Review of Deathtrap (1982) by Mark S — 08 Dec 2011
Another case of a play that doesn't quite work on film (at least not this time). The script itself follows the original play, pretty much, and you can tell the actors are trying their best to give a grand performance (Caine and Reeve have their strong moments), but something about the film doesn't coalesce.
Perhaps it's the overused wide shots, which draw attention to the fact that this is a play on screen. Or a bit of an unbalance between acting for film (some attempts at subtlety which only live on screen) and acting for stage (the monologues and explosive moments seem way overdone).
Still has its fun and enjoyably dark moments, but really forgettable as a movie. Better off just reading the original script, or seeing the stage version.
This review of Deathtrap (1982) was written by Mark S on 08 Dec 2011.
Deathtrap has generally received positive reviews.
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