Revolution

Revolution (1985)

Runtime: I saw the version that's 126 minutes long

Directed by: Hugh Hudson

Starring: Al Pacino, Nastassja Kinski, Donald Sutherland, Joan Plowright, Steven Berkoff

From: Some UK companies... and a Norwegian one too

This is a movie that flopped so hard, the impact was almost as forceful as what happened with Heaven's Gate. Note that this is far worse than Heaven's Gate, at least in my opinion. See why below: 

NOTE: As there are three cuts of this movie out there, I have to specify that I saw the original theatrical version, as available on Amazon Instant Video. There is also a shorter version called Revolution Revisited (which is also on Amazon) which has narration, some cut scenes and a changed ending... and a longer Director's Cut, which is not on Amazon and is only on a UK Blu, which is not region-free. I can't be 100% about this, but I presume the other two versions don't make the movie a lot better.

As usual, in the evening I struggled with what I should watch before finally making a decision. There's no shortage of appropriate things to watch on July 4, the day celebrated in the United States as the day we declared freedom from England in 1776, and then fought the Revolutionary War to make our independence official. What better thing to see than a movie set in the Revolutionary War? That decision came from knowing for years that this movie was such a bomb and a flop, it ruined the career of director Hugh Hudson (he directed Greystoke and Chariots of Fire), did a lot of damage to British film studio Goldcrest-and honestly, the entire British film industry for awhile-and even caused a great actor-well, before he became a parody-in Al Pacino to quit acting until Sea of Love in 1989. What a movie to follow up Scarface with. Then again, a film from the UK about the American revolution from the perspective of the Americans seems like a bad idea to begin with.

What little buzz I heard about the movie through the years, it proved true; this was pretty bad. Its biggest sin is being really boring. Pacino has an average job in the dawn of American Independence, before his sh*thead son does something dumb (and he acts dumb often in the movie) and they both get involved in the War. There's also Nastassja Kinski as a young lady who sympathizes with the new nation while the rest of her family still sides with the British. I am sure that happened often in the War, but aside from some wacky moment that is also pretty dull. Of course, she and Pacino often run into each other, just because.

The film does not have exciting battle scenes-there aren't too many of them, as a matter of fact-it does not say a lot about the Revolution for those that have any interest in history, and as I keep stressing, if you're not careful this languid piece of work could make you doze off in your easy chair. Admittedly, some of the tracking shots are nice, as is the pretty scenery; it was filmed in the UK and... Norway, of all places.

Plus, there are other familiar faces, like Donald Sutherland, Joan Plowright (she gets to utter the phrase “Yankee bitch!”, which made me laugh out loud as it was not something I could have ever predicted), Steven Berkoff, Robbie Coltrane, Richard O'Brien, and Graham Greene. I thought it was nice that at least some mention was made about Native Americans and their involvement in this war; they are rarely talked about at all when it comes to that conflict. In addition, I was surprised to see the name “Annie Lennox” in the credits. Her role is actually pretty small, but I understand, as Eurythmics were still quite popular at the time. The movie also killed any chance at her becoming an actress; it was not a role requiring strong acting chops, but again this being such a turkey meant she couldn't even had the career Debbie Harry had on the silver screen.

Admittedly, Pacino has a hilarious hairdo and an even more hilarious accent; I have no idea how to describe it, except that I'll presume the colonials in the late 18th century did not actually sound like that. Hell, at times he sounds like Tony Montana. But that's no reason to ever see this. As Heaven's Gate was also a disaster at the box office and caused a ripple effect felt for years to come, comparisons have been made. Don't be mistaken, this won't be seen in the future as a very good to great film that did not get a fair shake at the time for various reasons like what happened with Heaven's Gate. There's plenty of other entertainment out there devoted to this war that are more worth your time.