Revolver (2005)

16% of critics liked it
(63 reviews)
59% of users liked it
(32,587 ratings)

After learning the secrets of manipulation, graft, and deceit while incarcerated, a recently released ex-convict sets into motion a complex revenge plot against the man who killed his sister-in-law and put him behind bars in maverick director Guy Ritchie's highly stylized crime drama. For seven long… More After learning the secrets of manipulation, graft, and deceit while incarcerated, a recently released ex-convict sets into motion a complex revenge plot against the man who killed his sister-in-law and put him behind bars in maverick director Guy Ritchie's highly stylized crime drama. For seven long years, Jake Green (Jason Statham) has bided his time while learning the rules of the game from a chess master and a top con artist who shared adjacent cells. Macha (Ray Liotta) is the cold and calculated gangster who sent Jake up the river after ruthlessly ending the life of Jake's beloved sister-in-law. When Jake turns up at the casino and humiliates Macha on the floor for all to see, the seething gangster wastes no time in putting a hearty price on his old foe's head. Inexplicably saved from Macha's assassins by a pair who only identify themselves as Avi (Andre Benjamin) and Zach (Vincent Pastore), Jake isn't sure whether to trust his guardian angels or flee from them. The only thing Jake does know for sure is that his thirst for revenge grows stronger every day, and it won't be satisfied until Macha meets his maker. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 44 min.
Directed By: Guy Ritchie
Written By: Guy Ritchie
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Oct 22, 2005 Wide
On DVD: Mar 18, 2008
Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Critic Reviews

Christopher Orr, New Republic
[A]bout as compelling a brief for Kabbalah as Battlefield Earth was for scientology.
Sid Smith, Chicago Tribune
Not the disaster described in the British press but unlikely to restore Ritchie's luster.
Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle
The plot isn't intellectually challenging as much as it is confusing, and yet the big twist is completely telegraphed. Ritchie has created a movie that is patronizingly obvious one minute and impenetrable the next.
Kyle Smith, New York Post
Guy Ritchie's greasy little noir Revolver is good grindhouse fun until a last act that's like a meeting of a psychoanalysts' convention.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
Between the manic editing, atrocious acting, and laughably pretentious narration, Ritchie's tired tricks feel like empty distractions in a game of three-card Monte.
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
Revolver, the latest Guy Ritchie shoot-em-up, is a joke. You laugh with it but mostly at it.
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
An unwieldy, short-circuiting film, packing "more tricks than a clown's pocket" yet imbued with brute spiritual force
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central
Jesus, this is a stupid movie.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
It's not worth the bother.
Keith Uhlich, UGO
The film is very much a product of its particular zeitgeist, an era in which inner awareness is pimped out on every corner like a gussied-up whore.
Sean Axmaker, MSN.com
Revolver looks like a gritty gangster thriller and plays like The Matrix with an incoherent stream of spacey psychobabble.
Staci Layne Wilson, Buzzine Magazine
A bloated actioner.
Rob Humanick, Stranger Song
Like De Palma before him, Ritchie knows how to express substance through style.
Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze
Gangsters prancing about like homicidal matadors unusually impressed with themselves, dreary macho interior monologues, and mob rackets that are mostly the noisy migraine-induced racket inside audience heads.
Carol Cling, Las Vegas Review-Journal
... given Ritchie's penchant for flashy, in-your-face twists, we trust all will be revealed in good time. But as "Revolver" rolls on -- and on and on and on -- it becomes painfully apparent that Ritchie's firing blanks.
Josh Bell, Las Vegas Weekly
Ritchie has packed Revolver with so much 'substance' that it completely overwhelms his still somewhat charming style.
Andy Klein, Los Angeles CityBeat
If I understand the ending properly, [this] is an infomercial for one or another school of New Age-y psychology/philosophy. ... a touchy-feely ultraviolent gangster flick. Come over here and give Scarface a hug, you big gruff pussycat.
Keith Uhlich, UGO
Revolver is bat**** crazy, and I mean that as a high compliment.

Read all 18 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

John M

Classic Guy Ritchie with a twist. the reveal at the end i thought I saw but never saw it. Good stuff imo.
Sergio G

I watched this movie yesterday on TNT. I've never seen it before and I like it a lot. It's an entirely different thriller action movie focused on our ego. It's a great revenge movie that many people didn't like because of the end. It's quite predictable but… More
I watched this movie yesterday on TNT. I've never seen it before and I like it a lot. It's an entirely different thriller action movie focused on our ego. It's a great revenge movie that many people didn't like because of the end. It's quite predictable but keep you in suspense most of the time. Excelent acting of Ray Liotta and good dialogues.
Phil H

To be brutally honest I didn't really get this film or follow what was going on after about 30min into it. I know that Statham had been in prison and learning the perfect scam called 'the formula' for seven years and upon release he is out to get Liotta the casino boss.… More
To be brutally honest I didn't really get this film or follow what was going on after about 30min into it. I know that Statham had been in prison and learning the perfect scam called 'the formula' for seven years and upon release he is out to get Liotta the casino boss. The inclusion of many different characters coming along and Statham being kind of owned by Benjamin and Pastore for most of the film as they help him do something just lost me completely, I really have no clue what the hell the point was or why. Its easy to think this was just another Ritchie gangster flick as it has all the trademark attributes of this but its not, its much deeper than that surprisingly with a complex plot that twists inside out. It certainly looks swish and elegant with a great cast as you would expect but I couldn't make head nor tail of it, not even sure if Ritchie knew what he wanted with this. Best character for me was Mark Strong as the hitman 'Sorter' who has that calm deadly silence about him and doesn't look anything like you would expect a hitman to look like, kinda like 'Leon' really.
Jens S

No wonder Guy Ritchie returned to the much more light-hearted yet similarly violent crime and gangster genre with "Rock'N Rolla" after this film pretty much blew up around his head. The premise is already a lot darker as in his former films, and he doesn't spice… More
No wonder Guy Ritchie returned to the much more light-hearted yet similarly violent crime and gangster genre with "Rock'N Rolla" after this film pretty much blew up around his head. The premise is already a lot darker as in his former films, and he doesn't spice things up with humor as much as usually. That makes for a very special and rather interesting atmosphere, especially in the first half, where you can't really say that Ritchie is once again copying himself. The direction and cinematography is really cool there. But at the point where you expect twists and answers from a film, this one decides just to get weirder for weirdness sake. The results are a lot of inner monologues that drag on forever and do not make much sense, and an ending that leave you wondering what the hell you just witnessed. Even the added interview quotes by psychologist do not remedy that. The film just tries to be a lot deeper and weirder as he could or should have been. A brave but failed attempt.
Dean !

A great crime thriller with a a good cast. For a change for a Guy Ritchie gangster film this isn't about East end gangsters in London and there is no humour in this. It makes a nice change and the story is very good. The plot gets a bit twisted and can be hard to follow at times.… More
A great crime thriller with a a good cast. For a change for a Guy Ritchie gangster film this isn't about East end gangsters in London and there is no humour in this. It makes a nice change and the story is very good. The plot gets a bit twisted and can be hard to follow at times. However it's one of the better gangster films I've seen in a long while. Slick and stylish with some great twists.
Conner R

Just an incredibly strange movie. It's nowhere near as bad as some people make it out to be, but it's certainly a step down from Snatch. Jason Statham tries the best he can given the circumstances and is the main reason the movie is as good as it is. However, Ray… More
Just an incredibly strange movie. It's nowhere near as bad as some people make it out to be, but it's certainly a step down from Snatch. Jason Statham tries the best he can given the circumstances and is the main reason the movie is as good as it is. However, Ray Liotta's performance is way too over the top among some of the other actors. The animated scene is probably the most odd element, but I think it's what saves it from being unoriginal. Guy Ritchie tried some new things, they weren't all great, but I commend him for not being the same.
Al S

A brilliant and spectacular adrenaline-driven crime-thriller. A senses shattering instant classic. A pure knockout. Intensely gripping, compelling and incredible. It's original, stunning and exhilarating. Bold, riveting and utterly explosive. This is Director, Guy Richie's… More
A brilliant and spectacular adrenaline-driven crime-thriller. A senses shattering instant classic. A pure knockout. Intensely gripping, compelling and incredible. It's original, stunning and exhilarating. Bold, riveting and utterly explosive. This is Director, Guy Richie's masterpiece. A dark film noir that has all barrels blazing. It has plenty of action, smarts and surprises that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It's powerful and unforgettable. A well-crafted and well-written flick. A clever, very stylish, blistering, intriguing and mind-blowing ride. Great twist and turns that shatter the senses. The suspense snaps and crackles like live wire. An absolute psychological mind teaser that will grab you and not let go. You will be grabbing your seat right till the very end to it's explosive climax. Heart-pounding and mind-racing all the way through. An excellent, wickedly cool and very entertaining movie. An awesome all-star cast. Jason Statham has never been better, giving a powerhouse performance, he just proves more that he is a force to be reckoned with. Ray Liotta is electrifying. Andre Benjamin is excellent. Vincent Pastore is brilliant. Terrance Maynard and Mark Strong are terrific.
Dean M

Guy Ritchie's film reunited with Jason Statham has populated with the same breed of fast-talking, sharp-suited criminal that entertained so many of us in Lock, Stock and Snatch, the story hinges on gambles and cons, and the violence is… More
Guy Ritchie's film reunited with Jason Statham has populated with the same breed of fast-talking, sharp-suited criminal that entertained so many of us in Lock, Stock and Snatch, the story hinges on gambles and cons, and the violence is strong and stylish. Plus, Statham is back, too, albeit with the kind of hair/'tache combo that makes him look like an extra in a Spaghetti Western. Problems is, Ritchie spectacularly fails to communicate exactly what those ideas are. It's got something to do with con as a game - one that also follows the rules of business - and the importance of knowing who your worst opponent/enemy is. Or understanding that your worst enemy is actually you. And convincing them/you that they're/you're not. Or really are. Or something. It kicks off intriguingly enough with no doubt deliberate echoes of The Usual Suspects (via repeated references to a Keyser Soze-esque underworld phantom), introducing us to some fun, skewed characters, like Andre Benjamin's chess-dabbing loan shark and Mark Strong's sluttering balding hitman.
Anthony L

What a load of nonsensical, plagiaristic, headache inducing, pseudo-intellectual rubbish. Guy Ritchie has improved his visuals but he can't write to save his life. He spends far too much time trying to find that classic scene in this cult-fodder thriller that he forgets the… More
What a load of nonsensical, plagiaristic, headache inducing, pseudo-intellectual rubbish. Guy Ritchie has improved his visuals but he can't write to save his life. He spends far too much time trying to find that classic scene in this cult-fodder thriller that he forgets the golden rule, originality. Fight Club, The Usual Suspects, Things to do in Denver when you're Dead, Leon, Kill Bill..they're all ripped off here, and they all remain better films. Richie also cheats. He relies on unclear visual memory to add certain twists to the story, which are annoying and not very clever. At least this film hasn't got the usual 'Wacky Racers' cast in it but Andre Benjamin was pretty unconvincing, he and the rest of the cast must have been very tired as they all seemed to be half asleep (Except Liotta who overacted magnificently). Don't get me wrong guys, I got it, I realise what he was trying to do, but where was the pay off? The end scene was a straight up 'fuck you, you've paid now, now piss off' for me. One star for the visual effects but that's as far as I can go. Maybe Swept Away will make me change my mind about Guy Ritchie!?
Cassandra M

OK... this movie so far has been slated by critics and board-posters alike (although playing devil's advocate you could suggest that critics are often people who didn't make it for themselves as film-makers, and board posters are often people who didn't make it for… More
OK... this movie so far has been slated by critics and board-posters alike (although playing devil's advocate you could suggest that critics are often people who didn't make it for themselves as film-makers, and board posters are often people who didn't make it for themselves as critics) so I wanted to sit in Guy's corner with the magic sponge to perhaps reach maybe a couple of the people who've decided not to see the film based on how everybody seems to be looking down their collective nose of approval at it. The film's biggest flaw in earning wide support is how unexpectedly complex it is. This has been described many times as as making the film "inaccessible" to the viewer. The film's chronology is relatively non-linear and the characters are used as not only a means of storytelling but as a device for showing us the subtle (or not so subtle) hints of bias we give things as we commit them to memory, IE. Ray Liotta's character brandishing a gun saying the words "fear me" is portrayed as both tragically pathetic (from Statham's POV) or interrogating and bold (from Liotta's POV). This is but one example of Ritchie's far more mature approach he has taken to film-making with Revolver, we have a storyline which is pretty archetypal (the strong but silent gritty anti-hero gets released from jail with a score to settle but gets drawn inadvertently into a world of corruption... I mean it's paint by numbers film noir here guys, all the way down to the vague poetic choice of diction and the gritty voice-overs) but then Guy has taken this framework to make a number of extremely philosophical and complex points. Take the scene where Jason Statham's character runs afoul of a car. This throwaway sequence could have been emitted from the film and made no difference to the story whatsoever... but Ritchie is making point about how such little chance happenings such as receiving a phone call can make the difference between life and death. So the final act of the movie is pretty mind boggling, I'd be taking the p*ss if I said I didn't spend the last 20 minutes or so of the film turning to my date going "uh... wtf?"... but that is the shoddiest reason to disregard a piece of art. It is far too easy to dislike something because you find it hard to understand. And even easier to say "well nobody else seemed to understand it so it must be a real turd of a film!". In my humble opinion, Revolver is a stylish, complex and mature piece of modern art which should be greeted with the same manner we would give the work of the Saatchi Brothers. If we choose this opportunity to collectively say "Ah sh*t, I wanted a film about a load of bleeding' cockney gangsters in-nit loll... Guy Ritchie is a tit!" then the day will come when film-makers are allowed only to make that which is expected of them by shallow, crappy people. Just because Guy made a name for himself with funny, cheeky cockney romps, doesn't mean he can't be deep without being "pretentious". Funny people can be thoughtful too.
Ginny

<center>"The only way to get smarter is by playing a smarter opponent." The Fundamentals of Chess; 1885 <img src="http://content6.flixster.com/photo/51/07/57/5107572_gal.jpg"… More
<center>"The only way to get smarter is by playing a smarter opponent." The Fundamentals of Chess; 1885 <img src="http://content6.flixster.com/photo/51/07/57/5107572_gal.jpg" width=200></center> Complicated, mad, riveting, ambitious and cunning! Revolver is a delicious mind-fck of a movie, titherring on the edge of madness and trippyness, switching from your average film photography style to a dark animated cartoon scene and back. Guy Ritchie also inserts a couple of techno-flash film lighting effects that'll leave its vewiers either mesmerized or squinting from eye strain. Not a lot of people will appreciate its complex screen-story telling. I personally liked the story and thought the script and the actors were brilliant, but was Ritchie testing out a couple of filming tricks with this film? I think so... I wanted to give this 4 1/2 stars because I did truelly enjoy watching it, the only reason why I slashed off half the star was because I felt like some of the photography techniques didnt mesh well with the story. Its best to watch with a relaxed mind otherwise youll end up being left behind and confused. I have to say that I really enjoyed shrieking with glee in anticipation of figuring out whos got the 1up on who! Forget The Matrix, Forget Oceans 11! Do you want to play Russian Roulette? Revolver will definitely blow your brains out! <center><img src="http://content6.flixster.com/photo/11/51/20/11512012_gal.jpg" width=200> "Checkmate!"</center> Writer/Director: Guy Ritchie
Derek A

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I was supposed to be on heavy drugs to understand this movie. Or hell, maybe the whole point was not to understand it, but yet just go completely INSANE like everyone involved in this film. The credentials are there: Guy Ritchie… More
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I was supposed to be on heavy drugs to understand this movie. Or hell, maybe the whole point was not to understand it, but yet just go completely INSANE like everyone involved in this film. The credentials are there: Guy Ritchie (Snatch and Lock Stock) and Jason Statham. The story is strong... but this movie completely falters when executed. The first half of this film is great... and then it throws back a liter of Jack and takes a nose dive off a cliff. The art and creativity are there for Ritchie, but it's almost like he over thought the plot in the end. He made it too intricate and complex at the expense of ignoring plot holes as long as the East Coast. Too much was left unexplained.Oh well, I really wanted to like this movie, but it was too much like waking up in an alley with no pants on after an acid trip.The only notable performance was Statham.... he does an excellent job fighting his inner demons. And boy, was Ray Liotta bad in this movie or what? Was I the only one laughing at his over-the-top loud yelling spat at the end?
Red L

Lousy movie. Confusing and therefore hard to maintain interest. I have read reviews that say I need to watch it a few more times and I will love it. Maybe, but after one viewing, it sucks.
Bannan i

Damn, is Guy Ritchie ever consistent with his films or what? I swear this guy is becoming my new favourite director...and I know, I know. I still need to see Lock, Stock...lol on my way! Yet srsly, whomever was good enough to mention this flick to me gets a banana sticker - I hear… More
Damn, is Guy Ritchie ever consistent with his films or what? I swear this guy is becoming my new favourite director...and I know, I know. I still need to see Lock, Stock...lol on my way! Yet srsly, whomever was good enough to mention this flick to me gets a banana sticker - I hear they're highly coveted- <img src='http://th286.photobucket.com/albums/ll82/RarinGerm666/th_banana-sticker.jpg'> Lol. AND YES, Statham has hurrr. I think it adds to the characters he portrays this time around. More on this later. :]
Aaron N

Jake Green: One thing I've learned in the last seven years: in every game and con there's always an opponent, and there's always a victim. The trick is to know when you're the latter, so you can become the former. Guy Ritchie follows up his disaster of a movie… More
Jake Green: One thing I've learned in the last seven years: in every game and con there's always an opponent, and there's always a victim. The trick is to know when you're the latter, so you can become the former. Guy Ritchie follows up his disaster of a movie involving his wife Madonna to make another crime thriller, however this time it is not a dark comedy gangster flick mixed with great visual flare. This movie keeps the visual flare, but wraps the crime thriller aspect in a riddle. This is easily a film that will be frustrating for many and thats because it goes way beyond something one would expect from Ritchie, given his previous to crime flicks involving a fast paced affair about talking cool and hilarity and violence ensuing. Jason Statham stars as Jake Green. He is a man who has just gotten out of a seven year prison sentence. His being in prison was a result of something done by a corrupt casino owner, Macha played by Ray Liotta. Statham has emerged from prison with plenty of knowledge due to his experience during that time and plans to get revenge on Liotta. Jake Green: The greatest enemy will hide in the last place you would ever look. This is only a bare sketch of how tricky this film gets. Plenty of subplots abound involving what Green has learned in prison, Liotta's own problems, and what is going on between Green and two mysterious loan sharks played by Vincent Pastore and Andre Benjamin. The plot is very convoluted and as mentioned, will go on to frustrate many as time goes by, but I enjoyed it. Somehow it kept me interested despite having times when I wasn't sure how to take parts. It also helps that Ritchie's visual style is great throughout. Along with the soundtrack, the whole movie looks and sounds wonderful. It is inventive and helpful in keeping one entertained. Statham works here, playing somewhat against type. I enjoyed Liotta's panicked tough guy. Andre Benjamin is probably the best of all, managing to seem very suave every time he's on screen. Mark Strong (cue IMDB search) is also around as a very cool hitman, which I quite liked. Overall, Ritchie definitely took a cue from Richard Kelly in terms of warping a premise into confusion, but his style and my basic enjoyment while watching this flick gave me a satisfied feeling at the end. Jake Green: There is something about yourself that you don't know. Something that you will deny even exists, until it's too late to do anything about it. It's the only reason you get up in the morning. The only reason you suffer the shitty puss, the blood, the sweat and the tears. This is because you want people to know how good, attractive, generous, funny, wild and clever you really are. Fear or revere me, but please, think I'm special. We share an addiction. We're approval junkies. We're all in it for the slap on the back and the gold watch. The hip-hip-hoo-fuckin' rah. Look at the clever boy with the badge, polishing his trophy. Shine on you crazy diamond, because we're just monkeys wrapped in suits, begging for the approval of others.
Jani H

This movie was a pretty complex film. Ritchie has borrowed so much from other gangster/crime movies that it really doesn't work. And when he also starts to bring his inner David Lynch into the movie, it totally fails. There's not much what I liked in this. The script was… More
This movie was a pretty complex film. Ritchie has borrowed so much from other gangster/crime movies that it really doesn't work. And when he also starts to bring his inner David Lynch into the movie, it totally fails. There's not much what I liked in this. The script was horrible, the score was pompously horrible and the acting... Back to dramaschool guys. Ray Liotta overacts in ways I've never seen before. Even Jason Statham fails to deliver. Ritchie's films have had some cool characters but you ain't finding them in this one, for sure. Ritchie should dump his wife, the popdiva. Look what it did to Sean Penn. His career lifted up in a good way. Ritchie's career is going downhill so fast that I hope he's wearing a helmet, otherwise he'll get badly hurt...
Curtis L

The movie for the most part was pretty boring, but the end was pretty awesome...if for no reason other than I had never really thought about life in that way before, and I certainly had to stop and think about it in the kitchen afterwards.
Manu G

Pretty good actually. Gambler and conman Jake Green always ran with a bad crowd and it cost him seven years in jail. After his release, Jake becomes unbeatable at the tables using a formula for the ultimate con that he learned from two mysterious prisoners while on the inside. Now, he… More
Pretty good actually. Gambler and conman Jake Green always ran with a bad crowd and it cost him seven years in jail. After his release, Jake becomes unbeatable at the tables using a formula for the ultimate con that he learned from two mysterious prisoners while on the inside. Now, he is ready to take his revenge against Dorothy Macha, the man responsible for his jail time. Macha is plotting to eliminate his ruthless rival, Lord John, and has staked his credibility on a huge drug deal with the all-powerful Sam Gold. Jake visits Macha at his casino and humiliates him publicly in a game of chance. Macha, fearing more of the same medicine, sends his goons to "take care of" Jake. His life is saved by enigmatic Zack who, with his equally inscrutable partner Avi, offer Jake protection. Against his better judgment, Jake accepts. He soon finds himself playing the very last game he wants to be playing, and there is danger at every turn. But, the biggest danger of all comes from a totally unexpected source himself. It gradually transpires the real conman is in his head.
Film C

this is an excellent film reli reli acction packed worth a watch
xGary X

I enjoyed Lock, Stock but thought that it pandered a little too much to the cheap seats. Snatch was better, but still a little rough around the edges. Whereas this, I had been told, was appalling, and so have avoided it until now. But I really, REALLY wish I hadn't. Because I… More
I enjoyed Lock, Stock but thought that it pandered a little too much to the cheap seats. Snatch was better, but still a little rough around the edges. Whereas this, I had been told, was appalling, and so have avoided it until now. But I really, REALLY wish I hadn't. Because I loved it. I can understand why many found the story a little confusing, the psycho-babble and surreal cut-ins showing the characters state of mind is a little jarring. But the whole thing is executed with such style and accomplishment; far more so than Ritchie's previous films. It has also been said that the direction is a little pretentious. Again no argument here. I can also understand why some may complain about it's lack of originality; the template for the plot is clearly The Usual Suspects, executed in the style of Fight Club. The (rather irrelevant) animated segment is clearly pilfered from and inferior to Kill Bill's, and the shoot out involving Mark Strong's hit man who approaches his work with the clinical efficiency of a German tax inspector (easily my favourite character) is very reminiscent of Leon. But guess what? THAT SEQUENCE IS FANTASTIC. The only question that really matters is "Did you enjoy it?" And the fact is I really, really bloody did.