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The Way Of The Gun on DVD (2000)

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Average rating: 64%
1216720141535
3.0
from 715 members
 
Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Ryan Phillippe, James Caan, Juliette Lewis, Taye Diggs, Nicky Katt, Scott Wilson
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Studio: MOMENTUM PICTURES
Run time: 114 mins
Certificate: 18
User collections: c-movies, 25 Movies You Must See!!!, The Overrated, the Disappointing, and the downright Awful
Genres: Thriller
Languages: English
Released: 25/06/2001
Also Available on: Also Available on: DIGITAL

Brief synopsis of The Way Of The Gun

Two professional criminals, Parker (Ryan Phillippe) and Longbaugh (Benicio Del Toro), think they've devised the plan of a lifetime: Kidnap Robin (Juliette Lewis), a pregnant surrogate mother, then collect on the ransom money from the parents-to-be. However, when Parker begins to take a shine to the kidnapping victim, the plan begins to crumble. But it is not until a heavily armed group of mob hit men arrive with the ransom money that Parker and Longbaugh realize they've cooked up a spicy stew of chaos, violence, and confusion. The unborn baby tops it off, making Christopher McQuarrie's THE WAY OF THE GUN a terrifically tense nail-biter.

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 3 stars out of 5 Radio Times

Outrageous, unrelenting and blood-soaked, this quirky crime thriller marked the directorial debut of Christopher McQuarrie — the Oscar-winning screenwriter of The Usual Suspects. Informed as much by the spirit of Sam Peckinpah as that of Quentin Tarantino, McQuarrie's visceral ode to contemporary cowboys is an edgy and smartly cynical treat for those who like raw action and provocative themes. Small-time villains Ryan Phillippe (giving his best performance to date) and Benicio Del Toro abduct flaky surrogate mother Juliette Lewis in order to hold the wealthy parents-to-be to ransom. Unfortunately for the crooked duo, the expectant father has underworld connections and soon professional “cleaner” James Caan (on top form) is trailing them to the Mexican border. With Caan closing in and Phillippe romantically drawn to Lewis, the sun-drenched scene is set for twists, turns, double-crosses and mayhem.

Rating of 1 stars out of 4 Halliwell's Film Guide

Convoluted thriller that gains little from its complexity; underneath the plotting, it's a film about unpleasant people doing very bad things.

Time Out

With an Oscar under his belt for the screenplay of The Usual Suspects, McQuarrie makes his directorial bow with this... Read more on www.timeout.com

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 5 starsUnderrated gem!

A customer from London , 03/02/2004

Written and directed by Usual Suspects scribe, Christopher McQuarrie, 'Way of the Gun' is a little known gem of the crime genre. Complex and intelligent, the films unflinching portrayl of its unsympathetic protagonists draws parrallels with 'The Wild Bunch. Del Toro is, as always, outstanding, and fellow cast members James Caan, Ryan Phillipe, et al, hold their own admirably in this hard hitting picture.

  9 out of 9 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starssheer class!

A customer from Colchester, England , 24/04/2006

I cant believe this eluded me for so long. It will now have pride of place in my collection. Fantastic performances and excellent direction of a sublime script.

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsModern western with Philosophy and minus horses

filmfreak from The Tree Fort, Birmingham , 13/12/2005

Christopher McQuarrie, follows up his success of the usual suspects, stepping behind the camera this time, for his self written directorial debut, with this stylish reworking of the modern western genre, replacing mindless gunfights between invincible characters, with strategic planned shootouts, with no fear of actually harming his lead's...shock Horror!!

The plot follows two outlaw chancers, played superbly by Del toro and Phillippe, out looking for the big score, leading them to kidnap surrogate mother Robin (Lewis) not knowing, she is carrying the child of the local Mafia boss, who despatches the ageing bagman Joe Sarno (Caan) to bring her back, leading up to the inevitable showdown.

Focusing more on the idea of "living by the gun" than just havin your usual blood and bullets affair, despite featuring some fantastic shootout sequences, McQuarrie attempts to justify the way the characters choose the paths they do, looking at the philosophies and codes of honour they live by, including one sequence where the leads discuss their plan of action, using a game of hearts as a metaphor. All this backed up with some truly fantastic quoteable dialogue that Tarantino would be proud to call his own.

First viewing may prove disappointing, due to its change of style from the norm but defiantly rewards upon rewatching.

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 1 starsThe way of a first time director

A customer from London UK , 11/12/2005

Anyone can direct movies. At least that's what writer Christopher McQuarrie appears to think. Well, I've got news for you, Chris: they can't, and your dire first attempt shows why.

Sub Tarantino, sub Peckinpah, in fact, sub just about everything else. Leaden direction, wooden acting and a story an imbeclile would not believe sinks this without trace.

It's embarrssing to see James Cann in such drivel - as the star of Peckinpah's Killer Elite, he must know what it takes to make a good film. Avoid this and rent the real thing instead.

  4 out of 5 people found this review helpful
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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 1 starsThe way of a first time director

A customer from London UK , 11/12/2005

Anyone can direct movies. At least that's what writer Christopher McQuarrie appears to think. Well, I've got news for you, Chris: they can't, and your dire first attempt shows why.

Sub Tarantino, sub Peckinpah, in fact, sub just about everything else. Leaden direction, wooden acting and a story an imbeclile would not believe sinks this without trace.

It's embarrssing to see James Cann in such drivel - as the star of Peckinpah's Killer Elite, he must know what it takes to make a good film. Avoid this and rent the real thing instead.

  4 out of 5 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starssheer class!

A customer from Colchester, England , 24/04/2006

I cant believe this eluded me for so long. It will now have pride of place in my collection. Fantastic performances and excellent direction of a sublime script.

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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