Marathon Man - 6 stars out of 10

Marathon Man - 6 stars out of 10

"Marathon Man" is really twisted.  For a movie whose first hour is incredibly slow, they sure do create a lot of intensity once the dental instruments come out.  I understand that the film is critically acclaimed and, while I think that Dustin Hoffman's performance was excellent and Laurence Olivier showed a sinister stroke of genius in his characterization, the film's slow start left me disappointed.  I was particularly baffled because there are a few thrilling parts in the first half of the film but the pace remains slow in spite of them.  All of the necessary pieces of the story are introduced but I wish that they would have done so in a more interesting way.  But then Olivier entered and the entire film changed.  Watching him torture someone who is completely innocent really made me feel vulnerable.  This is magnified by filming that portion from a first person perspective, placing the audience in the dentist chair.  I will never be able to hear the words "Is it safe?" again without getting chills.  The resolution of the plot is very smart as the main character is completely motivated by revenge and the diamonds have no appeal to him.  I would recommend this film, but only if you are prepared for disturbing content and a short nap during the first half.