Reservoir Dogs is one of the many crime thriller classics that I fell in love with immediately after my first watch. However, many things about it, from the storytelling, to the characters and acting, to the perfect songs used at the perfect times make it stand out amongst the crowd in my opinion.
An independent film released in the fall of 1992, this movie manages to do so much and tell a compelling story with just a 1.2 million dollar budget.
The movie follows the surviving members of a group of bank robbers after a failed diamond heist. None of them know the others’ identities, and they all go by color-coded names assigned to them, such as Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi), Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen), and Mr. White (Harvey Keitel). The movie doesn’t primarily focus on the events of the heist, but rather, the bloody aftermath. The plot is driven by the characters’ belief that an undercover cop working amongst them set them up.
It’s important to know that this movie is intended for mature audiences, as it contains heavy violence, excessive strong language, and multiple potentially frightening scenes. Though, if you can handle content like this, then the movie is available on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Youtube TV, Netflix, and Apple TV.
The movie is considered one of my all time favorites for a multitude of reasons. The movie’s characters each have unique and contrasting personalities, which often clash and conflict with one another throughout the movie. Even though this was the first movie made by filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, I could’ve easily believed the movie was written and directed by a veteran in the industry.
The acting in Reservoir Dogs is energetic, natural, and does a brilliant job at emphasizing the tension between characters. The movie is primarily character-driven, and offers a unique means of storytelling through different recollections flashbacks. Roth’s role as the wounded Mr. Orange, and Keitel’s role as the career criminal Mr. White were especially interesting, as the acting for both characters was exceptionally convincing.
Tarantino’s choices for the soundtrack were perfect as well. One of the movie’s most iconic scenes, the opening credits, would not be the same without the inclusion of Little Green Bag by The George Baker Selection. Stealer’s Wheel’s 1972 hit Stuck In The Middle With You’s inclusion in one infamous scene was memorable as well, the lighthearted song contrasting with one of the movie’s darker moments.
One critique I’d have for the movie is that certain moments lack in depth, relying more on character dialogue and at times excessive amounts of bloodshed. If you’re familiar with Tarantino’s later films, such as Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, then it should be no surprise that Reservoir Dogs is just as bloody and profane. It is worth pointing out that more beyond constant arguing and pointless violence between characters probably could’ve been done with Reservoir Dogs.
Overall, on a scale of 1-5, I would rate this movie 4 RedHawks. It’s not my absolute favorite movie of all time, but it’s without a doubt in my top five list. This movie is perfect for those who love crime films with various twists, turns, and conflicts along the way.
