THE CARD PLAYER (uk dvd)
dario argento

A serial killer is loose in Rome, playing an intimate game of cat and mouse with the police force, utilising the internet for a deadly game of poker. Loose, and the lives of the kidnapped are lost also. All the while, the police are forced to watch the victims squirm via a live feed.
When a British tourist becomes a victim, disgraced Irish cop John Brennan (Liam Cunningham) is sent to head up the investigation. The stakes are raised when the Chief Inspector's daughter (Fiore Argento) is abducted, and it becomes apparant the killer knows too much about the police's tracking methods...

dvd review
Hailed as the master of fear, critics have suggested that Argento has lost his way in recent years. A long way from the days of Suspiria and Tenebrae, more recent efforts such as Opera have been unanimously panned.

The Card Player is then, something of a return to form, utilising a tight thrilling script, some admirable make-ups, and a commercially accessible sensibility. These days, everyone is using the conventions of the Internet and reality tv scenarios in order to make the films relevant, with varying results. Blair Witch Project started the trend, and genre efforts have included Halloween Ressurrection, My Little Eye and Freeze Frame.

Literally playing for the life of the victims takes the voyeuristic drive of horror/thriller cinema to its natural conclusion. A device exploited as far back as Vertigo and Peeping Tom, we become active participants in the murders, playing alongside the troubled police force, knowing that too many wrong moves means death. The victim sits in a tiny window on the computer screen, reminding us of all the clips we have ourselves watched and downloaded online. The game grips us, and we are hooked. By using the internet, we (the viewer and police players) are distanced from the murders before us, and can disengage - it is only once the game becomes personal that we are forced to awaken.

Brilliantly played out, with plenty of onscreen chemistry between the leads. The dubbed voices, which turns everyone American or British, is a minor irritation, and we can quickly forget that even though this is Rome, everyone speaks perfect English. Liam Cunningham, plays up on the typecast drunk Irishman, but provides just enough restraint for us to accept his character. Only he is undubbed for the film.

If it wasn't for the false-feeling of the final scene I would be praising the work without complaint. The final scene seems redundant, irrelevant, and tagged on. Clumsily placed, and more in the vein of a Scooby-Doo conclusion.

The Card Player has all the potential to attract a wide audience, and a new appreciation in the UK/America. Gripping and enjoyable.

transfer
Transfer is fine. Colour is generally good, and there is no dirt to speak of. Sound is fine, in a two-channel and 5.1 mix. Go for the 5.1 for extra depth, and atmosphere.

extras
The review disc, did not include the extras. The discs in shops include trailers and a behind-the-scenes featurette.

RJES

PURCHASE R2 DVD

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DISC:
Release Date: 29th November 2004 (UK)

Feature length: mins
Year of 1st release: 2003
Rating: 18
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen
Audio: English 2.0 Dolby Digital; 5.1 Dolby Digital
No of Discs: 1
Region code: 2
Catalogue no: FCD172
Distributor: Arrow Films / Fremantle Home Entertainment
Price: £15.99
Cast: Liam Cunningham, Stefania Rocca, Fiore Argento
Director: Dario Argento

SPECIAL FEATURES:
* Behind the scenes Featurette
* Trailers

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