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The Way of the Gun

Threat advisory: High - High risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

We don't expect to get the money. We count on gettin' killed. And anything goes wrong? We win.

When it comes to outlaws, Parker and Longbaugh would never make the cut of Hollywood's usual suspects. They make no excuses. They don't ask forgiveness. Their story is without compromise, brutal and simple. They have but one skill... The Way of the Gun.

For these contemporary desperados, Parker (Ryan Phillippe) and his associate Longbaugh (Benício Del Toro), crime means survival at any cost. Their impromptu plan to kidnap surrogate mother Robin (Juliette Lewis), just weeks from delivering the son of Hale and Francesca Chidduck (Scott Wilson and Kristin Lehman), seemed a fast way to cash in on a fat ransom and head for the border.

But their haste did indeed make waste.

Not until they snare their victim do they find out who the wealthy Chidduck really is - a money laundering, union busting bagman of the worst kind. Suddenly Parker's dictum of death - "There is only one way you die. You get in the way." - had become a self-fulfilling prophesy. Parker and Longbaugh didn't just get in Chidduck's way, they trespassed the deadly company he keeps.

Chidduck's hired guns jeffers (Taye Diggs), Obecks (Nicky Katt) and Sarno (James Caan), bolstered by his long-time side arm Abner (Geoffrey Lewis), had ulterior motives to the job at hand. Even Robin's doctor, Allen Painter (Dylan Kussman), was driven by more than the call of duty. All believed they had stepped into a situation they could control. All fell victim to those beliefs in the end.

Tainted from the beginning, none were innocent except one... and he had yet to be born.

Written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie.

Cinematic intelligence sources

Awards and film festivals:

Cinematic Intelligence Agency Trenchcoat Awards 2002

Studios and distributors:

Artisan Entertainment * Buena Vista International

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

The Way of the Gun is a really good crim flick with lots of shooting, action, pain, hitting, violence, twists, counter twists, counter-counter twists, counter-counter-counter twists and counter-counter-counter-counter twists.

Because it is not the first in the genre of Crime-gone-wrong flicks, The Way of the Gun lacks a certain sparkle (once you've seen Reservoir dogs you've seen them all) and there are no outstanding roles or performances. That said, it's still really entertaining and occasionally hilarious and it just goes to show that no-one can be trusted. The only people you should look out for are yourself and me.

Oh yes, there's also a great homosexual subtext running through The Way of the Gun but unless you can watch two movies at the same time you're likely to miss it. If you're interested have a look at the relationship between Ryan and Benício. You know, as if you're not perving at them already.

And there's some really crass product placement from a really crass American company who sells a really crass American product.