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Original Sin cast: Antonio Banderas, Angelina Jolie, Thomas Jane director: Michael Cristofer 116 minutes (18) 2000 20th Century Fox VHS rental Also available to rent on DVD RATING: 6/10 reviewed by Debbie Moon |
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Original Sin would have us believe it's a sexy period thriller, full of Latin lust and long hot carnival evenings. In fact, it's a moral melodrama, full of death row confessions and shouting matches, that's a little too fond of unlikely twists for its own good. That's not to say it isn't fun, because it is. Jolie's smouldering temptress winds the audience round her little finger as easily as she does with the men in her life. Banderas isn't required to do much more than look shocked, but a fine performance from Thomas Jane, as the stranger who threatens to unravel her schemes, helps keep up the tension.
The ending flies in the face of all logic, but by that point, you won't really care. Original Sin is best viewed as a lightweight period romp, engaging but undemanding. If you're looking for passion, deception, and heaving bodices in tropical climates, this is the film for you.