Review of Black Dahlia (2006) by Olivia C — 12 Apr 2009

I really, really don't know what to think of this movie... and I'm the world's biggest De Palma fan. The biggest problem with this movie is really just that it can't make up its mind. What is it about? What is the point? We think, at first, that it's going to be a thriller about hunting down the killer of Elizabeth Ann Short, but then we get a series of subplots that have little appeal and don't seem all that necessary, either.

Josh Hartnett's performance is actually a good one (one of his few good performances), but that's about it for the good news as far as performances goes. All in all, it's a good movie, I guess- it just isn't exciting enough to qualify as a great De Palma movie.

Fans will love that long tracking shot in which the camera goes over the building, gets a glimpse of the scene of the crime and then turns to face Hollywoodland.