Snake Eyes – Paramount Pictures (Blu-ray/Digital)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1998
Director: Brian De Palma
Writers: Brian De Palma, David Koepp
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Gary Sinise, John Heard, Carla Gugino, Stan Shaw, Kevin Dunn, Michael Rispoli, Joel Fabiani, Luis Guzmán, David Anthony Higgins, Mike Starr, Tamara Tunie

Release Date: May 18th, 2021
Approximate Running Time: 98 Minutes 17 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English, Dolby Digital Stereo French, Dolby Digital Stereo Spanish
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $22.98

"A shady police detective finds himself in the middle of a murder conspiracy at an important boxing match in an Atlantic City casino." - IMDB

Video: 4/5

Snake Eyes comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 21.4 GB

Feature: 21.1 GB

This release uses the same source that Paramount pervious used for their 2013 Blu-ray release. Overall though this is a recycled transfer it holds up well eight years later.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English, a Dolby Digital stereo mix in French and a Dolby Digital stereo mix in Spanish. The DTS-HD 5.1 track is a solid mix that takes full advantage of the sound spectrum. Included with this release are removable English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.

Extras:

Extras are limited to a trailer for Snake Eyes (2 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital Stereo English).

Summary:

A corrupt police officer becomes entangled in the cover-up that follows the assassination of the secretary of defense.

Though Brian De Palma often gets criticized for copying Alfred Hitchcock. Over the of his seven decade career he’s amassed an impressive resume that’s highlighted by films like Dressed to Kill, Blow Out, Scarface and Carlito’s Way. That said, though his output over the last twenty-five years pales in comparison to the films he made from the 1970’s through the mid-1990’s. Though his output over the last 25 years pales in comparison to the films he made from the 1970s through the mid-1990s, one film stands out: Snake Eyes.

Brian De Palma is one of the best American directors to work in the thriller genre. When watching a Brian De Palma film, visuals always play a significant role, and with Snake Eyes, he once again delivers strong visuals that enhance the story. And when it comes to opening moments that hook you, few filmmakers deliver more than Brian De Palma. Snake Eyes opens big with a lengthy tracking shot, which follows the protagonist, introduces other characters, and culminates with an assassination. This exemplary sequence is a masterclass in building tension.

The opening tracking shot is just one of many visually arresting moments in Snake Eyes. In another standout moment, the ringleader behind the assassination is looking for the woman who can identify him. They put their ear to a door, and a crane shot gives an overhead view of several rooms. Another technique that Brian De Palma uses to great effect is split screen. Though known for his stylish visual set pieces, Brian De Palma is also a filmmaker who knows how to use sound; this is especially clear throughout Snake Eyes.

When it comes to the performances, all of the cast are great in their roles, especially Gary Sinise (Ransom), who portrays Commander Kevin Dunne, the childhood friend of Rick Santoro. There is a calmness to his performance that perfectly offsets Nicolas Cage’s performance. Another performance of note is Carla Gugino (Sin City) portrayal of Julia Costello, a government whistleblower who is now marked for death. Her character is the only one that you feel sorry for; everyone else in Snake Eyes is morally corrupt.

Headlining Snake Eyes Nicolas Cage (The Rock), who’s cast in the role of the protagonist Rick Santoro. Though he is known for his operatic performances, he really kicked things into high gear during this time of his career. That said, he delivers another scene-stealing performance that does not disappoint. Once again Brian De Palma puts together an extraordinary cast of secondary characters, including one of my all-time favorite character actors, Luis Guzmán (Carlito’s Way).

Modern cinema often relies on formulas or rehashes of successful formulas. Though a filmmaker like Brian De Palma is known for reusing things from the past, he does it in such a way that it feels new. When it comes to creating suspense and maintaining tension, Brian De Palma is among the best. That said, though Snake Eyes is not De Palma’s most perfect example of how to make a thriller, there are more than enough moments of brilliance in Snake Eyes that it is not difficult to forgive the things that just don’t gel. Ultimately, Snake Eyes is arguably Brian De Palma’s most underrated film.

Paramount Pictures gives Snake Eyes a good release that comes with a strong audio/video presentation; unfortunately, it's lacking when it comes to extra content.

Written by Michael Den Boer