Work Is Hell: The Compelling, and Sexy, Allure of ‘The Devil’s Advocate’
Tyler Doupe'
|
Our friends at Dread XP are gearing up for the release of Red Tape, a horror-comedy game that drops you into her and pits you against the Devil, himself. The player must navigate the game from the perspective of a fallen angel who is tasked with cutting through various forms of corporate gobbledygook in order to secure a meeting with Hell’s head honcho. Red Tape has hit Steam (for Windows PC) today. In honor of the release, we thought this the perfect time to look back on a satanic cinematic offering that sees a charismatic attorney making a deal with the Devil. I’m speaking, of course, of The Devil’s Advocate.
Though Red Tape and The Devil’s Advocate aren’t cut entirely from the same cloth, both touch on the horrors of a toxic work environment where one must commune with the unholy. The depictions of that dynamic in Red Tape are a bit more comedic, whereas The Devil’s Advocate plays it straighter. But both properties tell a compelling tale of good versus evil.
So, without further ado, we are eager to sing the praises of a winning team-up between iconic thespians Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves.
The Devil’s Advocate follows Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves), a hot-shot attorney who’s never lost a case. However, his perfect record comes at a cost. Kevin has said and done things he takes no pride in. He has knowingly hurt innocent people and set guilty men free. That career trajectory has placed Kevin in just the right frame of mind to accept a deal that seems to be too good to be true. And as the adage goes: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is… After accepting the enticing offer with a powerhouse New York firm, Kevin Lomax Esquire comes to realize he may have (literally) signed away his soul when he scrawled his John Hancock on the dotted line. That fateful decision finds the barrister trapped in a toxic work environment from which he may never be able to escape.
The film is quite entertaining on the surface but also serves to provide some insightful commentary on the way that not every evil individual is born that way. In fact, many ruthless and disreputable types begin their careers with lofty aspirations. Politicians are a great example of just that. So many begin their political career with designs on making the world a better place. But a series of questionable decisions serve to slowly strip away their humanity, making a monster out of a formerly altruistic person.
The Devil’s Advocate presents a case similar to the aforementioned scenario. Kevin still has a shred of humanity when first meet him. Yet he abandons his moral compass and humiliates a teenage sexual assault survivor to keep his winning streak alive. That clearly isn’t the first reprehensible choice the young attorney has made. But it may just serve as the straw that broke the camel’s back. That fateful decision leads him down a dark road from which it is nearly impossible to return.
In addition to interesting commentary on the nature of evil, The Devil’sd Advocate also serves up a harrowing and suspenseful narrative. Much of the suspense inherent to the storyline comes from seeing Kevin navigate the horrors with which he must contend at his new firm. Rather than merely turning a blind eye, he must become an active participant in nefarious acts. And he must do so at the behest of the Dark Lord.
The strong narrative is further enhanced by solid performances, across the board. Reeves is smug and opportunistic in his portrayal of Kevin, managing to be contemptible and charismatic at the same time. He isn’t necessarily a proper protagonist but he isn’t a proper villain either. And he exists very effectively in that grey area.
Al Pacino functions perfectly as the debonair John Milton (a clever, if not entirely subtle moniker). Milton is the head of Kevin’s new firm and he soon takes a particular interest in Kevin. Pacino depicts the character as charismatic, suave, and doggedly determined. As the layers are peeled back and we realize just how duplicitous he can be, Pacino avoids getting hammy in his portrayal of Milton, always maintaining his composure, save for the times when the scene calls for a more unhinged approach. In lesser hands, the character could easily have been reduced to a scenery-chewing caricature.
Pacino also adds to the tension with a performance that immediately suggests he has the potential to be volatile. But he refrains from showing his true colors right away. However, his mannerisms and delivery have an ominous undertone that leave the viewer in a state of unease as we wait for Milton to reveal what lurks beneath his debonair exterior. By the time that transpires, the tension has reached a boiling point, making the inevitable descent into total madness all the more harrowing.
Also effective are the gorgeously-rendered set pieces and the eerie visuals. The film succeeds as much from its striking imagery as it does due to strong performances and thoughtful commentary on the many faces of evil.
All in, The Devil’s Advocate is a gripping tale that serves to remind us that the road to Hell is sometimes paved with good intentions. It’s also a phenomenal showcase that sees two talented thespians going head-to-head in a genre piece that culminates in an all-out battle of good versus evil.
If you’re keen to check The Devil’s Advocate out, you can rent it from any of the major platforms. And you can also snag it on physical media.
Categorized:Editorials
