Review of Angel Heart (1987) by Gavin P — 31 Jul 2008

The hiring of a Brooklyn detective (Mickey Rourke) by a mysterious figure named Louis Cyphre (Robert de Niro), provides the background to a series of strange events. On the plus side, the performances are generally solid, and the film succeeds in creating a foreboding atmosphere.

However, the problem is that the film is a little too weird for its own good. Although this should perhaps be expected in a film which takes the occult as a central theme, I thought that the inclusion of a sex scene where the ceiling starts dripping blood was a step too far, making a similar sequence in Don't Look Now seem restrained!

The film has other issues too. The script is a little lazy at times and a lot of characters are massively underdeveloped, serving only as devices to advance the plot before being discarded for good.