The Way of the Gun (2000)

Featured Audience Ratings

• xGary X

  
  A pair of small time crooks decide to gamble all on a big score when they kidnap the pregnant surrogate mother of a mobster's unborn child. Written and directed by the man responsible for the script for The Usual Suspects, Way Of The Gun may not have the clever twist in the tale… More
  A pair of small time crooks decide to gamble all on a big score when they kidnap the pregnant surrogate mother of a mobster's unborn child. Written and directed by the man responsible for the script for The Usual Suspects, Way Of The Gun may not have the clever twist in the tale of his most famous work, but it is still an extremely stylish and well written crime drama stocked with some smart dialogue and sharply directed Peckinpah-esque shoot-outs. The bare bones of the plot are a little workman-like, but the joy of this film is in the detail; the same old stereotypical events are given a slightly different spin all the way along the line making for a blackly comic, cynical crime drama that is painted in varying shades of dark, dark grey. Very much in the tradition of Tarantino, it's full of colourful characters who are constantly trying to outsmart and double cross each other and it makes for a tangled web of deceit and murder ending in a great Butch and Sundance style finale that I enjoyed immensely. Great stuff.

• Al S

  
  A slick, stylish, funny, pistol-packing, pulse-pounding and wickedly entertaining thriller. Compelling, gripping and electrifying. It's fast, intense and furious. It has enough explosive action, suspense, humor and crackling twist that never stop. Ryan Phillippe gives his best… More
  A slick, stylish, funny, pistol-packing, pulse-pounding and wickedly entertaining thriller. Compelling, gripping and electrifying. It's fast, intense and furious. It has enough explosive action, suspense, humor and crackling twist that never stop. Ryan Phillippe gives his best performance to date. Benicio Del Toro is excellent. James Caan is in top form. A well-crafted crime film mixing into a urban western film noir with shady characters, gun-play and dark comedy. An interesting directional debut by Oscar winning screenwriter, Christopher McQuarrie. An ultra dark, sizzling, wild and terrifically original film.

• Cassandra M

  
  Most action movies don't bother with such simple devices as plot, characters or an engaging storyline. Some would say that this is a genre strength, an excuse to turn away from highbrow thought to high-key, mindless mayhem. Whilst that is all well and good, most people eventually… More
  Most action movies don't bother with such simple devices as plot, characters or an engaging storyline. Some would say that this is a genre strength, an excuse to turn away from highbrow thought to high-key, mindless mayhem. Whilst that is all well and good, most people eventually find themselves wanting...more. That little bit extra to garnish an already tasty dish. Here, Christopher McQuarrie presents a whole lotta extra treats, whilst never losing his grip upon tension or bloody spectacle. Rambo-lovers, however, should best stay clear, for this is undoubtedly a Thinking man's shoot 'em up. When,as an example, did the "hero" confess to feeling guilt over murdering a paedophile? Conduct torture purely for cash? Get royally shafted in what we assumed would be an all-out celebration of hip carnage? Bear in mind that this was 200, a whole year before Spider-Man told folk that "it's ok to cry whilst kicking the sh*t out of somebody". Brave stuff. Were this all that Chris provided in the way of innovation, it'd still be mightily impressive, yet he also shows some serious balls within structural limits. As opposed to having bullet dance/chat/explosion/one-liner, he allows moments to build, ebbing, flowing, surely swelling into one large tidal wave of carnage. By the time blood begins to shed, an audience is engaged with two low-life antiheros, whilst sympathising with their-refreshingly scarred-nemesis. It's truly remarkable to see well-choreographed brutality mixing delicately with excellent performances, there's that constant "Yes, i GET you!" feeling beneath every frame. Sit back, tune your head and, and relish this sun-drenched delight.

• Eric S

  
  A brilliant film of two criminals portrayed by Benicio Del Toro and Ryan Phillippe who hold a surrogate mother for ransom as they seek an ultimate fortune. The acting is first rate by Del Toro, Phillippe, and James Caan as the opposing professional hitman, and the "gunplay"… More
  A brilliant film of two criminals portrayed by Benicio Del Toro and Ryan Phillippe who hold a surrogate mother for ransom as they seek an ultimate fortune. The acting is first rate by Del Toro, Phillippe, and James Caan as the opposing professional hitman, and the "gunplay" scenes are very well executed allowing for optimal suspense. The end scenes shot in New Mexico are reminiscent of the spaghetti westerns, but differ in a modern, realistic look at the violence that may result from these situations.

• Anthony L

  
  It's like a modern day western without any Tarantino crap. It's clever, witty and very cool!

• Tsubaki S

  
  Dumb, with some ocassional good moments. A movie is suppose to be more than just a compilation of "cool" dialogues. And i blame Tarantino for making so many people believe that.

• Aaron N

  
  Joe Sarno: So, you the brains of this outfit, or is he? Longbaugh: Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation. The longest distance between two points is a kidnapper and his money. Basically sums up the movie. A kidnapping plot that is mixed with lots… More
  Joe Sarno: So, you the brains of this outfit, or is he? Longbaugh: Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation. The longest distance between two points is a kidnapper and his money. Basically sums up the movie. A kidnapping plot that is mixed with lots of twists and convoluted plot points that make me enjoy it more. The dialog is also what makes this movie great to me. A lot of it is very funny, Longbaugh: I've... never killed a man. Interviewer: I beg your pardon? Longbaugh: I said I never killed a man. Interviewer: I didn't ask if you had. Longbaugh: You asked why I thought I was qualified, I think of that as qualification. Some of it is insightful in its own sort of way, Hale Chidduck: Do you believe in karma? Joe Sarno: Karma's justice without the satisfaction. I don't believe in justice. and with that, the movie is also fun to me. It plays a lot like a western themed movie, but plays against a lot of Hollywood conventions, the car chase done here would be a great example of this. The gunplay is also awesome, realistic and very cool to watch. Ryan Phillippe and Benicio del Toro star as the leads, two low lives, who try to make it big with a not-too-planned out kidnapping. Juliette Lewis plays the victim, who is a surrogate mother for the man who needs to pay the money. James Caan is awesome as a bagman, who has to resort to his own means to get back the woman. And Taye Diggs and Nicky Kaat play to bodyguards concerned only with winning. Longbaugh: You know what I'm gonna tell God when I see him? I'm gonna tell him I was framed. From the writer of the Usual Suspects, Christopher McQuarri, I like this film more because of the way these characters handle the subject manner. What's also enjoyable, is that the movie plays out a lot like a western as mentioned, having two anti-heroes going after what they want, mixing it up with tough guys along the way, complete with a soundtrack playing tribute to Ennio Morricone. A movie that has it's own sort of groove, and is one of my favorites. Longbaugh: What do you think? Parker: I think a plan is just a list of things that don't happen.

• Martin B

  
  Christopher McQuarrie, writer of <i>The Usual Suspects</i> made his directorial debut with this film, and he hit a home run. Sadly, most people never saw it or took notice. <br/> <br/>It's a great piece of work. Phillippe and Del Toro shine in the… More
  Christopher McQuarrie, writer of <i>The Usual Suspects</i> made his directorial debut with this film, and he hit a home run. Sadly, most people never saw it or took notice. <br/> <br/>It's a great piece of work. Phillippe and Del Toro shine in the lead roles, supported by stellar turns by Taye Diggs, Nicky Katt, James Caan, and others. The film starts off with a great laugh that sets up the characters perfectly. From there it only gets better, culminating in a masterfully directed old-school gunfight. <br/> <br/>McQuarrie recently reunited with Bryan Singer for another film (<i>Valkyrie</i>), and I hope from here he decides to take another shot at directing (IMDb says he's directing something called <i>The Stanford Prison Experiment</i>). Whatever he does, I'll be first in line to check it out.

• Ken S

  
  Featuring one of the coolest (and slowest) car chases ever

• Pierluigi P

  
  Being Christopher McQuarrie's directorial debut, my expectations were too high. A Peckinpah-like crime thriller with a diffuse story line and shallow character development. The shootout at the end is the only intense moment, without being surprising at all.

• Dean L

  
  This movie moves in and out of being incredible and just "ok." With some fantastic character development, decent setups, moral dilemmas and strained motives that we, the audience, are left to decipher "The Way Of The Gun" proves to be a very smart film filled with… More
  This movie moves in and out of being incredible and just "ok." With some fantastic character development, decent setups, moral dilemmas and strained motives that we, the audience, are left to decipher "The Way Of The Gun" proves to be a very smart film filled with some great surprises and great characters. Benicio Del Toro and Ryan Phillippe are fantastic in their roles. I have always enjoyed Del Toro's work and was surprised at how much Phillippe held his own next to him. James Caan was also amazing playing a grizzled old "bagman" with words of wisdom to be imparted on our erstwhile protagonists. I am pushing it using the word "protagonist" here, but you be the judge. Taye Diggs was great and Juliette Lewis played her part very well. Note too that there is no character in here just for the sake of filler. Each proves to be essential. One, you will note, has about ten lines or so...listen to those lines carefully because they prove to be integral to the plotline. The movie itself leaves a lot of questions at the end even in answering some. The gunplay is fierce and there is a lot of violence, but more in a Tarantino mock up where it feels real and not overly sensational (even note the two main characters have "Mr." in front of their names throughout reminding us of "Reservoir Dogs"). This is a gritty, pulp noir film that will definitely take you if you let it. It is disturbing in some parts and may even make you feel a little dirty. Me...I like it dirty.

• Michael S

  
  Amazing shootouts, but the film as a whole feels very uneven.

• Stuart B

  
  Weird film

• Michael G

  
  For the most part weak, but its got a few great scenes. One of my favorite openings ever.

• Chris W

  
  Unfortunately, this movie is an underrated and underappreciated masterpiece. It's brilliance lies in both the realism and incredibly well-done action and gunfight sequences, and the subtle nuances of the characters' actions and words. McQuarrie definitely deserved his Oscar… More
  Unfortunately, this movie is an underrated and underappreciated masterpiece. It's brilliance lies in both the realism and incredibly well-done action and gunfight sequences, and the subtle nuances of the characters' actions and words. McQuarrie definitely deserved his Oscar for The Usual Suspects, and he should have gotten some type of award for this one too, but it never happened, at least not yet. Oh well, it's still an excellent film, regardless.

• Emily A

  
  An incoherant mess. Sometimes it's good to draw the line at one movie-one plot. Althought this film does have its moments. I gave it a whole extra star just for the scene where Ryan Phillipe dives into the fountain full of broken beer bottles.

• Nate Z

  
  [font=Arial][color=darkred]"Shut that cunt up before I come over there and fuck-start her head!"[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]And with that opening line coming from pretty boy Ryan Philippe's mouth you know you're in for something different.… More
  [font=Arial][color=darkred]"Shut that cunt up before I come over there and fuck-start her head!"[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]And with that opening line coming from pretty boy Ryan Philippe's mouth you know you're in for something different. 'Way of the Gun' is screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie's follow-up to the twisty smash who-dunnit 'The Ususal Suspects'. This time he takes the reigns of directing himself and establishes that he is a born man behind the camera and in the chair.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]'Gun' unfolds its tale through the center of two antisocial hoodlums "Parker" (Phillippe) and "Longbaugh" (Benicio Del Toro), two men brought to the point of selling plasma and sperm to pay the bills. One afternoon they overhear a conversation in the doctor's office about a wealthy couple paying a woman (Juliette Lewis) to act as the surrogate mother for their child. It seems the real mother just doesn't want to be burdened with a child hanging on her for nine months. The two men use this information to plot what should be their big break and their big score. After a scheduled doctor's visit they get into a heated shoot out with the bodyguards (Nicky Katt and Taye Diggs) protecting her for their wealthy employeer. Parker and Longbaugh kidnap their impregnated prize and hold her to squeeze a fat ransom.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]The story-telling 'Way of the Gun' plays is a mix of older films where they would have room to breathe and mature... as well as Quenmtin Tarantino flicks. This is a story of characters and their devious multiple back stabbings, crosses, secret affiliations, and ultimate intentions. 'Gun' moves methodically with an armada of gaunt twists and turns keeping the audience alive and awake.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]James Caan comes in mid-way to play a conniving intermediary in the exchange. His character is the wisest of the bunch and knows more then he's always telling. It's also quite a perplexing site to see Caan's nipples through his shirt in an interogation scene. Up to this point I never thought about James Caan having nipples.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]The action in the flick is pulse-pounding. The shoot outs are probably the best on film in a long long while. You see and hear every effect a bullet has. The final climax which involves a drawn out gun battle in an empty Mexican brothel is a scene of sheer excitement and relentless entertainment that it may well be my favorite 10-15 minutes of film all year.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]There can be a word to describe 'Way of the Gun' and that word could be UGLY. This is not a film for eveyone. The violence and its after-effects can be gruesome at times, as I heard just as much groans and shrieks in my theater than anything else. There's scenes of picking shards of glass from one's own arm, performing stiches on one's eyebrowel, and even an impromtu hand done C-section. This will not be something to take grandma to.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]'Way of the Gun' pacing is also a problem. There are drag moments as we wait and wait. The languid pacing works for the story and the characters but the double-edge sword creates dry spells of interest. The score uses tymphonies to full extent, sometimes beyond that which it reasonably should.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]McQuarrie has sold me with his respinning of tired cliches and familiar elements into gold. 'Way of the Gun' is a flick I'll see with my friends time and again. Hell, seeing Ryan Phillippe say that line was worth six bucks anyway.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Nate's Grade: A-[/color][/font]

• Kevin M

  
  It was good, but not much more than that. It kept me interested throughout and some parts were really enjoyable, mainly the crazy gun fight at the end. The story is a bit weak, but it sufficed. Ryan Phillippe was funny and Benicio Del Toro was really quiet for some reason. James… More
  It was good, but not much more than that. It kept me interested throughout and some parts were really enjoyable, mainly the crazy gun fight at the end. The story is a bit weak, but it sufficed. Ryan Phillippe was funny and Benicio Del Toro was really quiet for some reason. James Caan's performance was quite different than any other movie he's been in. In movies like Misery and Elf, he was quiet and was soft-spoken, but here he plays sort of a messenger who knows how to handle a gun. The actors were generally well-cast. I can't say The Way of the Gun is memorable, but it's a good movie to watch when there's nothing else to do.

• Burger S

  
  Sarah Silverman getting punched in the face is just about the funniest thing I've ever seen.

• Chris B

  
  "The Way of the Gun" is an uneven and unbalanced film that has it's moments but ultimately comes off as contrived and pointless. First let me say that the performances, especially those by Phillippe, Del Toro and Caan, are all solid but in the end it takes a decent… More
  "The Way of the Gun" is an uneven and unbalanced film that has it's moments but ultimately comes off as contrived and pointless. First let me say that the performances, especially those by Phillippe, Del Toro and Caan, are all solid but in the end it takes a decent script to make the film. There is so much going on and it's presented in a very jumbled and confusing manner that it all comes off very sloppy in the end. The gunfights, while entertaining enough, are in excess in terms of sheer madness (When a guy goes behind a concrete wall shooting countless clips and shotgun rounds into said wall, doesn't really do anything) and seems stupid on the part of the characters. All in all this is a film that comes off as confusing and muddled but the countless gun fights, as overkill as they are, should leave those that can stomach the violence entertained enough.

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