This ranks up there with the most graphic depictions of violence ever to make it to the mainstream. Up there with "Bad Lieutenant", "Reservoir Dogs" and a few others from an exceptionally violent period in L.A. -- the arrival of 'bellum omnium contra omnes'(the war of all against all); life in Hobbesian terms: nasty, brutish and short.
Plainly, this is post-"Scarface", "Colors" & "Deep Cover". Mostly it quotes "Goodfellas", the Hughes brothers openly stated that it was a motivating factor. This is plain not only from the framing narration, but from the tethering of the camera to the characters, a la Scorcese.
What it lacks in originality, it makes up for in energy and commitment from all involved. The advertised allure is 'this is what's real', but that's unimportant in movies. What is important is how the content exists as a cinematic experience of vision, audio, the editing of time and the perception of space.
On those dimensions, two things score points: the construction of this around the 'snuff' film, very much like "Henry...". This is very clever self-reference, since the entire movie is a snuff film. The 'film within' acts as a maguffin.
The other is the ending, which quotes "Jacob's Ladder", not only depicting the life flashing before one's eyes, but tying up the loose ends in a visual shorthand.
Too bad the Hughes all but used up their best ideas here, they haven't had any really good ideas since this.
Plainly, this is post-"Scarface", "Colors" & "Deep Cover". Mostly it quotes "Goodfellas", the Hughes brothers openly stated that it was a motivating factor. This is plain not only from the framing narration, but from the tethering of the camera to the characters, a la Scorcese.
What it lacks in originality, it makes up for in energy and commitment from all involved. The advertised allure is 'this is what's real', but that's unimportant in movies. What is important is how the content exists as a cinematic experience of vision, audio, the editing of time and the perception of space.
On those dimensions, two things score points: the construction of this around the 'snuff' film, very much like "Henry...". This is very clever self-reference, since the entire movie is a snuff film. The 'film within' acts as a maguffin.
The other is the ending, which quotes "Jacob's Ladder", not only depicting the life flashing before one's eyes, but tying up the loose ends in a visual shorthand.
Too bad the Hughes all but used up their best ideas here, they haven't had any really good ideas since this.