The Insider

BACK COVER SYNOPSIS: Nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture! Gripping and powerful, THE INSIDER keep you on the edge of your seat as it recounts the chain of events that pitted an ordinary man against big business, and ultimately dragged people into the fight of their lives. Academy Award Winner Al Pacino and Russell Crowe star as two men crusading together for a public health issue charged with emotion. And it's not long before they both find out just how badly the corporate giants wants to save their bottom lines. This absorbing thriller also stars Christopher Plummer and Gina Gershon. THE INSIDER will thrill you with its unbelievable twists and turns.

FILM REVIEW: Michael Mann really knows how to select scripts, and actors too I might add. This film is an excellent thriller with some stand out performances by the leads. The intricacies of watching Russell pitted against the big business machine of tobacco is riveting to watch, especially with the cavalier disregard the corporation that Russell once worked for shows no remorse whatsoever that its product is actually killing people.
The film covers a lot of real-life ground on the world of tobacco, as it should given the film's basis on a the true story of Jeff Wigand, the man who exposed the inner-working of the tobacco company he worked for. There are a lot of politics and game-playing to be sure. The dynamics between Al Pacino and his bosses is particularly gripping when he is confronted with the realisation that the network will drop the interview he did with Wigand because they don't want to upset their stockholders by embarrassing the tobacco company. There's a comment there on investigative journalism that's especially relevant; when does news stop and corporate interference begin? Ethics, morals and what the right thing to do are themes at the forefront of this film which make for some dramatic and intellectual storytelling.
Al Pacino is still at the top of his game playing the 60 Minutes reporter trying to get Wigand to tell his story. In many ways however he is overshadowed by Russell Crowe's understated every-day man performance as Jeff Wigand (no mean feat!). He totally envelopes this character, his insecurities, his fears and his weaknesses. You feel for the guy; he's trying to do the right thing but the world around him unravels. Christopher Plummer is also excellent as Mike Wallace; the scene where he realises he's been edited to save corporate face is effective and a pleasure to watch.
It wouldn't be a Michael Mann film without the doco-style, hand-held camera work and funny framings. Seeing this in the cinema makes it uncomfortable on your eyes (on DVD it's okay). In some cases, I was asking myself, why did he frame the shot like that? I know he wants to establish a style all of his own but this kind of shaky, pull-focus camera-work, if not done properly, and in a film I might add that isn't really an action-packed thriller, really works to the detriment of the film. Quality script, quality acting and crappy filming technique. Some of the music choices are a little odd as well - oh it's so arty to have an opera piece in there. That will help 'enhance' the character's inner turmoil (a cue at the end of the film comes to mind).
Overall, this is a gripping, intellectual film with standout performances. It could have done with a lot better filming technique but it's what we got.

TECHNICAL REVIEW: The film has been given a decent transfer, especially given how many shaky images are present. The audio is excellent. All up, this disc will give the film a good run on your home theatre system and look great on your flat panel television.

EXTRAS REVIEW: This DVD doesn't offer much in the way of extras; there's a promotional featurette which covers the basics of mostly what we already know. There's an interactive menu, scene access, trailer and some subtitles. Not much indeed and should have been a lot better.

BOTTOM LINE: Worth having in the collection, but wait for it to go on sale.

FILM RATING: 8/10 -- EXTRAS RATING: 3/10 -- OVERALL DVD RATING: 7/10 

Todd Murphy <br />
http://www.allaboutmovies.net