Review of The Insider (1999) by Brandon S — 17 May 2015
This film is the definition of intense filmmaking. It's a thriller without set pieces, chases, shootouts, fist fights. It's a thriller that relies on silence, paranoia and tension above anything else to create thrills.
What makes this such a special thriller, to me, is the fact that Mann has shown multiple times that he can work in violent cinema to thrill, the most prominent being the legendary shootout in Heat. But this film shows that he doesn't have to.
One of the most exciting scenes of the film is two actors simply faxing back and forth. There's no dialogue, little music, and no complex editing. But the tension created by Mann keeps your eyes glued to the screen.
Crowe, Pacino, Plummer, and Gambon are all brilliant in their roles, but a good actor isn't worth much without a good film to act in, and this is most certainly a film that goes above and beyond good.
This is a master class thriller that I've put off seeing for far too long. And it is now one of the finest thrillers I've ever had the pleasure of seeing.
This review of The Insider (1999) was written by Brandon S on 17 May 2015.
The Insider has generally received very positive reviews.
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