Ripley's Game (film; 2002)

[ movie film ]

Ripley's Game (2002)
My rating: 5.0

This great psychological crime thriller returns to the character, Tom Ripley, some 20 years later in his life. Ripley previously appeared in The Talented Mr. Ripley

Ripley is played by the brilliant John Malkovich, and he "owns" this character as much as Anthony Hopkins "owned" Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs / Red Dragon.

Apparently Ripley's Game never had a theatrical release in America, which is a great injustice to audiences. Get it now on DVD.

I consider this even better than the first Ripley film, and Malkovich triumphs creating the chilling character of the gentleman sociopath, Tom Ripley.

Game begins in a refreshing manner by concentrating, not on Ripley, but on a British picture framer living in Italy, dying of leukemia. His country neighbor is Tom Ripley.

The Brit soon finds out how dangerous life can become when he slights Tom Ripley at the framer's birthday party. In classic sociopathic manner Ripley does not immediately visit his vengeance on his victim, but casually waits for the perfect opportunity.

The story and characters escalate into greater territory when Ripley's vengeance begins, but in a totally unexpected form.

What might be a greater torture to a moral family man who desperately needs to secure his wife and child's future, after his death? This becomes Ripley's game that eventually leads the Brit and Ripley to become allies in survival, as the various threads of this story collide and collapse despite Ripley's careful planning.

Imagine if Hitchcock had chosen a sociopath as his hero, rather than the proto-typical middle class innocent, and you have an idea of the quality and flavor of Game. I kept thinking, "this is just how Hitchcock would make this film!"

Dougray Scott is magnificent as the Brit picture framer whose moral compass is twisted by his terminal circumstances and vengeance of Tom Ripley.

The last 3rd of this film has some great dialog between Ripley and his Brit victim, as they ally to survive serious mistakes that come to threaten them both. You learn the depth of Ripley's sociopathy, that makes him one of the great evil personalities in film.

This tale does not have a happy ending, but don't let that cause you to miss this superb thriller.

If you like the best of Hitchcock, this matches that master's talents.

Do not miss this Game!