Reservoir Dogs

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%. (06/02/2017)

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)

A gangster movie that's more about dialogue than guns isn't really my thing. The film is so talky that you don't manage to notice half of the things let alone absorb them, the actors are unknown, uninteresting and second rate, the wisecracks were neither funny nor cool – Quentin Tarantino clearly has a different sense of humour than I do, and I haven't seen a film that bored me at a mere 99 minutes in a long time. 50% for the director and for his craftsmanship, but never more torture for me. (18/01/2015)

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)

A truly unique and unrepeatable film. Firstly, with its gore, stylish directness and brutal amount of catchphrases in the space of one single room, secondly, with the brilliant opening dialogue in the restaurant, which still ranks among the top of Tarantino's work, and finally, because it’s the feature debut of the most iconic director of our time. Reservoir Dogs is not as thought-provoking and broad as Pulp Fiction, and there are two or three places where Quentin squeaks and creaks a bit, but that doesn't change the fact that only he can make a thriller this entertaining and sophisticated. The team of elite actors complement each other perfectly with emotions flowing during their quarrels, the setting of an abandoned warehouse perfectly intensifies the tense atmosphere and the very simple plot is sketched in an original and unpredictable way, so that the viewer can't get their eyes off the screen for a second. A special tribute to Keitel and Buscemi, who steal the show mainly for themselves, and I add a fifth star for the excellent final scene, which not even Pulp Fiction can boast. (14/02/2013)