How do you start off with maximum tension and action? Well, I suppose a hostage situation with a shotgun and some snipers should do the trick. Tone set.
Generally the tension is very high for almost the entire movie, and you can almost smell the sweat of the hostages spending hours in a high-stress situation in a cramped environment. At times there is a bit of frantic shouting going on, that seems overabundant for both the action and suspense. But nothing is perfect, I suppose
Samuel L. Jackson is given a couple of scenes to show some versatility, but mostly he's (understandably) stressed and (even more understandably) angry. Fortunately, few actors can better portray stressed anger in an action film than SLJ.
As Spacey enters, the cleverness and human drama increases tenfold. Spacey and SLJ have fantastic sparring from the first scene, measuring each other, testing each other, not to mention bluffing each other. Playing a quite brilliant, and most lethal, game of chess. And some very nice twists and surprises to boot. Chemistry on screen makes such a difference.
Another thing that makes a difference, is the music, and Graeme Revell delivers full-on this time. An uncharacteristically sombre score, with a few beautiful themes. Perfectly timed for key scenes. Revell's best score by a mile.
I usually don't like thrillers as they are a dime a dozen, and most of them have an excessive amount of twists, increasing in stupidity, rather than one very good one. This thriller has a very good spread of tension all through, and doesn't overdo the twists, nor the action (apart from the shouting), albeit it has a very frantic pace. Hence it's both satisfying and entertaining to watch.
And to see Jackson and Rifkin line-dance to "Cotton Eye Joe" is something... You'll never see anywhere else.
8/10
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