Reservoir Dogs

Quentin Tarantino is one of my favourite directors, I adore Pulp Fiction, so it was only a matter of time before I finally watched his debut, Reservoir Dogs. It’s true that Quentin’s genius is not manifested as strongly as in his later works, but this one is still a brilliant, harsh and entertaining film. Reservoir Dogs is very verbose, but Tarantino’s dialogues are something I can listen to again and again, even though I may be missing more than half of the references. 80% (14/09/2008)

Back in the day, I rated this movie highly, and after revisiting it today, I wouldn't change a thing about it. Many genres come to mind, but at its core, it's essentially a chamber movie. With almost all the characters (except one cop in uniform) falling on the negative spectrum, I didn't really have anyone to root for. Yet, it gave me the freedom to mentally pick what kind of ending I wanted for each bastard. Mr. Blonde, being a murderous psychopath, would have gotten the worst from me because I've got zero sympathy for that type. It seems Tarantino's films don't lose their appeal for me over time, and a big part of that is thanks to the stellar cast. In this movie, it really clicked, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the dialogue and the performances of the star-studded cast. / Lesson learned: If you enter a slippery slope, don't act surprised when you start slipping. (11/11/2022)

Paradoxically, Reservoir Dogs was my "last Tarantino movie". I got exactly what I expected, and given that those expectations were high, I found absolutely no fault with it. A typical Quentin mosaic, great music, dialogue (it's just cool) and a foreshadowing of future Pulp Fiction or Jackie Brown style of flicks to come. (22/05/2009)

Reservoir Dogs is the film with which Quentin Tarantino began his directing career in Hollywood, and over the following years, he has indelibly etched his name into cinematic history. It's amazing how successful all of his films are. Reservoir Dogs ranks among the best of the best, as it once again features charismatic actors (for me, Michael Madsen as the complete psycho was the standout), along with witty and well-thought-out dialogues (the script is always flawless with Tarantino), and ultimately, the bloodiest climax imaginable. Every director would wish for such a debut. The main draw here is certainly the dialogues, but there is also action (when the shootouts come, you'll be on the edge of your seat). I was also captivated by the characters' nicknames; I might even start using them in real life. I don’t want to focus solely on Madsen, as the others were also fantastic, and it would be an insult to overlook them. I believe no one will ever replicate Tarantino’s style in the future, as that’s something only he can do. 90%. (05/02/2017)

I've seen the film several times, and every time, I feel like I discover something new, or rather, I realize even more how well thought out the entire screenplay is. While Tarantino is often praised for his dialogues, he can be equally praised for the entire structure of the story, which is absolutely brilliant, despite the simplicity of the whole premise of the messed-up heist. A master is simply a master. (28/11/2015)