Le limier

Yes, this 2007 film is a distinct departure from the original. Some plot twists (many of the best) disappear, and a new twist or two (rather trite) are inserted seemingly solely for the sake of change and shock value. The vide surveillance aspect seems of no purpose other than to remind of modern times (as if this fact has plot value). Even had the changes benefited the plot, Caine is no Olivier and Branagh is no Mankiewicz. Caine's performance and this film fall flat and bore. Law is over the top and stagey, and Caine simply lacks all energy. Most lines fall flat - as if this were an early read-through between the two and background scenery were added late. The original was far superior. This film is predictable, one note and disappointing.

Just under 90 minutes that's all it takes to retell this Anthony Shaffer comedy of deception and disguise. The characters are not quite the same, this ones allow the darker side of their nature take the upper-hand. The new house is a cold technological monstrosity instead of the country manor of Laurence Olivier. In Harold Pinter's hand and brain everything is colder, darker and Shaffer's original comedy risks to become Ira Levin's "Deathtrap" at times. Michael Caine and Jude Law are inches away from a kiss here and that's a bizarre turn of events. True, Jude Law has a sexual presence that he carries as if he didn't know was there. Everything he says has a sexual connotation whether consciously or unconsciously. His Milo Tindle looks decidedly post coital. A bit undone, unwashed. Kenneth Brannagh conducts his duet with gusto but limited not just by the natural setting of the play but by the memory of the Manckiewicz original. Caine and Law make a fun, dirty pair and it's the power of their performances that makes this very short version appear even shorter. I could have stay a few more minutes with this two. That, I suppose, it's a form of giving it a thumbs up.

Calling this film a 'remake' is not only misleading, but also incorrect. Harold Pinter had never seen Anthony Shaffer's play performed or seen the classic 1972 film version directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, starring Caine and Laurence Olivier and penned by Shaffer himself. The 1972 version of "Sleuth" is an epic, 138 minute long battle of wits and egos, and is generally pretty much flawless.

2007's 86 minute long "Sleuth" is about as different as could be. Pinter wrote this script from scratch, using Shaffer's original stage script as the basis for it, and this is obvious right from the beginning. Anthony Shaffer was an immensely talented thriller writer ("Sleuth" was one of three truly great screenplays he wrote, the other two obvious standouts being "The Wicker Man" and Hitchcock's "Frenzy"), but other than using interesting subtexts, he was not exactly an intellectual writer. Pinter, on the other hand, is precisely that- an intellectual. Pinter does not write thrillers with subtext, he writes material driven almost entirely by thematic content which loosely fall in certain genres. What Pinter has done here is taken Shaffer's clever battle of wits and turned it upside down, making the dark subtext of battling male egos and perhaps even fetishism the main driving force of the film. This is a darker, more intellectual "Sleuth", one far colder than Shaffer's vision. It is distinctly Pinter's work.

The film is most interesting visually in the first half, where we are introduced to this cold, hi-tech version of the old country house we remember from the first film. The art decoration and set design in this film are simply fabulous and suit Pinter's vision perfectly. We see several shots through Wyke's surveillance equipment, establishing his cold, distant view of the world, alone in his large, empty residence. After the opening act, the film occasionally seems awkwardly-shot and I do have to question the use of the 2.35:1 screen format. It worked in the original film but this version seems to be going for a more depressing, claustrophobic feel and the width works against it, particularly as closeups become more common towards the end of the film.

I have no major qualms with Pinter's variation on Shaffer's play, but it is by no means superior. This concise and to the point version is much darker and more mean-spirited than the original play was. It starts at ugly and just gets uglier from there. Some may consider this a comedy, but there is little humor here, and the script is not too concerned with coming off as witty and dives straight into the battle of egos part, substituting ugly, straightforward insults for the witty degradation Shaffer's version had. Michael Caine and Jude Law are both excellent here, but neither are as inspired as Olivier and Caine were in the 1972 version.

I mentioned earlier that this was a darker, more intellectual "Sleuth". That is certainly true, but that does not mean that it is a better "Sleuth". This film is much more flawed than the previous film version was, and though it is a very good, interesting, and different take on Shaffer's play, it doesn't measure up to the the 1972 film. On its own, as a standalone film, it is excellent, though not among 2007's elite.

8/10

The most important thing when you watch this film is to avoid any comparison with the 1972 classic. Not easy I grant you but essential if you want to enjoy this film on any level. Any comparison will not be favourable to this version.

There is an obvious attempt to give this film an ultra modern feel by employing huge amounts of high-tech gadgets and having sleek metal and chrome surfaces on display throughout the house. Kenneth Branagh has made use of various techniques such as showing the action through security cameras and filming from different angles to give this film a unique look. However, none of these things are a problem. There is a slightly excessive use of swear words which does give the impression that the writer was trying desperately to engage a younger audience through any means necessary.

The first half of this film is engaging enough and follows the plot of the original pretty closely. However, the second half is a bit of a mess. Jude Law's performance is laughable and there is a homosexual undercurrent that has no place in the plot and is in fact very damaging to the credibility of the film. The ending is abrupt and totally devoid of tension.

This film is worth a look but don't expect too much. Michael Caine takes on the role of the rich and bitter Andrew Wyke and plays it very well with no attempt to copy Olivier in any way. Jude Law is adequate but not outstanding. This film might be better suited to people who have not seen the original but in its own right this film is still not a classic of our time.

Andrew Wyke (Michael Caine) is a famous writer who lives in a monitored with high tech and stark house . He is a successful novelist , a master of menace , the number one bestseller author from Baron Books . The luxurious but cold British mansion is full of modern furniture, cameras and surveillance activated. There arrives Milo (Jude Law, also producer), a hairdresser and aspiring actor who seeks to convince the former for signing the divorce papers and Andrew in seeking avenge on his detested and unfaithful wife. Then happens a cat and mouse thriller and both are the peak of their game in this dazzling film. An ultimate game is being played on its audience.

This lighthearted suspense/mystery is well adapted by Harold Pinter from Anthony Shaffer's hit play about games-playing mystery novelist played by Caine leading his spouse's lover performed by Law into diabolical trap. This interesting movie is plenty of twists and turns and stunning surprises. Splendid and fascinating performances , a real Tour De force for two stars. Cameo by the screenwriter Harold Pinter and director Kenneth Branagh as men on TV. Packs a minimalist soundtrack , including a haunting, remarkable musical leitmotif by Patrick Doyle. Colorful cinematography by Haris Zambarloukis and modern production design. This deliciously sardonic and witty movie is professionally directed by Kenneth Branagh . However, it is inferior the first version that was a flawlessly acted masterpiece directed by Joseph L Mankiewicz, in his last film, with Laurence Olivier and again Michael Caine. In the similar style was subsequently filmed 'Deathtrap' by Sidney Lumet with Christopher Reeve, Dyan Cannon and also Michael Caine. Rating : Good, delicious from start to finish. It's a great and enjoyable fun.