Romeo Is Bleeding (1993)

Weak and messy film noir. Too much voice-over that drains the pace and intensity from the film, too little genuine noir atmosphere, unbelievable characters, and a plot that struck me as a bit too simple. Much of it revolves, of course, around the woman-fascinated Jack Grimaldi, a corrupt cop who gets wrapped around the finger of his victim, a Russian murderess. I enjoy watching Oldman act, and he is the only one who actually makes anything of this film. Olin is only enjoyable in her bondage outfit. Films like Hot Spot and The Last Seduction were much better in terms of atmosphere...

Translated from Dutch · View original

Romeo is Bleeding is certainly not the best neo-noir film I have seen. What it lacked a bit was atmosphere and also some suspense. I felt that the voice-over took away some of the atmosphere and tension. However, Oldman gives a sublime performance and Lena Olin is a real bombshell of a femme fatale. The film contains a number of interesting one-liners and blood gushes heavily from the (gunshot) wounds. I definitely found the ending to be one of the highlights, which is why I'm giving it 3.5 stars.

Translated from Dutch · View original

The devil's lair is an endless black hole in a world where sex and horror are the new gods. Opposite him stands his wife Natalie, Annabella Sciora. Strong film with good transitions. For Oldman, all that remains is a mirage in the wind within his perception of the truth. Olin and Steiger deliver good performances, where the extremities separate into intellectual and psychotic behavior... 3.8*

Translated from Dutch · View original