The main problem was not that the film was boring, but rather that it was not clear what it was talking about, or what was the point. The traditional Marlowe might be hardboiled, but he still followed basic rules or principles. In the film, everybody was betraying or lying to everybody, and I am not sure why the viewer should care. In the film, most of those killed might be bad guys, but Marlowe and the black dude seemed to be shooting at people indiscriminately without second thought or justification. Marlowe was paid to find Peterson, and he did. Peterson was then betrayed by Cavendish who shot him and then burned up the drug record. Regardless of Peterson's motive, what was so wrong about his collecting evidence of drug record? At the end, Marlowe did not care about Cavendish killing Peterson and she apparently got away, and he even recommended the black dude as her security chief? Where was the logic?