Reservoir Dogs Reviews
Sanjay R
Super Reviewer
February 4, 2012
A unique directorial debut from a unique (but very overrated) director. Tarantino writes and directs this ultra vulgar/violent film and the cast, particularly Buscemi, puts on a great performance. This film, about the aftermath of a heist rather than the heist itself, tests the trust and loyalty between nine suave criminals. This is a pretty good indie film.
Eric S
Super Reviewer
March 22, 2008
I don't really have enough good things to say about this one. A perfect example of a film that works on every level. A somewhat simple story of a group of thieves infiltrated by a member of the LAPD(Roth) who as a result becomes tight with a long time criminal (Keitel) on a heist gone awry.
A notch cast that gives each character a background that you just feel. The great Lawrence Tierney portrays the man behind the "jobs" who is about as real as crime bosses get. "It's my way or the highway". His unique low, raspy voice is quite effective and lets you know that you do not mess with him. Remember him as Elaine's father on Seinfeld?
And I should mention that this film utilizes locations in Los Angeles that are pretty much never shown in films which keeps things real.
So If you have missed this one and would like to know why Steve Buscemi's character Mr. Pink doesn't tip, check this one out.
*This is the film that launched Quentin Tarantino's career as a filmmaker and is in my opinion his very best work.
What a film!
I don't really have enough good things to say about this one. A perfect example of a film that works on every level. A somewhat simple story of a group of thieves infiltrated by a member of the LAPD(Roth) who as a result becomes tight with a long time criminal (Keitel) on a heist gone awry.
A notch cast that gives each character a background that you just feel. The great Lawrence Tierney portrays the man behind the "jobs" who is about as real as crime bosses get. "It's my way or the highway". His unique low, raspy voice is quite effective and lets you know that you do not mess with him. Remember him as Elaine's father on Seinfeld?
And I should mention that this film utilizes locations in Los Angeles that are pretty much never shown in films which keeps things real.
So If you have missed this one and would like to know why Steve Buscemi's character Mr. Pink doesn't tip, check this one out.
*This is the film that launched Quentin Tarantino's career as a filmmaker and is in my opinion his very best work.
E.J. B
Super Reviewer
April 25, 2007
Quentin Tarantino's marvelous debut is not only a great heist film, it's an incredibly satisfying low budget Indie that demonstrates Tarantino's tremendous skill as a filmmaker. You never see the heist, but you don't have to. The circling camera shot of eight men at a diner talking about everyday life before leaving for the job, followed by a post opening credit shot of Mr. Orange in the backseat of a car, screaming in pain from a gun shot wound, tells you all you need to know. The film focuses on the aftermath, where the surviving thieves try to figure out who among them was an undercover cop. Reservoir Dogs is packed with suspense, brutal violence, and a plot that shifts through time with spectacular ingenuity. If you haven't seen this yet, what are you waiting for?
Eugene B
Super Reviewer
December 28, 2012
Quentin Tarantino's magnificent mixture of violence dialogue and humor once again reigns supreme in this crime masterpiece. Reservoir Dogs is a daring tale that pushes the boundaries of cinematic storytelling. 4/5
Everett J
Super Reviewer
December 15, 2012
First thing is first, if you have never seen this movie, then RUN and get a copy NOW. "Reservoir Dogs" is the first movie directed by Quentin Tarantino, and this is just an absolute crime drama masterpiece. It's the story of a jewelry heist gone wrong, and the effects surrounding the heist. The first time I watched this, I watched with my parents and was absolutely amazed at what I saw. As soon as the movie ended I knew Tarantino was my favorite filmmaker off just seeing one of his movies. The way the movie looks, feels, sounds is just so fresh and I guess "cool" would be a perfect word. The music is fantastic and the dialogue is just amazing. I quote this movie all the time, and know quite a few people who do as well. Plus, this has probably the great torture scene ever. It's funny and truly terrifying at the same time. It had bee probably 5 years since I watched this all the way through, and this movie holds up very, very well. Re-watching this is like seeing your best friend from high school and just catching up. Again, I LOVE this movie, and everyone I know that has seen this loves it also. This is a must see, and probably in my top 10 favorite movies of all time.
skactopus
Super Reviewer
March 14, 2007
Quentin Tarantino beats around the bush with Reservoir Dogs.With a story revolving around a jewelry heist, there isn't much jewelry to be seen, let alone a heist. Instead, Reservoir Dogs successfully tells the story of the characters by jumping back and forth in time, which in turn unveils the major plot details about the heist. There are a number of long winded dialogue segments, which can get tiresome, but the cinematography and dialogue tend to relieve that.This film has its share of violence; gruesome to an extent, but not excruciatingly painful any way shape or form.Tarantino brings out the best in the cast. Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Chris Penn, and Lawrence Tierney all shine with their characters.Reservoir Dogs isn't perfect, but as far as film-making is concerned, it contains excellent examples of it.
Market Man
Super Reviewer
August 19, 2012
Proof that you don't need constant action to hold suspense. It's a film mostly driven by dialogue, and I think that's what makes it great. To be honest, I did not care for the ending. Otherwise, great script, acting, and soundtrack. Basically all the things you'd expect in a Tarantino film.
Daniel Mumby
Super Reviewer
June 12, 2012
Reservoir Dogs is frequently cited as the point where American independent filmmaking began to experience a revival. Empire magazine even voted it the Greatest Independent Film of All Time back in 2008. The film had secured most of its funding through the efforts of Harvey Keitel, who had loved Tarantino's script, signed on to play Mr. White and called in a few favours. After it shocked audiences at the Sundance Film Festival, it was snapped up by Harvey Weinstein's company Miramax, and the rest is history.
When reviewing low-budget films, you're always on the lookout for directors who can achieve a great deal of visual depth with minimal means of creating such depth. On this level Reservoir Dogs is very impressive, with each of its locations feeling like they have a character unique to the film, when most of them had probably turned up on screen a hundred times before. The warehouse in which most of the action takes place looks tumbled-down and blood-spattered, as if it was showing its age from having been used in these kinds of stories so many times.
But while the buildings may be creaking under the weight of generic convention, the film itself is pretty light on its feet. Tarantino's use of hand-held camera puts us right in the centre of the action so that we feel part of the conspiracy and are hit by the fall-out like all the others. It is as though we take over the role of Mr. Brown from Tarantino, who appears in the first couple of scenes but then is never seen again. The film calls us to observe the action as well as picking up on all the nods to different films, and its movement away during the ear-slicing scene reflects our own repulsion.
This scene leads us nicely into the amount of references to other films Reservoir Dogs contains, and more importantly the manner in which they are conveyed. Just as the film never breaks the fourth wall and addresses the audience directly, so it doesn't drop references clumsily into conversation, with the performers constantly winking at us. Instead, there are little motifs scattered throughout which film fans will pick up on, but which don't undermine the mechanics of Reservoir Dogs as a heist film.
In most cases the references are twisted to accommodate Tarantino's own creative decisions, something which is less present in his later works. The plot is lifted by and large from Stanley Kubrick's The Killing, but with the middle section involving the heist being taken out and the opening act of planning the heist being truncated. The naming of the characters after different colours comes from The Taking of Pelham 123, but instead of Mr. Blue being the head honcho and present throughout, in Reservoir Dogs he is pretty much dead from the start.
In an interview for the AFI surrounding Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction¸ Tarantino talked about different crime directors putting their stamp on the criminals in their films through the suits and accessories that they wore. He contrasted his penchant for black suits (which is cemented in Pulp Fiction) with Sergio Leone's dusters, Jean-Pierre Melville's trench-coats or John Woo's recurring use of doves. Tarantino's aesthetic stamp achieves the same as his predecessors, in elevating his characters above the norms of generic convention, so that even as we are aware of where they come from, they still feel like real people that could exist.
At its heart, Reservoir Dogs is a study of the structure of heist films. It's not about the twist, or who's the rat, or where the diamonds are, or who if anyone gets out alive. It is about the way in which we get to those kinds of plot points, showing the action out of order so that we understand how these scenes function, rather than just taking them for granted. Tarantino would develop this idea further with the hit-men in Pulp Fiction, showing us all the scenes we would normally never get to see and doing for the crime film what Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead did for Hamlet.
Reservoir Dogs puts a fresh stamp on the heist genre through two aspects which have become Tarantino's motifs. The first is the discussions about pop culture, which led to comparisons with David Mamet and Barry Levinson; early reviews pithily described the film as "Tin Men with guns", or "Diner with guns". One of the best scenes comes right at the beginning, where the gangsters are arguing over the hidden meanings of Madonna's 'Like A Virgin'. Later there is a chat in the car about the actress Pam Grier, who would later work with Tarantino in Jackie Brown. We hadn't really seen a heist film in which grown men had these kinds of discussions with straight faces before, and even after it's been copied a thousand times, the original still works well.
The second aspect is the distinctive use of music. The slow-motion shot of our rogues walking into shot to the tune of 'Little Green Bag' has become iconic in its own time. The drawling delivery of comedian Steven Wright, host of 'K-Billy's Super Sounds of the Seventies', provides an ironic running commentary on events and allows Tarantino to vary the pace of the action. Most effective, and affecting, is the image of Michael Madsen's psychotic Mr. Blonde, dancing around in the warehouse to 'Stuck In The Middle With You'.
This scene was a major talking point when the film was first released. It prompted walkouts at several screenings, including horror director Wes Craven and American Werewolf make-up artist Rick Baker. The issue was whether we are supposed to enjoy the violence, with the upbeat music making us feel good even as horrible things happen. The answer is that this and the other bloodbaths are intentionally repulsive, balancing the stylised nature of the plot with the brutality forced upon its players. You might even argue that this scene is blackly comedic, with the shot of the 'Mind Your Head' sign being analogous to the A Farewell to Arms joke in Evil Dead 2.
Within Reservoir Dogs there is an sadly underplayed discussion about the insecure position of white criminals in a town increasingly populated by other races. The gangsters in general, and Mr. White in particular, have a strong hatred not just of the police, but of blacks and gay people. Jason Reitman recently picked up on the irony within this, staging a rehearsed reading of the screenplay with all black actors, on the grounds that the characters "all sounded like black dudes to start with". If we accept this, the ending of the film gains a little extra meaning; the whites are betrayed by their own kind, and cease to control the town.
Not everything about Reservoir Dogs is perfect. Tarantino's dialogue is occasionally a little samey, with characters seeming to blend into one. And there are times when it is too clinical, not letting us get under the skin enough to make the film more emotionally resonant. But as debut efforts go it is hugely encouraging, being an efficient, sharp and gripping piece of filmmaking. Whatever Tarantino does in the next 20 years, it will still remain a damn fine first attempt.
I've regularly had a go at Quentin Tarantino for being bloated, self-important and indulgent. Both instalments of Kill Bill are overlong, baggy and poorly written, and Death Proof comes across as totally desperate and inept. But as much as I will criticise Tarantino for not delivering on the promise of Jackie Brown, there can be little denying the power and biting originality of his early work. Reservoir Dogs is Tarantino at his most disciplined and efficient, and it still feels edgy and gripping after 20 years.
Reservoir Dogs is frequently cited as the point where American independent filmmaking began to experience a revival. Empire magazine even voted it the Greatest Independent Film of All Time back in 2008. The film had secured most of its funding through the efforts of Harvey Keitel, who had loved Tarantino's script, signed on to play Mr. White and called in a few favours. After it shocked audiences at the Sundance Film Festival, it was snapped up by Harvey Weinstein's company Miramax, and the rest is history.
When reviewing low-budget films, you're always on the lookout for directors who can achieve a great deal of visual depth with minimal means of creating such depth. On this level Reservoir Dogs is very impressive, with each of its locations feeling like they have a character unique to the film, when most of them had probably turned up on screen a hundred times before. The warehouse in which most of the action takes place looks tumbled-down and blood-spattered, as if it was showing its age from having been used in these kinds of stories so many times.
But while the buildings may be creaking under the weight of generic convention, the film itself is pretty light on its feet. Tarantino's use of hand-held camera puts us right in the centre of the action so that we feel part of the conspiracy and are hit by the fall-out like all the others. It is as though we take over the role of Mr. Brown from Tarantino, who appears in the first couple of scenes but then is never seen again. The film calls us to observe the action as well as picking up on all the nods to different films, and its movement away during the ear-slicing scene reflects our own repulsion.
This scene leads us nicely into the amount of references to other films Reservoir Dogs contains, and more importantly the manner in which they are conveyed. Just as the film never breaks the fourth wall and addresses the audience directly, so it doesn't drop references clumsily into conversation, with the performers constantly winking at us. Instead, there are little motifs scattered throughout which film fans will pick up on, but which don't undermine the mechanics of Reservoir Dogs as a heist film.
In most cases the references are twisted to accommodate Tarantino's own creative decisions, something which is less present in his later works. The plot is lifted by and large from Stanley Kubrick's The Killing, but with the middle section involving the heist being taken out and the opening act of planning the heist being truncated. The naming of the characters after different colours comes from The Taking of Pelham 123, but instead of Mr. Blue being the head honcho and present throughout, in Reservoir Dogs he is pretty much dead from the start.
In an interview for the AFI surrounding Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction¸ Tarantino talked about different crime directors putting their stamp on the criminals in their films through the suits and accessories that they wore. He contrasted his penchant for black suits (which is cemented in Pulp Fiction) with Sergio Leone's dusters, Jean-Pierre Melville's trench-coats or John Woo's recurring use of doves. Tarantino's aesthetic stamp achieves the same as his predecessors, in elevating his characters above the norms of generic convention, so that even as we are aware of where they come from, they still feel like real people that could exist.
At its heart, Reservoir Dogs is a study of the structure of heist films. It's not about the twist, or who's the rat, or where the diamonds are, or who if anyone gets out alive. It is about the way in which we get to those kinds of plot points, showing the action out of order so that we understand how these scenes function, rather than just taking them for granted. Tarantino would develop this idea further with the hit-men in Pulp Fiction, showing us all the scenes we would normally never get to see and doing for the crime film what Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead did for Hamlet.
Reservoir Dogs puts a fresh stamp on the heist genre through two aspects which have become Tarantino's motifs. The first is the discussions about pop culture, which led to comparisons with David Mamet and Barry Levinson; early reviews pithily described the film as "Tin Men with guns", or "Diner with guns". One of the best scenes comes right at the beginning, where the gangsters are arguing over the hidden meanings of Madonna's 'Like A Virgin'. Later there is a chat in the car about the actress Pam Grier, who would later work with Tarantino in Jackie Brown. We hadn't really seen a heist film in which grown men had these kinds of discussions with straight faces before, and even after it's been copied a thousand times, the original still works well.
The second aspect is the distinctive use of music. The slow-motion shot of our rogues walking into shot to the tune of 'Little Green Bag' has become iconic in its own time. The drawling delivery of comedian Steven Wright, host of 'K-Billy's Super Sounds of the Seventies', provides an ironic running commentary on events and allows Tarantino to vary the pace of the action. Most effective, and affecting, is the image of Michael Madsen's psychotic Mr. Blonde, dancing around in the warehouse to 'Stuck In The Middle With You'.
This scene was a major talking point when the film was first released. It prompted walkouts at several screenings, including horror director Wes Craven and American Werewolf make-up artist Rick Baker. The issue was whether we are supposed to enjoy the violence, with the upbeat music making us feel good even as horrible things happen. The answer is that this and the other bloodbaths are intentionally repulsive, balancing the stylised nature of the plot with the brutality forced upon its players. You might even argue that this scene is blackly comedic, with the shot of the 'Mind Your Head' sign being analogous to the A Farewell to Arms joke in Evil Dead 2.
Within Reservoir Dogs there is an sadly underplayed discussion about the insecure position of white criminals in a town increasingly populated by other races. The gangsters in general, and Mr. White in particular, have a strong hatred not just of the police, but of blacks and gay people. Jason Reitman recently picked up on the irony within this, staging a rehearsed reading of the screenplay with all black actors, on the grounds that the characters "all sounded like black dudes to start with". If we accept this, the ending of the film gains a little extra meaning; the whites are betrayed by their own kind, and cease to control the town.
Not everything about Reservoir Dogs is perfect. Tarantino's dialogue is occasionally a little samey, with characters seeming to blend into one. And there are times when it is too clinical, not letting us get under the skin enough to make the film more emotionally resonant. But as debut efforts go it is hugely encouraging, being an efficient, sharp and gripping piece of filmmaking. Whatever Tarantino does in the next 20 years, it will still remain a damn fine first attempt.
Graham J
Super Reviewer
March 25, 2012
Tarantino blasted on the scene with his directorial debut, this macho crime caper reinvented the genre.
Albert K
Super Reviewer
October 2, 2011
Reservoir Dogs is incredibly engrossing. The screenplay was well written (not as well as Pulp Fiction) but there seemed to be something lacking from this movie: The characters weren't as uniquely diverse like Pulp Fiction but man, this movie is riveting, entertaining, and very well made. A must see
paul o.
Super Reviewer
January 15, 2011
Slow, Strong, and Intense, Reservoir Dogs is an instant classic and an achievement in independent films. After writing scripts in Hollywood, Quentin Tarotino makes his first film one of his best. From the best acting role for Michael Madsen and other great roles from Tim Roth, Steve Buchemi, and Harvey Keital, Reservoir dogs is an instant classic
Emil K
Super Reviewer
January 7, 2012
Above average crime film with nice script and lovely music. This is a film that made Tarantino a name to watch, but in the end it is just routine stuff.
KJ P
Super Reviewer
July 23, 2010
This is Quentin Tarantino's first film, this is the start of a new generation in filmmaking. "Reservoir Dogs" follows a group of men after a robbery, and how all of their lives are affected after their insane plot. You feel every emotion that each character feels, every scene makes you feel like you are in the room with them as one character is killed. You feel the pain of Tim Roths' character in the warehouse as his character is dying throughout the entire film. Most importantly, there is not one frame that I would have changed. Quentin Tarantino definitely knows how to make a movie! "Reservoir Dogs" is probably one of the best crime films that I have ever seen, or will ever see. Simply breathtaking!
jamers2011
Super Reviewer
October 26, 2010
"Are you going to bark all day little doggy, or are you going to bite?"
"Why am I Mr. Pink?...Because you're a f***ing fag!!"
A great Tarantino flick that cannot be missed!
Not Tarantino's best film, but a brilliant directorial debut from a director who's among the best of all time. Perfectly acted, well written, and stylish, RD is a film that cannot be missed. A lot of this film reminded me a lot of 12 Angry Men...much of the film focuses on men talking in an empty warehouse, but yet each scene was intense. Great dialogue scenes. And of course, a Tarantino film must have great quotes...
"Are you going to bark all day little doggy, or are you going to bite?"
"Why am I Mr. Pink?...Because you're a f***ing fag!!"
A great Tarantino flick that cannot be missed!
Matt G
Super Reviewer
January 23, 2011
In this multi-detailed review, I am going to depict and dissect a variety of the characters, and the amazingness of the actors that played them. I'll start with Mr. White, played by Harvey Keitel. I wasn't a huge fan of Keitel until I saw this film. But whenever he's on screen: BAM, he's fantastic. The way he cares for Mr. Orange is both realistic and touching.
Tim Roth is Mr. Orange, the main PROTAGONIST (it may not seem so at first but you'll see!), and he is phenomenal in a career changing role that is reminiscent of the greats from the early 30s. Roth is really good in this and proved his greatness yet again in Tarantino's next film 'Pulp Fiction'.
Michael Madsen is freaking mind-blowing as Mr. Blonde (by the way, these names were all chosen for the characters due to identity safety). Madsen's performance is by far the least appreciated in it, and is usually classified as the "badass" of the movie, but his character has so many deep meanings that can only be uncovered after several viewings, and because I don't want to spoil anything.
Chris Penn is kinda just in this movie. He doesn't stand out. This is definitely not my favorite performance from him, that would be his mind-fuck performance in 'True Romance', but it is undeniably impressive for one of his debut roles.
Steve Buscemi is my absolute favorite in this film. It's very hard to describe the awesomeness. I'll start with my favorite line from him: "Mr. Pink: You kill anybody? Mr. White/Larry: A few cops. Mr. Pink: No real people? Mr. White/Larry: Just cops." I mean WOAH. That is simply brilliant. First off, it reveals so much about the character with his neediness for classifying any protagonist as a "different" person but the fact that most of his conversations are similar to dialogue like this. So Buscemi is genuinely a great actor, and this role is definitely his best performance EVER, even beating out 'Boardwalk Empire'. So... yeah, this is a fucking amazing performance. Best of the movie, and one of the best in cinematic history.
Now, to finish it off; one of the greatest lines in gangster film history:
Mr. Pink: I'm very sorry the government taxes their tips, that's fucked up. That ain't my fault. It would seem to me that waitresses are one of the many groups the government fucks in the ass on a regular basis. Look, if you ask me to sign something that says the government shouldn't do that, I'll sign it, put it to a vote, I'll vote for it, but what I won't do is play ball. And as for this non-college bullshit I got two words for that: learn to fuckin' type, 'cause if you're expecting me to help out with the rent you're in for a big fuckin' surprise.
One of the best movies in American cinema. This is the film that jumpstarted the spectacular career of Quentin Tarantino. I'm classifying this as a career because it's basically a job to be as good as Tarantino, considering that he's my favorite director next to Kevin Smith.
In this multi-detailed review, I am going to depict and dissect a variety of the characters, and the amazingness of the actors that played them. I'll start with Mr. White, played by Harvey Keitel. I wasn't a huge fan of Keitel until I saw this film. But whenever he's on screen: BAM, he's fantastic. The way he cares for Mr. Orange is both realistic and touching.
Tim Roth is Mr. Orange, the main PROTAGONIST (it may not seem so at first but you'll see!), and he is phenomenal in a career changing role that is reminiscent of the greats from the early 30s. Roth is really good in this and proved his greatness yet again in Tarantino's next film 'Pulp Fiction'.
Michael Madsen is freaking mind-blowing as Mr. Blonde (by the way, these names were all chosen for the characters due to identity safety). Madsen's performance is by far the least appreciated in it, and is usually classified as the "badass" of the movie, but his character has so many deep meanings that can only be uncovered after several viewings, and because I don't want to spoil anything.
Chris Penn is kinda just in this movie. He doesn't stand out. This is definitely not my favorite performance from him, that would be his mind-fuck performance in 'True Romance', but it is undeniably impressive for one of his debut roles.
Steve Buscemi is my absolute favorite in this film. It's very hard to describe the awesomeness. I'll start with my favorite line from him: "Mr. Pink: You kill anybody? Mr. White/Larry: A few cops. Mr. Pink: No real people? Mr. White/Larry: Just cops." I mean WOAH. That is simply brilliant. First off, it reveals so much about the character with his neediness for classifying any protagonist as a "different" person but the fact that most of his conversations are similar to dialogue like this. So Buscemi is genuinely a great actor, and this role is definitely his best performance EVER, even beating out 'Boardwalk Empire'. So... yeah, this is a fucking amazing performance. Best of the movie, and one of the best in cinematic history.
Now, to finish it off; one of the greatest lines in gangster film history:
Mr. Pink: I'm very sorry the government taxes their tips, that's fucked up. That ain't my fault. It would seem to me that waitresses are one of the many groups the government fucks in the ass on a regular basis. Look, if you ask me to sign something that says the government shouldn't do that, I'll sign it, put it to a vote, I'll vote for it, but what I won't do is play ball. And as for this non-college bullshit I got two words for that: learn to fuckin' type, 'cause if you're expecting me to help out with the rent you're in for a big fuckin' surprise.
Dan S
Super Reviewer
June 24, 2007
This is a fantastic movie, the best purebred gangster film of all-time outside of the first two chapters of "The Godfather", with a story in which loyalties are tested and lives are put at stake. While the language is indeed rough and the violence is tough to take (wait for Madsen to kick into gear), director Quentin Tarantino never seems to be overstepping his bounds. The ending is cold and unforgiving, seeing that Tarantino refuses to slam the door completely shut on to what all happens (if you hate ambiguous conclusions - this is not your movie). This is, undoubtedly, the best first-time effort by any filmmaker in history in my eyes. The fact that Tarantino not only directed, but acted in it and wrote the script, really shows how much this guy put into this project, and for it to have become not only one of the more respected crime thrillers in recent memory, as well as a cult classic, no one should be prouder than him. It is also admirable that Harvey Keitel, the lead star of the film, was willing to pitch some of his own money into the project in order for the movie to work out.
Perhaps most importantly, 'Dogs' serves as a premier example of phenomenal teamwork between a cast and their director. A lot of things could have potentially derailed a script as out-there and vulgar as this, but instead what we have here is one of the most remarkable films captured.
This enthralling action tale concerns a group of small-time criminals (led by Harvey Keitel) who suffer the nightmarish consequences after one of their gigs goes dreadfully wrong as one of them (the always dependable and vastly under-rated Tim Roth) risks bleeding out to death in their hideout, while the cops are hot on their trail. There are so many good things to say about this film, but let's just start out with that this might be the best collection of B-grade actors in one film to ever grace the screen. You have Keitel as the sympathetic leader, Michael Madsen as the quiet yet dangerous sociopath, Steve Buscemi as the fast-talking and pessimistic weasel, Roth as the smooth-talking new guy, Chris Penn (brother of Sean) as the daddy's boy business man who has faith in the system his father (Lawrence Tierney) has run with these guys for quite some time.
This is a fantastic movie, the best purebred gangster film of all-time outside of the first two chapters of "The Godfather", with a story in which loyalties are tested and lives are put at stake. While the language is indeed rough and the violence is tough to take (wait for Madsen to kick into gear), director Quentin Tarantino never seems to be overstepping his bounds. The ending is cold and unforgiving, seeing that Tarantino refuses to slam the door completely shut on to what all happens (if you hate ambiguous conclusions - this is not your movie). This is, undoubtedly, the best first-time effort by any filmmaker in history in my eyes. The fact that Tarantino not only directed, but acted in it and wrote the script, really shows how much this guy put into this project, and for it to have become not only one of the more respected crime thrillers in recent memory, as well as a cult classic, no one should be prouder than him. It is also admirable that Harvey Keitel, the lead star of the film, was willing to pitch some of his own money into the project in order for the movie to work out.
Perhaps most importantly, 'Dogs' serves as a premier example of phenomenal teamwork between a cast and their director. A lot of things could have potentially derailed a script as out-there and vulgar as this, but instead what we have here is one of the most remarkable films captured.
Colin M
Super Reviewer
October 25, 2011
As the feature length debut of Quentin Tarantino it does its job. It introduces his gratuity, realism, grittiness, and intricate care of dialogue and characterization. Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel, and so on shine throughout this film and are brilliant actors and many memorable scenes are to be found in this directorial debut, such as the infamous ear cutting/torture scene set to the counterpoint of "Stuck in the Middle With You" by Steelers Wheel. Unfortunately, the film is merely an hour and a half in length and fails to deliver much of the depth that many of his later films would provide (such as its immediate successor, "Pulp Fiction", and the latter "Jackie Brown"). Compared to Tarantino's own later films, and other like-minded films such as "The Godfather" and "Once Upon A Time in America", "Reservoir Dogs" provides little of the richly rewarding experience that these other films grant in their viewers. Overall, its a solid film, but not one which will make you ponder after viewing or one which will reward extra immediate viewings. But it did make possible Quentin's later great films for sure!
DreamExtractor
Super Reviewer
August 15, 2011
Reservoir Dogs is a incredible and character driven movie and proves that Quentin Tarantino was born to direct films. The plot is incredibly told and every minute is just so fun to watch and Tarantino somehow makes it just so entertaining to watch and it actually is cool seeing all those different perspectives of a job gone wrong, but what makes this so great is the characters, I am serious I loved every one of the characters in this film, I think my favorite was Steve Buscemi's character Mr. Pink, if you have seen the film I think we can agree how hard it is describing how amazing the film and its characters is. The cast is incredible, Harvey Kietel, Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, Micheal Madsen, Chris Penn, and all the rest are just truly amazing in every way and they were just plain great actors. Reservoir Dogs is fun to watch over and over, and this movie is possibly one of the best cult films I have ever seen, anyone who has never seen the masterpiece that started Quentin Taratino's career needs to now.
Eric A
Super Reviewer
October 2, 2011
The beginning of Tarantino and his genius. What a film! This is as real as it gets.
