Conspiracy Theory

Starring: Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts, Patrick Stewart, Cylk Cozart
Directed by: Richard Donner
Rating: R
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
1997

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: A cab driver (Mel Gibson) obsessed with his wild conspiracy theories is suddenly wanted by mysterious government agents. As he tries to escape and stay alive, he partners with a reluctant Justice Department attorney (Julia Roberts) to help him avoid capture.

Review:

Tim: I wholly admit that Conspiracy Theory might be a bit of a hokey thriller. And yet, I don't really care, because it is incredibly entertaining as well. I like the characters, I like the suspense, I like the humor, and I found myself really enjoying this film. It is not a perfect movie, but it brings a smile to my face, regardless of its shortcomings.

The film really works because of the performances of the cast. Mel Gibson is quite good in the lead role. This is no where near his best performance, but he's always excelled at playing crazy characters, and he does so here in a loveable and funny way. There are a few times when he goes a bit over-the-top, but mostly he works. I really liked the casting of Julia Roberts. She really works well in these movies where she plays second fiddle to a strong male actor (The Pelican Brief, The Mexican, etc.) She is very important, though, and her chemistry with Gibson is important. They work well on screen together, and I had fun watching them. The film also has a superb villain in Patrick Stewart. Stewart so often plays the protagonist, but he makes a chilling bad guy, and I really enjoyed him in this role.

At the heart of the film is a pretty compelling mystery. We really do wonder what it was about Gibson's character that sparks the deadly interest of these shadowy government agents? This mystery propels the film forward. Now, while this mystery is what makes the movie good, the eventual revelation is disappointing, weak, and a bit boring. We're led to believe some massive conspiracy is at work here, so when we do learn the truth, it is a bit of a letdown. This is one of the biggest flaws of the film. When the movie begins, we're really, really interested. We stay interested for most of the movie, but before the end, we start learning more and more and finding ourselves less and less interested. By the time the film is over, I barely cared at all. That is too bad, because the first hour and a half is really quite good.

I also really liked the film's humor. There are some truly funny lines and funny moments, and these really endeared the film to me. I found myself laughing out loud, which was a nice break from an otherwise intense, suspenseful movie. The humor never takes center stage, but it definitely adds to the film.

Conspiracy Theory is a movie that does a lot right, and just enough wrong to prevent it from being a great movie. I am well aware of the film's flaws, but I have so much fun watching it that I can overlook many of these. I really believe this is a very good movie, and one of the most entertaining I've seen.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Pelican Brief, The Mexican, Ransom, Lethal Weapon, Lethal Weapon 2, Lethal Weapon 3, Lethal Weapon 4