Sympathy for the Devil

This movie answers the question that nobody asked: "What if we did Collateral in the desert, with Nicolas Cage and a boring script?".

I know the comparison may not be fair, I mean, the only common threads are a guy with a gun enters a stranger's car, threatens him with a gun and asks him to drive, leaving a chaotic path behind him.

The makers of this movie try to hold the audience captive, by making us think why the bad guy is doing what he's doing, but honestly, the lines are so bad and the twist is so weak, that not even Nic and Joel can save the story.

By the end of the movie, you are left with two unlikable characters and an unsatisfactory conclusion.

Honestly, this feels like a short story, stretched out to a full length feature.

Having said that, if you just want to see Nic Cage's "Caginess" being let out once in a while, you do get to see it, I just don't know if it's worth wasting 1h30 of your life for that.

The more I see Cage, the more I get impressed by his ability to pull off multi-layered characters. The cage must be one of those rarest species of actors who have always been underappreciated, no matter what kind of work or how difficult of a project they involved themselves in.

I see people more often than not underestimating him as a performer, and it's a shame that they don't realise or recognise the kind of capacity and range this man owns. Yes, he's been part of multiple duds, he may not have the filmography to rave about, but he has always given his very best, irrespective of the quality of the movies he chose to be part of!

Like in this case...

The film in itself is nothing exceptional, not at all. One could even argue that this is a cheap knockoff of Michael Mann's "Collateral", a subpar imitation of Mann's iconic creation minus the thrill. But it's Cage who made things a whole lot better, intensifying it through his spirited performance.

Had he not been a part of it, this was on its way to being an utter failure, but it did not end up like one because of Nick Cage and Nick Cage only! He was the saving grace.

I went in to this film expecting a really bad plot and boring characters. Truthfully because of the reviews probably wouldn't of even give it the time of day if it wasn't for Nicholas cage but I am so glad I did. This movie was such a enjoyable film I really enjoyed the plot and Nicholas cages character was outstanding.

Also read while looking in to the film that the Red hair on the character was Nicholas cages idea and it made the character in to something different.

The movie had action violence and even humour with a few plot twists was slightly disappointed with the very ending but all together thought it was really enjoyable and would recommend.

Let's get one thing straight: "Sympathy for the Devil" isn't a good movie. In no universe would I ever recommend this to anyone unless they were huge Nicolas Cage fans (such as myself). Why? Because, besides Cage's performance, there is really nothing here that is worthy of any real entertainment value. The violence is oddly shot and unfortunately neutered; the story is a predictable rehash of plotlines done - and done better - in a countless number of other films; and the movie (though it does look good, what with its neon-drenched cinematography) is clearly low budget, with 85% of it taking place inside of a vehicle. All of that said, Nicolas Cage's performance is so out-there, so extreme, and so colorful, that it makes "Sympathy for the Devil" a must watch for Cage fans.

Wow, wow, and wow. Where to start with "Sympathy for the Devil?" A certified Cage classic, if you're watching this movie, you're only watching it for one Nic Cage..... and one that front, it delivers. Cage is so, so entertaining here - he butchers a Brooklyn accent, he screams throughout 90% of his performance, and - for some reason - his hair is dyed red. What more could you ask for? Cage goes wild here, playing a character that will resort to violence at the drop of a hat - he's unpredictable, he's semi-menacing, and he's a whole lot of fun to watch on screen. If you want to watch this for Cage, you owe it to yourself to give it a go.

If you want to watch this for any other reason besides Nic Cage? You probably won't have that good of a time. Because, truth be told, there isn't really a lot of substance here. The majority of the movie consists of two people talking while pretending to drive a vehicle, and it's about as interesting as you'd expect, elevated only by Cage's wacky performance. I do have an affinity for Joel Kinnaman, and he is good here, but he really doesn't have that much to do. Like I said, the majority of the movie consists of Cage and Kinnaman speaking to each other, and while Cage's character adds entertainment value, there really isn't much depth to the performances or the conversations - in fact, the lack of depth was so noticeable that I found myself immediately forgetting the contents of the conversations as soon as they were over.

"Forgettable" is also an apt word to describe this movie; not much happens, and when it does, it doesn't leave any real type of impact on viewers. Simply put, this is a watchable, fast food-esque movie that you can put on, enjoy, and immediately never think about again as soon as the credits roll. And this isn't to say that I think this movie is horrible, because I don't - I just think that it's a movie strictly made for fans of Nicolas Cage. Not a Cage fan? Then you probably won't find much to enjoy here.

For some, the promise of Nicolas Cage playing a psychopathic, red-haired Bostonian is simply irresistible. The actor has delivered many entertaining performances as mad characters in the past, from his turn as the chaotic yuppie Peter Loew in 'Vampire's Kiss,' to the criminally insane Castor Troy in 'Face/Off'. Cage has made his bread and butter- and garnered legions of fans- delving into the mind of crazed characters, as he does yet again in Yuval Adler's 'Sympathy for the Devil.'

The film follows David Chamberlain, a married man living in Las Vegas whose wife is in the hospital, having just gone into labour. As he arrives, a scarlet-haired menace with a gun climbs into the back of his car, demanding that he is driven to Boulder City. With a gun to his head, Chamberlain is taken on a journey into fear through the Nevada nightscape; a journey that can only end in violence.

Adler's 'Sympathy for the Devil' is a fairly predictable, though entertaining, thriller that will please Cage fans considerably. Essentially a two-hander, the narrative is slim on originality or surprise, though still keeps one engaged. It is a tense affair, the passenger's unpredictability making for some effectively thrilling moments. Screenwriter Luke Paradise seems to have tailored the dialogue for Cage, giving him some marvellously madcap monologues, which he spouts with his typical nouveau shamanic, Western Kabuki brilliance (nouveau shamanic and Western Kabuki, for those who may not know, being Cage's self-titled acting styles).

However, Joel Kinnaman- as Chamberlain- gets considerably less to do. His character is the grounded parallel to Cage's deranged villain, a stoic man lacking personality or charisma. A wet blanket, he is hard to root for in the face of Cage's magnetic mania. Though Kinnaman performs admirably, and shares a good chemistry with Cage; he does not deliver a memorable performance. Moreover, the cliches that abound throughout the film become quite tiring, leading to an ending as forgettable as it is underwhelming.

Conversely, Steven Holleran's cinematography is a neon-soaked feast for the eyes. Atmospheric and striking, his work compounds the narrative tension. He captures the seedy unease of the Las Vegas night astutely, lending proceedings a Lynchian mood of sleazy agitation. This is complemented by the production design from Burns Burns, as well as Ermelinda Manos's costume design and Anthony Fitzgerald's art direction and set decoration.

Furthermore, Ishai Adar's score contributes to the sordid, mysterious tone, as does the eclectic and evocative soundtrack, making great use of songs from the like of Scott Walker, Alicia Bridges and Jimmy Radcliffe. It is also a well-edited picture, with a good pace from the beginning. At just over an hour and a half, it is relatively short, although Adler and editor Alan Canant's work ensures it doesn't feel in any way rushed.

As alluded to above, despite its faults- predictability chiefly among them- it's a film Cage fans will love. As the erratic gun-toting passenger, he is terrific, clearly having a ball with the material. It's a classic Cage performance- full of unexpected vocalisations, shouting, creepy facial expressions and a little bit of song and dance. He is electrifying to watch and works well with Kinnaman, who- as previously mentioned- is perfectly adequate, though his role doesn't demand much of him.

In short, Yuval Adler's 'Sympathy for the Devil' is one that Nicolas Cage fans will enjoy, though may leave those who do not appreciate his work, unmoved. While Steven Holleran's cinematography is striking, and the soundtrack- as well as Ishai Adar's score- complements the atmosphere, the narrative is unfortunately cliched. Joel Kinnaman's character is also dull and the ending disappoints. In conclusion, while Nicolas Cage is great, the film around him doesn't live up to his talents.