The Usual Suspects

If you've seen this film and for some reason stopped watching a few minutes before the end because you thought you had it all figured out, I guarantee you've seen a completely different film. Does it sound weird? Not for this film, not at all. A brilliant ending that in the last few seconds turns everything on its head. By the way, first Oscar for Kevin Spacey and Oscar for screenplay. (2003-04-13)

Whenever I hear the name Bryan Singer, Wolverine and his fellow X-Men from the Marvel universe immediately come to mind, but I would never have bet on him directing a detective film. That was a huge mistake! The Usual Suspects has all the makings of a masterpiece. As many reviewers have already noted, the script is truly a delight—the viewer never gets lost, and the twists are perfect. Christopher McQuarrie undoubtedly showcased his talent for screenwriting here. The cast is a clear highlight, and throughout the entire runtime, they felt incredibly likable. Kevin Spacey, in particular, stood out, essentially stealing the film with his unmatched performance. Detective films often don’t have such a well-developed plot, but here, the opposite is true. I’d also like to praise the music and cinematography. The final twist was the cherry on top—it left my eyes practically popping out of their sockets. Every film could only dream of such a brilliant ending. I didn’t find any major flaws or shortcomings, and I’ll definitely have to set aside some time for a rewatch because I want to savor it all again. It’s worth it. I give it 91%. (2017-05-27)

This film left me absolutely cold. For me, a very overrated affair. The actors were uninteresting, the only one who interested me here was Kevin Spacey, the rest I didn't care about. I found the plot entertaining at first, but after a while it got annoying to the point of being boring. The final twist is fine, but I can't give it more than three stars. Nothing for me. 55% (2014-04-06)

A script this perfect would have deserved a little more dynamic direction in my opinion. Singer does conjure up the occasional really playful scene (Kobayashi in the elevator, the cut from the scene where the cops pick up Kevin Pollak), but the whole thing has too much of an 80s static feel for me. It's helped quite a bit by the literally brutal scenes (plus, where else are you going to see a child getting killed in a shot). Otherwise, though, it's a terribly entertaining film. (2010-12-17)

It’s funny how some films are fully appreciated only after a second screening, and The Usual Suspects is one of them. The story, which at first I found uninteresting and didn’t understand, now completely engrossed me, and I enjoyed every clever scene, all the sharp dialogue and, above all, I admired the performance of Kevin Spacey, which was absolutely amazing and deserving of an Oscar award as few others have. Thanks to its relatively short runtime, the story flows like water, Singer's imaginative and stylish direction, together with a precisely scored soundtrack, gives it enormous depth and power, and then there’s the final twist with the legendary villain Keyser Soze, who gives his rivals the shivers just by his name alone, puts the crown, making it one of the best crime films of all time. Simply brilliant craftsmanship, with a refinement, rawness and elegance that cannot be fully grasped in one viewing. 98% (2012-08-03)