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8MM

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8MM (1998)

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Reviews Counted:78

Fresh:17

Rotten:61

Average Rating:4.1/10

Consensus: Its sadistic violence is unappealing and is lacking in suspense and mystery.

Runtime: 2 hrs 8 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: Nicholas Cage plays Tom Welles, a straight-laced surveillance specialist. His innocent, naive world begins to unravel when he is hired by the widow of an industrialist to investigate what she has... Nicholas Cage plays Tom Welles, a straight-laced surveillance specialist. His innocent, naive world begins to unravel when he is hired by the widow of an industrialist to investigate what she has shockingly discovered in her late husband's safe. It appears to be a snuff film of a young girl being murdered. In order to discover the truth, he must enter the city's seedy underworld, guided by porn-store clerk Max California (Joaquim Phoenix, LADDER 49). [More]

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Joaquin Phoenix, James Gandolfini, Catherine Keener

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Joaquin Phoenix, James Gandolfini, Catherine Keener, Peter Stormare, Anthony Heald, Chris Bauer

Director: Joel Schumacher

Director: Joel Schumacher
Screenwriter: Andrew Kevin Walker
Producer: Joel Schumacher, Judy Hofflund, Gavin Polone
Composer: Mychael Danna

[See More Credits]

Reviews for 8MM

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1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Poorly developed, 8mm is anything but a pretty picture.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
09/17/08
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

There's no faulting Cage's committed, intense performance, but his slide from professional, internalised concern into personal, self-righteous rage still leaves a nasty aftertaste.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The film never really gets under the skin of its central character.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
01/01/00
Ian Freer
Ian Freer
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The issues and atmosphere are forgotten in favour of a brash action climax.

Full Review Source: UK Critic | comment Comment
01/01/00
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
UK Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
03/24/02
Boston Phoenix
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

My advice is get drunk, cook dinner, watch infomercials or do your taxes -- anything to keep those two hours for yourself.

Full Review Source: Salon.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Andrew O'Hehir
Andrew O'Hehir
Salon.com

In the end, the surprise plot twists make perfect sense, and it becomes clear that the mystery that's supposed to be driving the suspense was obvious from the beginning.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
06/05/02
Annlee Ellingson
Annlee Ellingson
Boxoffice Magazine

Overlong, slow, violent, nasty and unredeeming.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Bob Bloom
Bob Bloom
rec.arts.movies.reviews

Has none of the mystery or suspense that helped Seven rise above the filth in which it sought to wallow.

comment Comment
01/01/00
Bob Fenster
Bob Fenster
Arizona Republic

The idea of snuff films is presented as so obnoxious that it disgusts even the slimiest porn peddlers.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Bob Graham
Bob Graham
San Francisco Chronicle

The premise is interesting, although disturbing, but the film strikes out on three pitches.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
01/01/00
Brian Webster
Brian Webster
Apollo Guide

Walker and Schumacher have made a rather ordinary picture with an ironically self-righteous mean streak.

Full Review Source: Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus | comment Comment
01/01/00
Bryant Frazer
Bryant Frazer
Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus

This is one for which we needn't pray for a sequel.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

Watching Eight Millimeter is like seeing the basement torture scene in Pulp Fiction expanded to film length, but with the kinky overlay of wit removed, and only the vile sadism left.

comment Comment
01/01/00
David Elliott
David Elliott
San Diego Union-Tribune

8MM doesn't condemn or condone its subject matter, it just exploits it.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
David N. Butterworth
David N. Butterworth
rec.arts.movies.reviews

Just when we thought Mel Gibson had plumbed the lowest depths of big-studio nastiness in Payback, along comes Nicolas Cage to do him one better.

Full Review Source: Christian Science Monitor | comment Comment
01/01/00
David Sterritt
David Sterritt
Christian Science Monitor

A plodding, doggedly tawdry thriller.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
01/01/00
Dennis Lim
Dennis Lim
Village Voice

Joel Schumacher's "8 MM" jumps into the underworld of pornography as quickly as a scared rabbit scurries under a fence.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

A movie that keeps jumping the gate and finally unravels all over the floor.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
07/22/08
Derek Elley
Derek Elley
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

In the uncertain zone between dumb and truly twisted.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
01/01/00
Desson Thomson
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
all

Latest News for 8MM

February 04, 2007: Joel Schumacher Lost in "Lost Boys" Sequel
Fans of '80s movies, cool vampire horror or The Coreys Haim and Feldman have all awaited the possibility of a "Lost Boys 2." But the idea that Warner Brothers might... More...

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