Snake Eyes (film)

Snake Eyes
Snake Eyes film poster
Directed by	Brian De Palma
Screenplay by	David Koepp
Story by	Brian De Palma David Koepp
Starring	Nicolas Cage Gary Sinise Carla Gugino John Heard Joel Fabiani Luis Guzmán
Music by	Ryuichi Sakamoto
Cinematography	Stephen H. Burum
Editing by	Bill Pankow
Distributed by	United States Paramount Pictures International Touchstone Pictures Buena Vista International
Release date(s)	August 7, 1998
Running time	98 minutes
Language	English
Budget	$73 million
Box office	$103,891,409

Snake Eyes is a 1998 conspiracy thriller film directed by Brian De Palma, one featuring his trademark use of long tracking shots and split screens. It starred Nicolas Cage, Gary Sinise and Carla Gugino.

Released in 1998, the film was written by David Koepp and De Palma, and rated R when released to theaters on August 7 of 1998. It cost an estimated $73 million to produce, returned $103 million worldwide and received a mixed response from critics.

Plot

Corrupt Atlantic City police detective Rick Santoro (Nicolas Cage) attends a boxing match between Heavyweight champion Lincoln Tyler (Stan Shaw) and a newcomer. Santoro is with his best friend, US Navy Commander Kevin Dunne (Gary Sinise), who is escorting United States Defense Secretary Charles Kirkland (Joel Fabiani), recently arrived from a trip to Norfolk to get the results of the first test of a new missile guiding system called AirGuard. During the fight, Dunne is distracted by an attractive woman named Serena (Jayne Heitmeyer) and his seat is taken by Julia Costello (Carla Gugino), a mysterious woman who tries to speak to Kirkland. Before she can, he is shot by a sniper, later revealed to be an allegedly Palestinian terrorist. Dunne kills the shooter, and the police order a lockdown on the Arena. Costello escapes.

Santoro believes Costello to be connected to Kirkland's death and starts studying the security tapes in order to find her. In the process, he discovers that Tyler allowed himself to be defeated in order to pay gambling debts to the same woman who tricked Dunne into leaving his post. Believing a conspiracy to be taking place, Santoro tells everything to Dunne, unaware that he is the mastermind behind Kirkland's murder and also Serena's boss. Upon realizing that Santoro might discover everything, Dunne first murders Serena and another soldier he had used to tell Tyler when he should fake being knocked-out and then makes a deal with Tyler to aid him. He and Santoro then try to find Costello, who has taken shelter in the hotel room of a sleazy man named Ned Campbell (David Anthony Higgins). Santoro gets to her first and discovers that Dunne is behind everything and that the results of the AirGuard test were faked to ensure its production. Costello discovered the deception and tried to warn Kirkland, but Dunne was waiting for her and arranged the entire assassination attempt in order to kill both her and Kirkland.

Santoro hides Costello in a warehouse outside the Arena and confronts Dunne, who tries to bribe Santoro into revealing Costello's location and to look the other way on the whole plan. Santoro is unable to allow someone to be killed so Dunne has Tyler beat him up. Santoro still refuses to speak, so Dunne leaves him alone and follows him to Costello's hideout, just as the Tropical Storm Jezebel breaks out outside. When Santoro and Dunne again meet face-to-face, the water enters the building, washing the badly beaten Santoro and the wounded Costello outside, where the police, tipped off by Santoro, are waiting. They confront Dunne, who, realizing that his plan has failed, commits suicide in front of TV cameras. Santoro is rewarded for his bravery, but the press soon uncovers his illegal dealings and he is fired, abandoned by his wife and his lover, loses the custody of his son and is arrested and eventually convicted. On the day before leaving for jail, Santoro meets Costello, who thanks him for helping her save many soldiers' lives. They kiss and Santoro promises that he'll give her a call after his release in 12-to-18 months. She smiles and leaves, while Santoro muses that the whole ordeal was worth it since he had been on TV.

Production

The film's end credits begin with a short video sequence of construction workers putting a concrete column into place. As a construction worker takes his hand off the column and exits the shot, we see a close-up of the concrete, and see a large red gemstone protruding from the column.

Throughout the film, there is a minor supporting role of a beautiful large-breasted woman who is seen wearing the ring with that gemstone. The video sequence of the end-credits suggests the typical organized crime practice of burying somebody in concrete; in this case, the woman who wore the red gemstone.

The original climax called for a Tidal Wave to crash through the casino. Santoro and Costello were to be trapped by the water and almost drown before being freed. The effects were done by ILM. Ultimately, this ending was dumped. Dialgue in the final scene alludes to this ending.

Cast

• Nicolas Cage as Detective Rick Santoro
• Gary Sinise as Commander Kevin Dunne
• Carla Gugino as Julia Costello
• Joel Fabiani as Secretary of Defense Charles Kirkland
• John Heard as Gilbert Powell
• Stan Shaw as Lincoln Tyler (Heavyweight Champion)
• Kevin Dunn as Lou Logan (Casino reporter)
• Michael Rispoli as Jimmy George (Rick's bookie)
• Luis Guzmán as Cyrus (Small-time hood)
• David Anthony Higgins as Ned Campbell (Hotel guest)
• Mike Starr as Walt McGahn (Hotel Security)
• Tamara Tunie as Anthea (TV reporter)
• Jayne Heitmeyer as Serena (Large-breasted woman with red gemstone)

Reception

Released on August 7, 1998, Snake Eyes debuted at No. 2 on its opening weekend (behind Saving Private Ryan), with $16 million.[1] It grossed $55.6 million in North America, and $103.8 million worldwide. [2].

Critical reaction was mixed, with the film receiving a 40% "rotten" score on Rotten Tomatoes - though raised to 50% when only counting audience reviewers. [3]

See also

• List of American films of 1998

External links

• Snake Eyes at the Internet Movie Database