L'ultimo inganno

DEADFALL (R) - Vidmark Video (Original 1994 VHS distributor):

You'd think a cast of pro actors (Michael Biehn, Nicholas Cage, Sarah Trigger, Peter Fonda, James Coburn, Mickey Dolenz, Clarence Williams III, Charlie Sheen, Rene Estevez and PHANTASM heavy Angus Scrimm), and a famous daddy to guide him, Christopher Coppola (sone of Francis and director of the better-forgotten 1985 opus DRACULA'S WIDOW) would have no trouble pulling off a neat little GRIFTERS-style caper flick. Instead, he's pulled abominably inconsistent performances out of many in the cast (Cage is cosmically unrestrained) and proven himself one of the most talentless, non-descript son-of-a-directors ever to sit behind a camera. I give it a 1.

This movie sashays between an attempt at modern noir, an homage to film noir, and a parody of film noir.

I like Michael Biehn, but unfortunately his voice-over narration comes off rather flat. Some of the noir dialogue just falls on the floor and lies there -- I had to rewind to believe that I actually heard the line: "That was the thing that would send me into the darkness, squinting at clues."

Nick Cage's character is certainly a standout. I think the excesses of the character are supposed to be funny. However, Cage not only takes Eddie over the top but down the other side -- he chews up the scenery, digests it, and poops it out right there in front of you. For some reason he seems to think the character should always be on the edge of having a seizure. The cumulative effect for me is to flinch from the thought of ever again seeing him in a film. Really. Like aversion therapy. Say "Nick Cage" and I will think of him drooling and choose another film.

And the film suddenly veers off into an Italian James Bond rip-off! I thought for a moment they had gotten reels mixed up with another movie... In a stylish secret lair (behind a billiard parlor) we meet Angus Scrimm (the Tall Man from "Phantasm") as "Dr. Lyme", the man obsessed with diamonds. Crystals are everywhere, his female henchmen are decked out in big blobby crystal jewelry, the furniture is designed with crystalline angles. He comes complete with a Dr. No suit, a Sidney Greenstreet growl, and -- get this! -- a metal arm with a sharp shiny lobster-claw hand! No fooling. My jaw dropped. At least he wasn't stroking a cat.

Throw in Charlie Sheen as a suave pool hustler, and Mickey Dolenz and Clarence Williams III (!) as sidekicks, and you have quite a stew. Peter Fonda looks like he is thinking about his shopping list. James Coburn (the primary reason I picked up the film) definitely classes things up, but we don't see enough of him.

This film isn't quite a train wreck, but it is something of a demolition derby. Between a bus, a sportscar, a taxi, and a motorcycle. And a kid on a tricycle.

I'm going to hang onto it for a while, just to share Angus Scrimm's scene with people. And to prove I didn't dream it.

OK lets cut to the chase about this movie: the only people who should ever watch this movie are die hard Nicolas Cage fans. Everybody else will be bored out of their minds at this film. Micheal Bein turns in the most lackluster lead hero performance I have seen in years. The talents of both James Coburn and Peter Fonda are wasted in this movie. The only reason that anybody would want to watch this movie is to see Nicolas Cage screaming at the top of his lungs. Howver, all the best Cage scenes are already available online so it is basically a waste of time to track down a copy as Cage is only in about 30 minutes out of the movies 90 minute run time. However, the 30 minutes he is in the movie include some of the most quotable lines in Nic Cage history. The rest of the movie is watching the former Kyle Resse sleepwalking through a modern day film noir movie alongside James Coburn who honestly looks ashamed to be in this movie. Peter Fonda makes a brief cameo that is so short that if you blink you might possibly miss it. In short, check out the scenes with Cage being awesome and let the rest of the movie die off into obsurity.

Joe (Michael Biehn) learned grifting from his father Mike Donan (James Coburn). In his final deadly con, Joe is supposed to shoot him with a blank but the bullet turns out to be real. As Joe looks into his mysterious unknown life, Joe discovers his money had been stolen by his twin Lou (James Coburn). Eddie (Nicolas Cage) and Diane (Sarah Trigger) work for Lou.

This tries to be a noirish crime drama. It never gets to feel real. From the bullet onwards, there are obvious questions left hanging. There are jumps in logic. There are easy conveniences. Then there is Nicolas Cage. His is a fake character gone too far. He's insane bothering on a cartoon. The movie stops being a real thing. Everything is in question and Joe is too dumb in not asking them. The con becomes a mess and none of it matters. The whole movie is a mess.

Here is a film I really found unjustly criticized. Deadfall is a lot of fun, though a lot of people won't share my opinion. In the art of the con, father and son, team (Coburn, who double stars here) and Biehn, are the best. When the con backfires and Coburn is killed, Biehn makes a fatherly promise to track down his Uncle (a slicker white haired Coburn) and retrieve some stolen valuables. It's here that Biehn, meets some particular weird types, none weirder of course than movie stealer, Cage, in a great, purposely overacted performance, that's deserves some acting award- may'be great overacting. He's hilarious. His beautiful girlfriend (Back for Revenge's Sarah Trigger) is not all she seems, as are many others, and it's great to see her get her gear off. You'll never see the big pay off in the end, the ultimate con, which kind of really have bad repercussions for one party. There are some surprisingly take note, memorable, performances, in particular, that of Charlie Sheen, as a dark menacing figure, who spouts lines from Mark Twain novels, a fantastic pool player you don't want to cross. The other notable performance is that of Peter Fonda, as one of Uncle's Coburn's bodyguards, who you wish you saw more of him in this, he's that good. But of course it's Cage's scenes, that you're gonna love, especially if you're a Nic Cage fan. I like the fact, Deadfall chooses to be something different, an off the wall crime caper, with characters of insanity, the only sane being Biehn, who really didn't really exude himself enough. Or was he 'spose to play it down pat? He just didn't really do it for me, just being upstage by some classic acting performances. His sane character is an amusing contrast to the others. We even have one guy who would put Edward Scissorhands to shame. There so many things that make this film fun, but I know the main reason for watching it again: Cage.