless killers to take him out, Jake seeks shelter with two con men offering to protect him in return for his fortune.

"Revolver" is as chaotic as a massive shoot-out in which it's nearly impossible to figure out who's shooting whom. Ritchie's script is a total, pseudo-philosophical mess, digging deep into the intricacies of the human ego. Ritchie also plays around with certain rules and formulas to pull off the ultimate con, but the whole game concept is ludicrously over the top. Meanwhile, the characters spend most of the time tossing around wise rules instead of delivering a coherent exchange of dialogue. "You can only get smarter by playing a smarter opponent" or "The greatest enemy will hide in the last place you would ever look" are just two of a horde of examples. The film also ends with a major twist, but if you haven't lost track of things or even care enough to stay focused until the end, chances are you won't be surprised.

I initially expected more from the actors, but they're certainly not in their best shape. Jason Statham is always good at playing tough guys looking for trouble, and he's undoubtedly the only cast member to put on a good show as Jake Green. Ray Liotta struggles in the role of malicious casino tyrant, but the only intimidating thing is his underwear. He really could've worn more clothes. As for Andre Benjamin and Vincent Pastore, their shallow performances almost go unnoticed.

On a more positive note however, "Revolver" is incredibly fast-paced and action-loaded. No matter how confusing or ludicrous the plot really is, the movie is stuffed with hot pursuits and crazy shoot-outs, captured stylishly by cinematographer Tim Maurice-Jones. In the end, despite the crippled script, Ritchie's direction and vision give way for some extravagant but compelling sequences that will keep the entertainment boat afloat for 105 minutes. I recommend this flick to Ritchie fans who are glad he dumped "Swept Away" and returned to the action genre.

After finishing this latest Guy Ritchie film, (who so impressed me with 'Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels' and 'Snatch') I visualized Joe Pesci saying "It's a mystery,...it's a mystery wrapped in a riddle, inside a turd! Even the film-makers don't understand, don't you get it?" It completely escapes me what this film was tyring to get across! You take your typical Guy Ritchie gangster crime/con artist scenario and breed it with some murky Jungian pseudo-psychology and this feeble mangled hybrid results? Maybe I'm not as sophisticated as the target audience here, but this film left me feeling leather restraints and a 10 milligram Haldol shot was a suitable antidote. Avoid this film like expired milk.

I had originally seen this film in its original format (UK Version) and when it FINALLY came to North America I was very very annoyed to see it changed. Small things like difference in subtitles to missing scenes to plot changes. I just bought it but I may drop kick it and set it on fire just because. It's still a great movie and in my opinion perhaps his best (original version), although I know people will shout and scream it's far from his best. A very interesting story, shot and cut just as interesting, but why the heck they recut it is just stupid. Perhaps because it did so poorly they felt the need to change it. Whatever it may be I can't believe it took this long to get here. I suggest getting the UK version but if you can't because of region issues I recommend it anyway. But what do I know?

Guy Ritchie's previous British crime thrillers have their detractors, but they also have an amiable charm and cocky intelligence that are hard to resist.

This new one, however, is not like the others.

This is a movie that's so wound up, so pumped full of macho barium, that it eventually becomes an excruciating experience.

Ritchie stretches out this time -- both in terms of plot and ambition -- and loads the movie with more style than all his previous movies combined. Wild sets and characters? Yes. Grandiosity that approaches Greenaway? Yes. Operatic in sound and scale and peppered with an occasionally cool shoot-out? Sure.

But it's all shot through with a plot so intentionally convoluted, and Luc Besson production style so brassy and arranged, that watching "Revolver" quickly becomes like flipping through the ads in Vanity Fair with a 105-degree fever. And not in a good way, either.

In his commentary, Ritchie admits he's playing with the idea of ego and the notion that enemies and competition are all simply a product of the individual's interior desires. That's a great concept on which to base a crime thriller but the movie is overloaded with too-obvious twists, faux-"Fight Club" camera tricks and a ridiculously overblown sense of drama. Some scenes that inexplicably involve animation don't help either -- they don't make sense within the story and only serve to draw more comparisons to Tarantino, who did all this first and better within "Kill Bill."

You know you're in trouble when you're watching a movie and you realize everybody in the film cares way, way more about the situations at hand than you do. In the case of "Revolver," I'm pretty sure the main characters were 210% more concerned with the goings on of the story than I was.

Meanwhile, a tangerine-tan Ray Liotta -- as, ostensibly, "the bad guy" -- spends most of the movie threatening his underlings and colorfully demanding they kill his enemies. Andre 3000 is joltingly self-conscious as a mysterious loan shark. And lead Jason Statham wanders through it all knowing his character is being played by some kind of scam, but submitting anyway. We know this because he spends the bulk of a seemingly endless voiceover reiterating what's already painfully obvious to the viewer.

The most interesting part of the film is actually the end credits. That's when Ritchie rolls out interviews with experts and pundits talking about the concept of the ego. The fiction pushed me away, but the facts (or the search for facts) actually pulled me back.

This ia a movie in which you have to expand your mind to get the full understanding of the film. Anyone who didn't love this movie is a complete idiot. Then again, not everyone can watch a serious and mind bending movie. Sorry people not everything can be a comedy.

the movie provokes some great thoughts and some minor emotional traffic too - but somehow the whole movie does not stick together - we all perceive using our own judgments - which are biased - so often these perceptions are colored - so mine may be too - but I did not enjoy it completely - you can do things without showing the violence explicitly - the implicit sense of rage is difficult to portray. But that is where comes the mastery of a great director - think about movies like God father and you will understand what I am saying. Over all I will never watch it again, never watch it in a theater - for $1.40 rental its OK.

Guy Richies name caries with it some connotations and expectations that are not honoured in "Revolver". It is not really funny, not really british, and not really that interestingly put together.

All this, however, is not as much Guy Richies fault as it is our own. We expect him to do so and so, and when he doesn't we get disappointed.

There are some great features in the film. It is well shot, well directed, and well acted. And the character of the assassin and just about everything he does is nigh on brilliant. The story is, however, in my opinion, a bit bland, a bit stock if you will. It is clever on a low level and not worthy of a big budget. And that is basically where it ends for me. The story is not interesting, the film is not interesting.

So apart from a couple of great scenes and takes on things, it is just ordinary and pretty run of the mill. See it on a sunday afternoon with nothing better to do. If for example you've broken your leg and have run out of books.

I am a fan of Snatch and Lock/Stock, but Revolver is missing one key element of Ritchie's previous work--a sense of humor and playfulness. Revolver takes itself way too seriously for my tastes. While some may argue that the random shots of Ray Liotta in his banana hammock are evidence of humor, I'm not buying it.

Revolver is pretentious and disorganized in the worst kind of way. There are poorly placed flashbacks that interrupt the flow of the narrative, an endless parade of stereotypical characters who are supposed to represent different character traits, and don't forget the annoying "life is a game" dictums that lamely attempt to reinforce the so-called themes of the movie. The potentially interesting pieces of this film are mixed up beyond recognition, making it very frustrating to watch.

Don't be deceived by the reviewers who claim that "if you didn't like it, you didn't get it." On the contrary, if you didn't get the movie, it's because Guy Ritchie was too busy showing off his knowledge of elementary psychology to fully develop his plot, characters, and themes. THAT is a flaw in the film, NOT in the viewer.

Here's a formula for you:
Guy Ritchie + Freud textbook / marriage to Madonna = waste of time!!!!

People should understand a few things before buying this movie. It's not your typical gangster film at all. It's an in-depth look into the mind of someone put into a very sticky situation. How they think, and how those thoughts become actions. If you understand the message, it's pretty easy to relate to. It comes off way more complicated than it really is.
Also, the acting is TERRIBLE. Except for Jason Statham, surprisingly. He's brilliant as the main character, and does a wonderful job with his inner monologue that plays throughout the film. Unfortunately, even though I'm a fan of Ray Liotta, this is the worst i've ever seen him.
It's a good watch if you can focus on Statham.

As a big fan of Guy Ritchie's earlier films, Revolver was a let down.

The plot was well thought out, and most of the cast did a superb job. This might be one of the best performances by Jason Statham. I would give this move a good recommendation with reservations.

There are a couple of things that ruin this movie. Ray Liotta seem out of his element in this role, he just doesn't come across as real as the other characters in the film. In the middle of the film there were a couple of action sequences that cut to animation and this really distracted from the feel of the film. When I got to the end, it unfolded just like I thought it would. The big surprise at the end of the movie was really easy to figure out.

If you are a fan of Jason Statham or relly like dark films about gangsters, you will probably enjoy this film. If you want something with a little more substance, skip revolver and check out Snatch. It is another Guy Ritchie film and much better than Revolver.

For some people, including most of the other reviewers, this might be a very thought provoking movie. For this reviewer, who is neither into mysticism nor into philosophy, this was pretentious, badly structured and boring. I kept on thinking there was going to be a big punchline and revelation, beyond what was gradually becoming apparent. I thought it was aiming for a dramatic movie finale like 'Angel Heart', 'Fight Club' or 'Usual Suspects' but it ended with a underwhelming philosophical dud instead that left me scratching my head.

You know Usual Suspect's tagline - 'The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist'? Well, it's said twice, makes a whole lotta sense and defines the whole movie.

The equivalent pearls of "wisdom" in Revolver? And the obligatory flashbacks? Repeated about 10 times each just so you couldn't possibly miss their portentous significance. Despite good acting and visuals, as the movie progressed I was not just bored, but actively annoyed by all the repetition and meandering plot.

Reading about it afterwards on Wikipedia, it seems whole scenes have been edited out, so maybe the original version was better. The psych talking heads at the end did not make it any better either. Bad sign, in fact - the ending doesn't stand on its own so it needs explaining. Kinda like "Don't you get it? It's because..." at the end of a joke.

Hey, can you tell, Mr. Viewer, how deep and meaningful this movie is? No? Well, then maybe you're just too dumb to appreciate this masterpiece. Come to think of it, it reminds me of Richard Linklater's even more annoying Waking Life : Philosophy 101 for the easily awed.

It was a very entertaining movie. I would recommend at the very least a rental. One of the most interesting and academic screenplays I have seen in a while.

I rented this for my hubby, a fanatical "Lock Stock" and "Snatch" fan... and we watched it... I think I know what happened, I'm pretty sure I got what Ritchie was trying to convey, but there wasn't enough there to firmly lock in my mind whether what I got out of it was what Ritchie intended for me to get. Perhaps I was just stuck in my ancient english class mentality of "there must be a point so give the teacher something that sounds complex - something about the Id and Ego and all"

This is a movie about madness, and revenge, and ego, and greed. The voiceover is a little much, and Statham doesn't look all that great in this film. The action is not up to par with his other movies and there is little to no humor at all. Infact, I felt more like I was watching a David Lynch film with less definition. I can't say that it was a bad film, I just don't think it was a great film.

As an FYI, I watched the region 1 American version. I am told that there is a different version in the UK that may be far better than the one I watched.

When the name Guy Ritchie is attached to a film, the audience can depend on lots of action, violence, crisp dialog, and nail-biting sequences: his films have a 'look' and a manner that could easily be trademarked. In REVOLVER, Ritchie keeps all of those elements, but also adds the bite of challenging the audience to keep abreast of what is actually happening in the mayhem that unfolds, and it is this new element of psychological twisting of characters that makes the film so successful. It doesn't hurt that the cast contains some excellent performances by some of the very best actors of the action genre of films.

Jake Green (Jason Statham) is released from prison where he has served time in solitary confinement, by his own choice, enabling him to concentrate of the evils of graft and corruption and the deadly games people can play that call for revenge. He is cocky, wily, and full of tricks as he becomes involved in a master con game with one Dorothy Macha (Ray Liotta), the man who was responsible for his imprisonment. Macha is determined to take Jake down, but Jake falls into a 'partnership' with two bizarre characters - Avi (André Benjamin) and Zach (Vincent Pastore)- and begins to explore his own identity and apply those surprises to his compulsion to destroy the seemingly implacable Macha. How this redirection of evil and revenge unfolds is the chess game strategy of the film. To relate more of the plot would destroy the pleasure of the audience participation the film demands.

Ritchie wrote the screenplay with Luc Besson and the result is a story that manages to confuse while it entertains. Clever devices of plot turns and bits of philosophy from the most surprising characters flash quickly, enhancing the expected rough and tumble action of Ritchie's previous successes. Jason Statham is thoroughly in his element here, but the surprise performance comes from Ray Liotta who, under Ritchie's direction, turns in probably his best work to date. This is a thinking person's action flick, well made, and well worth watching! Grady Harp, March 08

I had read on another sight this movie had been edited from the original UK version, but I was more then pleased. I'm a huge Ritchie fan and this did not disappoint me. I already knew not to expect another Lock, Stock or Snatch. The end leaves you a little unsettled, but Statham was superb. I was really glad to see Ray Liotta back in the mix. Ritchie always puts together a great ensemble cast. The dialogue alone makes his movies worth the money.

Sorry to go against the pack, but watching this movie was painful. I had it figured out in the first third. I rented this at the local video store and the write-up on the back suggested you needed to see it to the end to get it. I was extremely irritated when I got to the end. I feel now the write-up was hype for a bad movie. If this opened psychological doors in people's minds all I can say is wake up. Ego ego yada yada. And tell Stratham to wash his hair.

I bought this film today at Target somewhat on a whim. I'm personally a large fan of Guy Ritchie's, and have seen "Snatch" and "Lock, Stock..." more times than I could hope to count. I bought this DVD with some apprehension, though, because I've heard relatively lukewarm (if not negative) reviews.

First of all, this movie is neither "Snatch" nor "Lock, Stock..." It's most definitely not a comedy. It's actually quite psychological, but not incomprehensibly so. I don't want to go into the entire story for you (you can read the product description for that), but I will admit for the most part the movie does remain a bit cryptic. However, upon multiple viewings, things tend to come together a lot more clearly. In fact, one could piece everything together just watching the special features if they were left somewhat in the dark the first time through. The closest movie I can think of to relate this to would most likely be "Fight Club." Surely there are better examples out there, but this is the one that stuck out most in my mind. Things can get a little trippy and confusing at times, but sticking it out is worth it. If you're on the fence, I'd maybe suggest renting it first. I understand that not everyone likes to rack their brains when they watch a movie, and there's nothing wrong with that. If you don't like a mild challenge when you see a movie, I would probably say skip it. But if you enjoy sort of a mental jigsaw puzzle every now and again, along with great moviemaking, I'd definitely recommend "Revolver."

I chose to write a review because it really is frustrating to see people give this film one star simply because they couldn't understand it. If you didn't get it, don't rate it. Leave the ratings to people who actually understood the movie and can give a proper review.

I've only watched it once but I can see how several viewings would help with understanding. Simply put, this is a great film. If you want to watch the same garbage that movies have been feeding us for years, don't watch this. If you want to watch something that will change the way you look at the world, even just a little, get this movie.

I know a movie is good if I can't stop thinking about it afterwards. That is the case with Revolver.

Jake Green (Jason Statham) finds himself in prison for seven years. He spends this time in solitary confinement, but he has contact with the two mysterious characters also serving solitary in the cells on either side of him (ones a con man - ZACK Vincent Pastore, the other a chess master AVI Andre Benjamin). Avi and Zack write messages in books while in solitary that Jake intercepts, he never actually sees these individuals, he just receives their concepts. One is a formula for the ultimate con, but Jake cant understand the depth of it. Avi and Zack plan to break out of prison and agree to break Jake out as well. The next day they are gone, but they didnt take Jake with them. He feels cheated.

While Jake is still in prison Avi and Zack steal all the money Jake has hidden on the outside, they trusted Jake with the formula and he trusted them to let them know of his moneys whereabouts. They leave a message where his money once lay.

The first rule of any game. YOU CAN ONLY GET SMARTER BUY PLAYING A SMARTER OPPONENT.

Cut to two years later.

When Jake gets out of prison, broke and penniless, he starts to practice what he understands of the formula and of the con he learned from Avi and Zack. Its very successful and he does very well in world of gambling, he learnt a valuable lesson from the two conmen inside.

Once Jake is up on his feet again (financially speaking), he takes on his nemesis the power hungry Dorothy Macha (Ray Liotta). Jake beats him in a game of chance, humiliating Macha. Fearing more of the same, Macha wants revenge and orders a hit on Jake.

A mysterious man approaches Jake and informs him that he is in desperate physical trouble from an internal disease. He tells Jake he and his partner can save him from both Macha and his physical aliment.

Simultaneously, Macha is trying to get into business with the infamous, but apparently invisible Sam Gold. He makes a deal with his female representative Lily Walker (who represents the queen on the chess board). Macha is warned if he does not come through on the deal that Sam Gold will be very disappointed. Macha is after the reward of being in business with Gold (who represents the opponent) and foresees no problem.

The deal is for some white powder, which represents vice of multiple manifestations, in other words, false ways to get away from Gold or win the game, but perversely these just bring you closer to him.

Jake agrees to do whatever the two mysterious characters tell him to do (a gun to the head so to speak - he has three days to live), there is no time to haggle, and he is prepared to do whatever hes told by these characters. Avi and Zack appear to be loan sharks and gradually force Jake to give away all his money that he made using the con, much to his despair. This is so painful that it seems to be killing a part of him and it gets even worse for Jake. Avi and Zack force him to do whatever he hates to do. Jake suffers from claustrophobia and is forced into elevators, generally Jake goes on a physiological ride from hell. They also sabotage Machas deal with Gold, putting Macha in jeopardy with Gold. To make matters worse, they make it look like an opposing crime boss is responsible this sabotage, Lord Jon (Tom Wu). These two gangs destroy one another through their ignorance and greed.

Jake's journey climaxes when Avi and Zack, now his masters, ask Jake to shoot a man that didn't pay a debt. Jake refuses, going against the voice in his head. This is the turning point and just when Jake has had enough he forces the two mysterious characters to reveal their game. Is he ready for the answer? What is the point of putting him through all this pain?

Avi and Zack simply repeat the treasured formula that he learnt in prison and which we are told at the start of the film.

The first rule of any game. YOU CAN ONLY GET SMARTER BUY PLAYING A SMARTER OPPONENT.

Jake now realizes that he has fallen victim to this formula, that he is actually in the game, and the opponent or Sam Gold, is hiding in his own head, the last place he would ever look. How does this happen? Because Sam Gold hides behind Jakes pain, the last place he would ever look. We realize Sam Gold is a metaphor for the ego, Devil, the opponent.

Now armed with this information, which has been so elusive, Jake really goes to war with himself. He realizes the game Avi and Zack have made him play has been to diminish the Sam Gold within him and that is why he felt like he was dying, because a part of him was.

This game it seems is back to front. Jake gives away his remaining money to a charity in Dorothy Machas name and Macha takes the credit. At this point we understand that the voice we hear in the film as a voice over is not a voice over at all, its the Sam Gold in each of our characters heads. Macha is being fattened up by the voice in his head who encourages Macha to take the credit.

To conquer the game Jake now realizes he is in, he goes to Macha and humiliates himself, begging for forgiveness at the foot of his bed. This goes completely against the voice in Jakes head, which is now in major agony. Jake then takes an elevator that gets stuck, its his worst nightmare, but here is where a real battle takes place. Jake induces the pain Sam Gold hides behind. Sam Gold tries every technique to control Jake, but Jake is now detached enough from the voice to fall for it. Embrace the pain and you will win this game, Jake sheds himself from Sam Gold completely and the elevator starts up as soon as Jake has control. He realizes he was still in prison and that he had never left the prison of the mind, now he is free.

As the elevator doors open, there stands a confused and angry Macha with a gun in his hand. He cant understand what game Jake is playing, but Jake no longer cares about Macha, gun or no gun, he walks straight past him. Macha loses control, because Jake doesnt fear him, his ego cant handle this, he breaks down from the voice that has got complete control over him. He knows Sam Gold is going to come and get him, what he doesnt realize is that Sam Gold is already getting him from the inside.

Jake, now understanding that the mysterious characters Avi and Zack are not who he thought they were, finishes a game of chess in Machas casino with Avi. Here it is revealed that Avi could have beaten him at any time. Avi tells him one of the rules again, the art is for the opponent to feed pieces to the victim to make them believe they took those pieces because they are smarter and you are dumber. Jake realizes that these are his two friends from prison. They promised they would break him out of prison and they did, its just Jake didnt realize it was the prison of his mind and how big that prison was.

In the end its a story about realizing that the prison is the mind and the ego is the master of that environment. The only real enemy to have ever existed is an internal one and he controls the external world. This is the opponent you need to test you, as you get smarter so does he. The ego or Satan is your coach. Once its recognized for what it is, it can be mastered, but without recognition of this situation, you are simply an unconscious slave and the game hasn't revolved.

I had originally seen Revolver on it's opening night in local cinema in England. That movie I saw there was a five star movie. When it was released in the UK as a DVD, I pick up a copy at a nearby HMV. It was the same awesome movie I saw in the theatre. Now, I'm back in the USA and I hear a region 1 version is finally available. I purchased it out of convenience. I thought a couple scenes seemed short, but when the movie ended where it did, I started checking the deleted scenes. No Joy! Watching this version, you are left with a much different message and no sense of closure.

I don't think this edit terribly ruined the movie, but I seriously question the motive behind it. I would be shocked if it was Mr. Richie's decision.

Now, for those fans of "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch," you may not like this movie. It depends on what your tastes are. Fans of David Lynch's "Lost Highway" or "Inland Empire" might warm to this film a little better. I would say the movie falls somewhere between the two camps.

Guy Richie spells out quite a bit for you, but he leaves a lot open to interpetation and analysis. I applaud the fact the director doesn't spoon feed it to you.

On a purely visceral level, he wows the audience with an arsenal visual effects. Fortunately, this not distract from the story.

However, I cannot emphasize how much better the original UK version is. I hope that somewhere down the road a more complete package of the movie is released.

Cheers!

This film is brilliant. It opens the door to an ancient, long forgotten truth. Look within... this is gritty spirituality.
A+++ and off the map. Fantastic.

Guy Ritchie's Kabbalah manifesto about egoism is perhaps both the most mind bending and most simplistic films in years. The plot doesn't need to be reviewed and if your reading this then you probably have an idea about what it is about. But the underlying theme can seem unclear and may require 2 or 3 viewings but is quite rewarding. THe end credits are some of the coolest propositions in mainstream film and are worth watching alone. The original score is also A-frickin-Mazing. Rent it then Buy it!

This movie is not a typical action flick. It causes you to think, even when it gets to the point where it starts holding your hand. Many people will not like this movie. Perhaps they wont understand it and some because it wont be what they expect. I wont explain it, that would ruin it for others. Just know this is not a simple movie, if your paying attention it will get you to ponder the why.

The whole cast is fantastic, Jason Statham is brilliant.

Revolver is one of those movies that the audience will find really hard to define. I can't remember a single film with a more mixed reception. A lot of people must think it's a total mess. Some consider it average or too confusing to be good enough. Some think it's a masterpiece. But of course you're gonna say. There isn't a single movie that wouldn't have that, right? Well, not with Revolver people. Don't take my word for it, but check out the user ratings in detail and you will see that the voters are absolutely scattered about this one. Although it doesn't have a high rating average, the majority still gave it the highest possible vote.

Snatch (Widescreen Edition) has been the only Guy Ritchie movie I've seen so far. The first couple of ten minutes I've walked into Revolver I expected something similar. There he is, Jason Statham again with a pack of other criminals and that familiar smell of gangsters teasing and playing tricks with each other again. Nothing unusual for a Ritchie movie so far. Only later you see that Ritchie is more of a Bryan Singer this time than he is his usual self. Jason Statham plays a guy named Jake Green. He just got out of prison where he's been for the past seven years and is obviously already looking for trouble. He came to a casino to play a few games with a man named Mr. Macha (Ray Liotta) who also owns the place. Jake wins the game but on his way out he collapses down the staircase for apparently no reason. Mr. Macha wasn't too happy about Mr. Green showing up in his casino. Because he feels deceived he orders his men to take Mr. Green and his associates out. But something strange happens (again) and Jake Green is the only one that survives the shooting, saved by a man he sees for the first time in his life. Jake doesn't know why he's saved, Macha doesn't know why Jake isn't dead. But you feel as if someone knows everything.

If I would try to write a more exhaustive intro you wouldn't read this comment till bed time. There is so much going on in this movie. Where do I start? Well the performances, especially by Statham and Liotta are really convincing. They are both really familiarized with their roles. André Benjamin wasn't something I expected but he seemed to have a smarter role than he usually does. The rest of the cast was awesome and played an essential role in the movie. What I will most likely remember about this film are some really outstanding scenes. The one where Macha is being pushed onto the floor by his bodyguard has to be one of the best scenes in modern-day thriller history. The script is very stirred up and everything is in motion all the time. The mysterious identity of a man called Mr. Gold is yet to be revealed. This is where it goes down somehow. Jake's odd behavior was a put-off and thank god that everything is given more sense in the last few minutes.

I would definitely recommend Revolver to fans of The Usual Suspects (Special Editon). At times the plot seems identical. Also recommended if you liked Léon and the rest of Ritchie's films. I think it's best to see this movie without any knowledge about the plot what so ever. A friend recommended it to me, saying nothing else than it's good and very unpredictable. 'It's not like the rest', were his exact words. He wasn't far off. Word of mouth is something really rare when it comes to movies in my life. I usually give recommendations too others. Thank you for that Stojan.

This movie is a completely different beast than 'Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels', and 'Snatch'. I enjoyed both of those movies immensely. But Revolver is quite unique to any movie I have seen.

I actually saw this movie a few years ago. It was released in the UK and Europe in 2005 in theatres and DVD. I purchased a copy online. I wondered at the time why it hadn't been released in the U.S.

Firstly, I cannot say much about the story, because I don't want to give anything away. It's that type of movie. Reminded me of the first time I saw 'Fight Club'. I said, "what the f---?" But I knew I'd just witnessed something pretty awesome. Definitely a movie you have to see twice.

I would really emphasize that to anyone interested in this film. It REQUIRES multiple viewings. I figured the movie out midway through the second watch. But it took several viewings to fully understand. Also, seeing other reviewers on different sites when the movie originally came out, it was definitely those who watched it several times to understand it that fell in love with 'Revolver'.

A warning here for some of you: lots of violence and blood and profanity. If that's alright with you, the movie is a thrill to watch. It tries some different things that really worked for me. Excellent sound editing, with the gritty voice over by Jason Statham. The editing is frantic. I have to say, the Elevator Scene, you'll know what I am referring to after viewing, is one of the most intense movie scenes I've ever seen.

That scene, and the finale. The final scene. In a word, INTENSE. This movie really goes out with a bang. One of my favorite all-time endings. Ray Liotta, fantastic. Great to see him with a top notch performance. Statham carries the movie. Also, Sorter, the hitman, really has a classic performance.

'Revolver' is filled with memorable scenes. They went out on a limb trying new things and it really paid off. Notably, the animated sequence is pretty cool. Dialogue: Unbelievable. Some of the things Jake (Statham) says in the voiceover, it's just really great stuff. And I loved the way they worked the quotes into the movie.

I understand that it could be a frustrating and very confusing movie to many. Again, I would highly recommend multiple viewings. But this is no doubt a movie not to be liked by all. But some of you will love it as I did.

'Revolver' really demands your attention. It has a deep and cool message behind all of it. This movie is sure to be a cult classic. Give it 5-10 years and some people will see it for what it is. A masterpiece.

The final question you'll be asking... Who is Sam Gold?

UPDATE March 21st, 2008: This review is actually for the UK version. I rented the US version tonight, because it is a great movie and I haven't seen it in a while. Turns out, the movie has been changed quite drastically the US release.

The original ending, which is one of my all-time favorite endings (as noted in the review) is gone! The elevator scene, which happens near the 3/4's mark in the original version, is part of the ending here. A few other parts were completely cut out.

I feel like they botched it. Reminds me of 'Once Upon a Time in America', where they released the ridiculously edited and cut version and it bombed. But the full length version of that film is a masterpiece.

My STRONG ADVICE: Forget about this one. Get an all-region dvd player and buy the Region 2 version on eBay for $20.

Unlike the previous 5 star reviewer, I (unfortunately) HAVE seen this movie and it is simply awful. I am a huge fan of "Lock, Stock" and "Snatch", and even thought Guy Ritchie's remake of "Swept Away" was watchable. So going into to this one I had high hopes. Well, the production design is lovely and the camera work features Ritchie's signature jazzy, vivid style. But the storyline? Seriously, if anyone can figure out what this movie is supposed to be about, the progression of the plot and characters, or the moral of the story they deserve a medal. I think is it something to do with gangsters and somehow ties in with the Kaballah religion that Ritchie follows, but beyond that I haven't got a clue. All I got from "Revolver" was a migraine headache.

I have not seen this movie yet, but how can it be bad, right!!! FInally it will be released in the US on region 1....I cant wait to see it!