Bound (reissue)

Stars: Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, John P Ryan, Christopher Meloni, Richard C Sarafian

Director: Wachowski Brothers

Available at last on Amazon Prime video, this is a terrific dark thriller with echoes of the early work of the Coen Brothers - strange, as this, too, is made by a sibling team, the first film in fact of the Wachowski Brothers, later to make the 'Matrix' films and more recently transgender as the Wachowski Sisters.

The film-makers trigger us directly into the action, as a hot lesbian love affair between mobster's mistress Violet (Tilly) and ex-con Corky (Gershon) leads to the girls planning to lift the two million dollars in Mafia money currently being guarded by the Mob's launderer, who also happens to be the bisexual Violet's paramour.

Someone has already paid the ultimate price for attempting to make off with the loot, but the girls' clever scheme to get away with it goes according to plan, until Violet makes an unwise phone call. We say no more...

Lots of dark blood flows in this skilfully interlocking, deliciously amoral tale, mostly shot in a few rooms, but all the more suspenseful for that. Gershon and Tilly are well contrasted, Pantoliano excellent as the money minder, and all the Mafiosos carry real menace.

Bill Pope"s gleamingly noir colour photography sets the seal on the deal, and it's just a pity that the movie's a bit too long, especially towards the end.

David Quinlan

USA 1996. UK Distributor: Amazon (originally Pathe). Colour by deluxe.
109 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 18.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 2, Violence/Horror 2, Drugs 0, Swearing 2.

Review date: 05 May 2021