Review of Lord of Illusions (1995) by Brad G — 20 Aug 2013
"I was born to murder the world." Clive Barker's third and final film as director is an underrated genre mashup supported by four performances from actors never again given material this weighty or as against type.
Scott Bakula is an exceptional Sam Spade stand-in, and he carries the supernatural shenanigans with Humphrey Bogart's dry acceptance. Kevin J O'Connor, who is normally regulated to the comic relief sidekick persona, is exceptionally sad as the fallen magician but he somehow manages to evoke power.
Famke Janssen was simply born to be the Femme Fatale; she's pure sex & danger. And Daniel Von Bargen might just be the proudest, shiniest, tubbiest lump of evil to ever Charlie Manson the silver screen.
Lord of Illusions is the Chinatown of horror, a neo-noir caked in Barker's special brand of perversity that never got the audience it so rightfully deserved. I'll just have to take comfort in the knowledge that in the Fringe universe Bakula & Barker made a killing with a whole slew of Harry D'Amour detective tales.
VF.
This review of Lord of Illusions (1995) was written by Brad G on 20 Aug 2013.
Lord of Illusions has generally received positive reviews.
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