Snake Eyes (1998)
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A corrupt detective must navigate a web of conspiracy and violence following a shooting at a boxing match in Atlantic City.
The story
During a tropical storm, a corrupt Atlantic City police detective named Rick Santoro attends a boxing match at a local arena. He reunites with his childhood friend, a U.S. Navy Commander, who is escorting high-ranking officials to the event. When a shooting erupts during the fight, the detective must navigate the immediate chaos and investigate the motives behind the violence. As the investigation unfolds, Rick discovers that the incident is tied to a larger conspiracy involving a high-tech defense system and a plot to eliminate those who know the truth about its development.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
During a tropical storm, corrupt detective Rick Santoro attends a boxing match in Atlantic City where his childhood friend, Navy Commander Kevin Dunne, is escorting officials. A sniper attack during the fight kills a government official and injures a woman named Julia. Rick discovers the fight was rigged and that the shooter was a terrorist. However, he eventually learns that Kevin is the mastermind behind the conspiracy to protect a defense system called AirGuard. Rick finds Julia, who reveals she discovered the system's results were faked. Kevin offers Rick a million dollars to turn her over; when Rick refuses, a confrontation occurs during a hurricane. Kevin is forced to shoot himself on live television. While Rick is hailed as a hero, his personal life is ruined by the revelation of his corruption. He eventually reunites with Julia, who thanks him for her safety.
- First release year
- 1998
- Runtime (minutes)
- 98
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Brian De Palma
- Writers
- David Koepp · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Nicolas Cage · Rick Santoro; Gary Sinise · Kevin Dunne; Carla Gugino · Julia Costello; John Heard · Gilbert Powell; Stan Shaw · Lincoln Tyler; Kevin Dunn · Lou Logan
- Genres
- mystery; thriller
- Themes
- corruption; conspiracy; betrayal
- Tone and mood
- tense; stylish
- Setting
- Atlantic City during a tropical storm.
- Premise and plot tags
- political assassination; boxing match; military conspiracy
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its style and performances but criticized its writing and pacing.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 43% · scale: percentage · review count: 72; CinemaScore · score: C+ · scale: A+ to F
- Production trivia
- Al Pacino was offered the role of Kevin Dunne but turned it down.; Will Smith was cast as Dunne but dropped out for another role.; The original ending featured a tidal wave through the casino.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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