Review of Blow Out (1981) by Zach C — 25 Sep 2013

There are many detractors to Brian DePalma who say he is an over rated, over glorified filmmaker who has little, if anything to brag about. Likewise, there are many DePalma defenders who claim that he has made truly top-notch films that deserve more praise, more recognition, and a place in every true cinefile's heart.

'Blow Out' is usually this film, and I can say after watching it... I'm very confused as to why. Although 'Blow Out' contains many examples of beautiful, eye-popping shots and instances of sharp editing, the audience has little to root for in the characters which are flat as the film stock they're seeking to expose.

The story plays out dry and fleshless, and it is clear that the script needed many more revisions before this became the conspiracy drama it intended to be. The soundtrack and the slow motion are as dated as it gets and the dialogue often falls somewhere between the realms of corny, cliche, and just plain silly.

Moments of intrigue, and there are quite a few, arrive for a brief moment and then quickly disappear under the embarrassingly archetypal characters. I had a lot of hope for 'Blow Out'. This was the film that would make or break my opinion on DePalma.

'Carrie' was a truly fine film, but 'Blow Out', alongside Mission: Impossible, Scarface, The Untouchables, and Carlito's Way, is just another hollow, dated film punctuated by a few impressive moments.