8MM
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1999 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2
Like a marathon runner, Joel Schumacher's 8MM dazzles its spectators
with its intense dedication and integrity as it stays focused on its
goal of creating a taut suspense thriller. Then, as it rounds the bend
for the last third of the race, it breaks its stride and strolls over
for a snack of the cinematic equivalent of junk food, the unnecessary
gore of an old slasher flick. After that, it never regains its
momentum. Worst of all, the viewers may begin to boo their own hero as
the film loses all credibility through ridiculous and cliched scenes
that should have been left on the cutting room floor. (Is the killer in
the dark house behind door number 1, door number 2 or door number 3?)
When the movie crosses the finish line, what are we to think of it? Do
we remember its flawless execution in the majority of the movie? Or do
we forever hold the pathetic final 45 minutes against it? Has the
exhilaration of the intelligent suspense of the first part been negated
by the schlock of the ending?
There is a scene in which the lead does something so unbelievable that
the audience begins to cry out in ridicule. If you were to leave about
5 minutes before that, you would likely be extremely disappointed that
you missed seeing the ending of such a breathtakingly marvelous
thriller. On the other hand, if you came in late and missed the first
two thirds, you would likely think you found a candidate for your worst
of the year list.
8MM opens to sinister gray skies and heavy, foreboding music. We meet
our protagonist, a family man and private investigator named Tom Welles,
played with great gusto by Nicolas Cage. Tom majored in finance at Penn
but switched to surveillance since he claims it's the future.
In a highly nuanced performance, Cage illustrates the grime and drudgery
of detective work. With grimacing eyes, he shows his vulnerability
while the intellect of his mind is never hidden. He does his best to
make the believable and the unbelievable equally credible, no small feat
in the laughable last act. In contrast, the normally reliable Catherine
Keener, from YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, is given a cliched role as his
steadfast wife, which she manages to make even worse than it's written.
One day, Tom is offered the most challenging assignment of his career.
A rich widow who lives in what appears to be Bruce Wayne's mansion --
perhaps the director borrowed it from his BATMAN movies -- asks Tom to
look into an 8MM tape that she found in her husband's private safe. The
6-year-old tape is a snuff film, one in which a girl is killed by a
hooded sadomasochist.
The unanswered questions are almost endless. First, and foremost, is
whether the tape is genuine and whether the girl is still alive? (As
Tom later finds out, many such snuff films have the same girl "killed"
since they are hoaxes.) Who is the girl? Who commissioned the film and
why? What role, if any, did the rich woman's husband play? Is the old
lady honest with Tom or is this assignment a ruse? Why choose Tom
rather than someone else? What will she do with the information that
Tom uncovers? And then there is the fundamental conundrum of who is
telling the truth and who isn't.
The beauty of the first two thirds of the movie is that these and many
other questions are resolved slowly and carefully. Too many movies rush
the investigation phase so they can cut to the action. The story has
you literally on the edge of your seat during all of Tom's detective
work. Moreover, the movie is tamer than you might expect during this
part, showing the horror of the 8mm tape mainly through the shock in
Tom's eyes.
To help him with his research, Tom hires an "expert" in the field, a
porn video store clerk named Max, played for some great humor by Joaquin
Phoenix with the worst haircut imaginable. Max treats the whole porn
industry with a comical disdain, except, that is, for the really
hard-core S&M types who create illegal videos. Max warns Tom against
getting in too deep. "You dance with the devil," he admonishes Tom,
"the devil doesn't change. The devil changes you."
Not too long after this the movie loses all credibility. The early
tension in the audience, which is palpable, turns to derision. Many of
the particularly ridiculous and offensive scenes could easily have been
deleted without harm to the consistency of the storyline. Surely the
test screening audiences must have hated them, so why are they still
there? As the ending credits roll, your reaction is likely to be, "why
did they mess up such a promising movie?"
8MM runs 2:03. It is rated R for strong violence, perverse sex, nudity,
and profanity. It is not a movie for those under 18.
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Have I seen this movie: Yes
And what did I think: 8mm is a pretty good suspense movie but not as graphic as I've heard it to be. Some of the films that Nicolas Cage had to watch were violent and graphic, but nothing that was too much for an R rated movie. Nicolas Cage has to go into the illegal porno underground to find a girl's killer, and in doing so is exposed to sex and violence. He gives a pretty good performance but is a little too wooden at times... but I guess thats typical of Cage. some of this movie was plain silly though. For instance, when Nicholas Cage is handcuffed and is trying to reach for his gun, the bad guy keeps trying to reach for the other gun which is under a car on the other side. He couldn't get to it, and the whole time I kept thinking, why doesn't he just go around the other side of the car to get it? This was directed by Joel Schumacher, so I'm still mad at him for what he did to the Batman movie franchise. However, if you like disturbing brainless movies, then you shouldn't be too disappointed in renting this.
I give 8mm 3 out of 5 stars
Review written July 23, 1999
