Femme Fatale (2002) [Blu-ray]

Director Brian De Palma is one of the finest ..motion picture director's of his generation. It has been said that he is the heir apparent to america's version of "Alfred Hitchcock.... ? Yes I do believe that is so..?? If you look at his earlier movies from the 1970's "Carrie,Sisters,Dressed to Kill,Blow Out" ..they are violent and psychological. He is a master with his camera techniques and the way his scenes are choreographed .. His style is purely voyeuristic ..and he has influenced such greats as Terrence Malick,Quentin Tarantino.. Critic's praise him around the globe for his ability to manipulate imagery and character's. This movie I recall when it came out in theater's..even saw a few clips on cable. I never watched the entire movie ..until today. I'm so glad I did..There were no subtitles ..So I had to guess what the character's were saying in "French" ..?? I can read faces ... and facial expression's.. Rebecca Romijn in her prime was one heck of a ...S*xy".. woman. ! The movie did better in VHS rentals than ticket sales in the USA. I suspect because of the French,Spanish as well as "same S*X" scenes may have ,,offended some prude's? Who cares ..I like the ending and the cast of European actor's that we've never even heard of get a shot by this cinematic dynamo. Rebecca isn't Jane Fonda or Reece Witherspoon ( Academy award winners) in the field of acting. She did much better had they cast Sharon Stone or someone else unknown ..?

I thought this movie was fantastic. I know that people said it was "overdone" and too contrived, but I think thye utterly missed the point and the attention to detail that De Palma put in, as well as the superb performance of Stamos in her "debut" leading role.I thought this films ONLY difficult point was the admittedly critical plot device which happens half-way to three-quarters of the way through. It is probably what killed the film for most people, because it just comes at you from nowhere, and it is jarring and it is contrived. However, if you get passed HOW the plot device is done, and ignore WHY it might have happened (two biggies), I'm telling you, it does make every single second of the entire film make perfect sense.Why are all the clocks stopped at the same time throughout most of the film? What are the pictures on the wall (both the recurring posters and the photographs)? What is the gift for? What are the choices that we make and what part do they play in our future, and of those around us. All of this is revealed in detail.This film is about choices, and the infinite number of universes (a legitimate theory of Quantum Physics) which are spawned by every action we take in the world. Our choices matter. And De Palma made a film which explores that in a very fanciful way.It is not De Palma's best film. The Untouchables, Body Double, Scarface and Dressed To Kill are certainly his masterworks in his Oeuvre. My personal favorite though, of all of his, is Phantom Of The Paradise, which is one of the most fantastic films ever made, period, in addition to being a more enjoyable Rock Opera than Tommy.But I loved Femme Fatale, despite it's flaws, and I've added to my collection of his favorites!Oh...and Rebecca is not only a great actress in this ...Expect a bumpy ride, but like a good rollercoaster, enjoy it, even if there are some spots you wished had been smoothed out.

Was hard to follow the first half but had a lot of twists and Rebecca made it better

Look it’s worth watching just for the pool table scene.

Its visually a fun to watch movie but to some degree it feels like they were trying too hard to mimic older style filmmaking. The effects can be a bit distracting as well as there was clearly a very low budget. Where it really fell short, unfortunately, was with the storyline. I won't give anything away but just keep your expectations low and you'll be fine.

Many of Brian Depalma's films are like witnessing traffic accidents: You can't look away in spite of yourself.This a lurid and disturbing film. The femme fatale is so despicable, we hate her from the start. In the first five minutes of this film, we have to watch her in a lesbian sex scene that has nothing to do with love. Later, she says she is a bad girl to the core. She betrays people and uses her sexuality to manipulate them.So why do we keep watching? Because Depalma knows how to grab an audience and keep them riveted.From a technical standpoint, this is one of Depalma's best. The cinematography and perspective are first rate. Just like Hitchcock, Depalma's hero.In the end, does this film make any sense? Of course not. But after it's over, you say "Wow. My mind is blown."

Brian de Palma was masterful with this script. It is set at the Cannes Film festival, where he was inspired to create this movie. The twists and turns were genius and brave. Some viewers will be shocked and possibly disappointed when they see what he has done to us (the audience) at the end. Nevertheless, it was skillful. The symbolism of the water is also very intriguing.Romijn was outstanding as the lead. Who knew a supermodel could be so good in a difficult role. She portrayed the extremely sexy Lily with aplomb as the dark and cunning "bad girl".Peter Coyote is strong and believable as the U.S. / French Ambassador. Likewise, Antonio Banderas is good as the heavily in debt paparzzi who sells photos of Lily to settle some debts. This turns on him as he gets pulled into the web that Lily has created. Ultimately he is a pawn in her seductive plan, only to end on a high note. (I don't want to give away the ending...)

This is actually a fantasy movie. If seen in that light, it's not terrible. As far as being a somewhat realistic violent film noir, it fails miserably. There's very little violence in this movie, and what violence exists is almost comic-book light. It's bizarre, and I really didn't care for it. But, as a light semi-romantic fantasy, it almost works.

I recently became a Brian De Palma fan surprised by the number of films I already knew. Stylistically this is quite a knockout and well worth watching a couple of times. Ultimately it’s a bit empty and short on character.

Flat and boring! Not what I expected from this

I like this film for its blending of cultures in the actors / characters (French, American, Spanish) and its plot, a bit silly in parts but keeps you hooked.

My favourite DePalma after Blow Out. Kind of overlooked these days. Hypnotic and engrossing.

Not to bad a all