Featured Audience Ratings

• Jack H

  
  While I think the critics' reception was quite harsh, '8mm' does indeed miss the mark of being a good film. There are moments of tension, but these moments are brief and sparse. So much of it feels rehashed, the film borrows too many elements from films such as… More
  While I think the critics' reception was quite harsh, '8mm' does indeed miss the mark of being a good film. There are moments of tension, but these moments are brief and sparse. So much of it feels rehashed, the film borrows too many elements from films such as 'Seven' and 'The Silence of the Lambs', it's a kitsch piece of cinema. Cage gives a good performance, as does the whole cast. The problem lies in the narrative. It begins moderately well, however it starts to plod along as Cage's character begins to hone in on the shady suspects. Towards the final stages of the film, there are violent altercations between the characters which often become drawn out through repeated reversals of fortune, it sucks all the energy out of the film; it's all quite run-of-the-mill and unconvincing. It's not as terrible as some have said, it has some good moments, but it is a generic and forgettable film that's spoilt by a hackneyed ending. It's good for killing time, no more than that.

• Emil K

  
  Extremely dark and disturbing experience that is a career best film from director Joel Schumacher and his leading actor Nicolas Cage. There is no salvation here, there is only lost people that wander like living dead on the streets of L.A. In Schumacher's capable hands L.A. has… More
  Extremely dark and disturbing experience that is a career best film from director Joel Schumacher and his leading actor Nicolas Cage. There is no salvation here, there is only lost people that wander like living dead on the streets of L.A. In Schumacher's capable hands L.A. has turned into vision of hell on earth. 8mm is an deeply underrated film about man losing himself and his soul slowly into the world of porn, violence and murder. This is one of the darkest possible film-noirs ever made. There is something oddly hypnotic in the atmosphere of this film. I quite cannot explain the effect it has on you, but i can tell that once it lands it's hooks on you, it will not let you go. From it's opening frames till it's last image it will hold your attention. What fascinates me in this film is it's portrait of violence and especially the darker side of humans it draws. It simply won't give any easy answers to viewer, because in a real life there are no easy answers neither. Andrew Kevin Walker, who is also responsible for David Fincher's equally disturbing Seven and Tim Burton's fantastic Sleepy Hollow, is very talented writer and seems to be fascinated in more uncomfortable areas of human mind. Many of us would rather not go into those areas, but for me films has always given a great opportunity to step into those uncomfortable areas of mind. I just happen to find that world fascinating and i do believe that there are many things that we can learn from humans throught their evil habits. Still the scariest thing for me has always been the possibility that what if some people were just born evil and that is something that Andrew Kevin Walker is also interested in studying with this film. He takes no sides here and remains objective about his subject. He just shows us the possibility of pure evil that can exist inside of us. Sometimes the scariest thing in the whole world is not any monster but the human himself. You might expect many unpleasant moments from a film that dares to look into the darkest corners of porn industry but luckily Schumacher approaches the material elegantly and without unnecessary shock moments or cheap graphic moments. Instead Schumacher focuses more on the atmosphere of his film and what a fantastic atmosphere he manages to create here. 8mm is a wonderfully in moody film. There With a great support from composer Mychael Danna and breathtakingly good looking cinematography by Robert Elswitt this film paints a nightmarish ghostworld full of dark shadows and eerie glows. Schumacher's aesthetics are stylistically impressive and creative. He has never before accomplished to create anything even remotely impressive as he does with 8mm. I think that this is his most assured and balanced work as a director to date and one that proves that he is capable of making great art as he is capable of making great entertainment also. To call 8mm simply entertainment would be huge miscalculation, but to call it a dark art would be more appropriate. And like the story's detective Tom Welles, Nicolas Cage in a tremendous form, us in the audience will be haunted by this film's images long after the end credits has rolled. What surprises me most is the fact that how underrated this film truly is. It was treated almost with hostile reactions from critics when it premiered. Maybe that is just a further proof that many of us still aren't ready to see darkest waters of a human mind. If you like uncompromising cinema with vision and originality then look no further. Here is one of those films that accomplishes in mixing art into great entertainment. It is a film-noir for those who like their films with more complexity and insight into the mechanics of evil inside of us all.

• Manu G

  
  You are never prepared for the truth. Good movie. This film is very strong,gritty,edgy and dark. Nicolas Cage did a very good job acting on this one. The thing is this film is very real and there's actually people so sick like this in the world we live in, it's disturbing… More
  You are never prepared for the truth. Good movie. This film is very strong,gritty,edgy and dark. Nicolas Cage did a very good job acting on this one. The thing is this film is very real and there's actually people so sick like this in the world we live in, it's disturbing to know this and those who do those kinds of things shall receive no forgiveness. Tom Welles, private eye, is hired by a wealthy widow, whose well-known husband passed away recently. She has found a reel of S8-film in a safe. On the film is a cruel slaughtering of a young girl, who obviously does not pretend or act: A snuff-movie. Welles takes up investigation, which leads him to the girl's mother and from there to Hollywood, into the office of a porn flick producer. Welles' rising obsession to solve the case also carries him away from his wife and new-born daughter. But when finally names are at hand, Welles suddenly finds himself on ice much thinner than he planned.

• Universal D

  
  Private investigator Nic Cage is hired by some old rich dame to check out a curious video found in the dead husband's safe. With some moments of interest this attempt to update the gumshoe cliche gets lost in its own over-reaching for social relevance. And Cat Keener is totally… More
  Private investigator Nic Cage is hired by some old rich dame to check out a curious video found in the dead husband's safe. With some moments of interest this attempt to update the gumshoe cliche gets lost in its own over-reaching for social relevance. And Cat Keener is totally wasted.

• Chris W

  
  This is a dark and eerie thriller that looks like it's trying to copy the formula that made Se7en work. It doesn't fully succeed, but it's a decent creepy little thriller regardless. Cage isn't bad, but this isn't really one of his most memorable… More
  This is a dark and eerie thriller that looks like it's trying to copy the formula that made Se7en work. It doesn't fully succeed, but it's a decent creepy little thriller regardless. Cage isn't bad, but this isn't really one of his most memorable performances. Joaquin Phoenix though, is awesome. He chews the scenery and really has a blast. Gandolfini and Stormare aren't too bad either, but they've done better work. I think this is in the middle to upper range of Schumacher's work, so take that as some kind of recommendation if you want.

• Conner R

  
  Just plain weird, but highly entertaining and it sort've reminds me of an Italian Giallo film in terms of content and style. The porn industry is rarely tapped into in hollywood movies, this one manages to take a step further and investigate the porn underworld. It also happens… More
  Just plain weird, but highly entertaining and it sort've reminds me of an Italian Giallo film in terms of content and style. The porn industry is rarely tapped into in hollywood movies, this one manages to take a step further and investigate the porn underworld. It also happens to have one creepy villain that is both disgusting and powerful. Some really decent performances from Nicolas Cage, James Gangolfini and Joaquin Phoenix. It's definitely worth seeing, if only for Machine.

• Dean !

  
  a dark and slow paced thriller. Quite gritty and harsh at times....but just moves at such a slow pace without a great deal of action or tension. Could've been a lot better!

• Anthony L

  
  A complete waste of an amazing cast!

• Brian D

  
  Very disturbing for a big budget movie.Left me shocked and sick when i watched this for the 1st time when it was release..

• Derek D

  
  I am not a Nicolas Cage fan by any means. That being said, this was an excellent film that takes Cage from being a sort-of pushover at the start of the film to an almost sadistic madman at the end trying to get to the bottom of a snuff film that has been proven to be real. Typical… More
  I am not a Nicolas Cage fan by any means. That being said, this was an excellent film that takes Cage from being a sort-of pushover at the start of the film to an almost sadistic madman at the end trying to get to the bottom of a snuff film that has been proven to be real. Typical excellent performances by Phoenix, Stormare and Gandolfini highlight this lengthy (it seems longer than two hours) film about taboo pornography. Schumacher adds one of the best DVD commentaries I've heard as well.

• Tsubaki S

  
  Oh noooes! scary fat guys with masks and funny dudes with european names make snuff flicks, the horror! Quick, someone call Nic Cage to stop them!

• Crash E

  
  i didnt know what the movie was about the first time i watched it. it was aliitle hard to watch in some parts but overall it was a good movie

• Curtis L

  
  This is one of the most disturbing movies of all time. DO NOT SEE IT. Unless you want to scrub your eyes out with a brillo pad.

• Lady D

  
  Great film! I enjoyed this from the very first time I watched it. With scenes of a slightly pornographic nature, thi smay not be everyone's type of film, however that side of things is very much part of the plot rather than the focus of the story. There is certainly the best… More
  Great film! I enjoyed this from the very first time I watched it. With scenes of a slightly pornographic nature, thi smay not be everyone's type of film, however that side of things is very much part of the plot rather than the focus of the story. There is certainly the best Private Detective story I've ever seen and although there is plenty of action in the film, Nick Cage doesn't look out of place as a more serious actor. My absolute favourite role of Joaquin Phoenix', this is the first film I'd ever seen him in. Even James Gandolfini takes a reletively small role in this. A cleverly put together story. VERDICT: Unless the nature of the plot really puts you off, I'd say this is a 'must see' film

• Candy R

  
  Disturbing thriller about snuff films

• Dean M

  
  This Nicolas Cage mystery-murder film is awfully and shocking of sexual deviancy - sicko.

• Jason S

  
  Not very good.

• Emily A

  
  This movie is so heavy it's almost not entertaining. Joaquin Phoenix adds just enough levity to keep the audience from drowning, but even that isn't enough to let you get comfortable. I can't think of any movie darker than this one.

• Michael G

  
  Kind of disappointing when you consider the guy who wrote Seven wrote this.

• Stuart B

  
  Strangely captivating yet makes you want to turn it off.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings