Yep, it’s words are so precious that it should be seen by
everyone, not simply someone who likes maxxing up their library card
with no plans to return any of the books within the 14-day loan period. In the 1980’s and early 1990’s Shane Black was the go-to man if you needed a buddy action film written. From Lethal Weapon to Last Action Hero, Last Boy Scout, and Long Kiss Goodnight,
he was as endowed – his expertise was in crowd-pleasing
quick-quips and profanity, over-the-top action sequences and homophobic
humour – as he was wealthy. Quicker than a tray of
uncovered mince around a hungry cat though – he just disappeared,
making way for a hundred over-excited hacks to find employ on every
‘blood and bullets’ escapade that followed. Black’s
now returned, both as writer and director (his first stint behind the
camera – maybe that he was his barter for a reprise?), for Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang – a movie that brazenly reads as a ‘What I learnt in Hollywood’ from the eminent screenwriter. From
the in-jokes to the character stereotypes, nonsensical action sequences
and sardonic outline – Black’s seemingly yanked every
memory of his Hollywood years from his noggin, put them down on paper
and taken a Nikon to it. The result? A blast. (And for once, surprising
enough – especially considering we’re talking about a Black
penned film, we’re not talking about the explosions). A
tongue-in-cheek mish-mash of laughs, satire, action and also, a
Mickey-ing of the classic detective movie, the L.A set film centres on
an accidental actor named Harry Lockhart (Robert Downey Jr), a cocky
and dishevelled charmer who right away introduces himself to us as the
hero and narrator. Over the course of the film’s 104 minutes
– he explains how he got to this place. Detective Perry van
Shrike (Val Kilmer) – or ‘Gay Perry’ as he’s
warmly known - agrees to coach Harry for a screen test. Instead, Perry
gets more than he bargained for – getting dragged in a convoluted
murder mystery that involves an edgy heroine (Michelle Monaghan), a
mysterious ex-Hollywood player (Corbin Bernsen, in a small, but no
doubt, since he’s been swimming in telemovie land for far too
long, welcome role), some welcomingly over-the-top henchman and a
couple of corpses. One way or another, they’ll get to the bottom
of it. Black’s writing is superb. From the film’s
splashings of black humour (bad guys dying in ludicrous ways, body
parts getting chopped off, dead bodies being treated ever so
disrespectfully) to his poke at Hollywood (infinite name-dropping, a
few jabs at some of Hollywood’s biggest names, and notably, a
nitpick at how most genre movies are usually structured), it’s
just spot-on. The well-merited rest has obviously done
Black good, and he returns, revitalised and re-energised. But
surprisingly, ready-and-armed to attack the genre he made his name in.
His defence? Simply a cinematic translation of Brett Halliday's novel,
"Bodies Are Where You Find Them". Acting-wise, Downey Jr is his
usual dependable self as the multi-faceted Harry, whilst Kilmer
displays his rarely used comic chops as the always-dependable Perry.
Again, credit show also go to Black for penning such well-defined,
so-real-their-funny characters. Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang
starts to dip in it’s third act, but like a see-saw – it
does go back up again, and just in time to have us walking away
satisfied, amused and confident that there’s still some fresh
ideas over there in Tinseltown. It was easily one of the coolest and most memorable films of 2005 – I'm glad I can now just watch it again and again. EXTRAS The
DVD is a real treat. Though there are only a couple of extras on it -
the other two bonuses are the trailer and some deleted scenes - the
audio commentary, by Black, Kilmer and Downey Jr, is an absolute
delight. It's funny, insightful, and very entertaining to listen to.
Kilmer comes off somewhat daft, Downey Jr more serious.... together,
they have some great discourse. Pick it up! Conclusion:
Movie 80% Extras: 65% 
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