The Devil's Advocate

This film has four big assets: Al Pacino, whose portrayal of the Devil is unique, Charlize Theron, who’s even better as a woman falling into madness, great music by James Newton Howard, and an interesting and novel plot. Keanu Reeves does his best, but he's no match for the first two. Excellent thriller. (13/04/2003)

Who would believe that after a slightly tired introduction, I would be so enthusiastic at the end? After each screening, I look forward to watching it again, already expecting that the beginning will seem better in the context of the rest of the story. It starts off so innocent, but that's when the biggest surprise comes, when the story starts to pick up pace and the atmosphere thickens to the point where you anticipate a fright with every shot. It's no wonder, director Hackford knows how to create very disturbing moments (a brilliant and dark sexual scene) and contrasting visual and sound inserts of mystery in innocent moments. However, it is difficult to judge how successful it would be without the actors. Reeves, in fact, delivers the best performance of his career and thanks to this film, Pacino has definitively become an incomparable acting chameleon. (25/08/2006)

Originally, I gave it only four stars, but upon further consideration, I decided to add one more because alongside a very good screenplay, which navigates the mysterious genre in an original way, the film also boasts top-notch casting and amazing performances. Al Pacino excels in the role of the ruler of hell. Keanu Reeves reaches his acting peak, Charlize Theron shows that she's not just a pretty model but also an excellent actress, and Connie Nielsen is beautifully corrupt in her supporting role. Overall impression: 90%. (18/06/2006)

But yeah, the beginning is slow and the ending is surprisingly bad compared to what we have been watching and how the film seemed in terms of what should be at the end. But those performances, uniquely dominated by Al Pacino, are simply good. Keanu Reeves fit perfectly for this role, but in comparison, you can still see how great Al Pacino is. Some scenes here are absolutely amazing, such as the one in the subway or the opening one in court. (25/09/2014)

After seeing this movie for the second time 18 years after the premiere at the cinema, I’m raising my rating to a full five stars. It’s incredible that such scripts were written for genre entertainment in the 1990s! And those actors! And the set designs, whether interiors or in the city of New York! What’s up with Hollywood today?! (22/09/2015)