By Sammy, Knife in the Dark’s resident infernal legal expert and former devil.. (the less said about that, the better)
👹 INTRODUCTION: WHEN HOLLYWOOD MADE A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL (AND WON)
Let’s cut through the brimstone and bullshit—The Devil’s Advocate is the kind of unhinged, operatic, morally ambiguous horror-drama that could only exist in the 90s. A film where Al Pacino, operating at 150% scenery-chewing capacity, plays Satan as a Manhattan power attorney; where Keanu Reeves delivers courtroom monologues with his trademark “whoa” intensity; and where Charlize Theron’s descent into madness features the single greatest ugly-cry in cinema history.
This is “John Grisham by way of Hieronymus Bosch”—a $57 million theological panic attack that somehow got greenlit by Warner Bros. And goddamn, are we lucky it did.
As someone who once tried to replicate Pacino’s monologue style during a traffic court appearance (I lost the case but won the style points), I’m here to break down why The Devil’s Advocate remains one of the most fascinatingly flawed horror films ever made—and why its excesses are exactly what make it immortal.
⚖️ THE PLOT: CORPORATE SATANISM AT ITS FINEST
Act 1: The Faustian Bargain
- Kevin Lomax (Reeves): An undefeated Florida defense attorney with a 64-0 record and a creeping moral emptiness.
- The Offer: A position at the world’s most powerful law firm, headed by…
- John Milton (Pacino): A man who definitely isn’t Satan (wink) but owns a penthouse that looks like a Nine Inch Nails video.
- Sammy’s Take: “This is why you read the fine print on your relocation package.”
Act 2: The Descent
- Mary Ann Lomax (Theron): Kevin’s wife, whose mental unraveling features:
- Demonically possessed decorators
- A haircut scene more traumatic than Requiem for a Dream
- That mirror moment (you know the one)
- The Cases: Milton assigns Kevin to defend:
- A child murderer (because subtlety is for cowards)
- A Wall Street predator (played by actual demon Craig T. Nelson)
- Sammy’s Note: “The real horror? Manhattan real estate prices.”
Act 3: The Revelation
- The Twist: Milton is literally the Devil (shocking no one except Kevin).
- The Final Confrontation: Featuring:
- Pacino monologuing for 7 uninterrupted minutes
- Reeves doing his best “constipated epiphany” face
- A naked demon woman licking Theron’s Oscar clip
- Sammy’s Verdict: “Part Wall Street, part The Exorcist, all unhinged Pacino.”
🔥 WHY IT’S A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE (LITERALLY)
1. PACINO’S SATAN: A MASTERCLASS IN OVERACTING
- His performance includes:
- Whispering Latin in people’s ears
- Delivering the “God is an absentee landlord” speech
- That fucking laugh (somewhere between a hyena and a broken elevator)
- Sammy’s Analysis: “He’s not playing Satan—he’s playing Satan’s TED Talk.”
2. THERON’S DESCENT: OSCAR-WORTHY BEFORE OSCARS
- Her arc from sunny wife to shattered psyche features:
- The haircut breakdown (method acting so raw it hurts)
- The “bugs under the skin” scene (body horror at its finest)
- That final scream (heard in hell, probably)
- Sammy’s Hot Take: “Better than Monster. Fight me.”
3. THE PRODUCTION DESIGN: HELL AS A PENTHOUSE
- Milton’s office: All black marble and gold, like a Bond villain’s panic room
- The apartment: Shifts from yuppie dream to gothic nightmare
- That painting: The one that moves when you’re not looking
4. THE THEMES: DEEPER THAN YOU REMEMBER
- The Cost of Winning: Kevin’s 64-0 record comes at a soul-crushing price
- The Seduction of Power: Milton doesn’t force evil—he makes you choose it
- The Nature of God: That final speech still sparks theology debates
🎭 COMPARISONS: WHAT IT OWES (AND WHAT IT INFLUENCED)
| Aspect | The Devil’s Advocate | Similar Works |
|---|---|---|
| Satanic Panic | More Wall Street than The Omen | Angel Heart (1987) |
| Legal Thrills | A Few Good Men on hellfire | Primal Fear (1996) |
| Acting Style | Pacino at 11/10 | Scarface (1983) |
Sammy’s Verdict: “It’s The Godfather meets Paradise Lost in an Armani suit.”
👿 THE FLAWS (BECAUSE EVEN SATAN ISN’T PERFECT)
- Keanu’s Accent: His Southern drawl comes and goes like a bad cell signal
- The Pacing: That 2hr 24min runtime feels like eternity (fitting, I guess)
- The CGI: The demon effects aged like milk in hell’s fridge
🕯️ HOW TO WATCH IT (LIKE A TRUE SINNER)
- Attire: Power suit (black, obviously)
- Beverage: Scotch (neat, like Milton takes it)
- Lighting: Candles (electricity is for mortals)
- Post-Movie Ritual: Call your mom (you’ll want to after Theron’s scenes)
💀 FINAL VERDICT: A HELLISHLY GOOD TIME
The Devil’s Advocate is the most 90s horror film ever made—excessive, pretentious, and utterly mesmerizing. It’s Pacino unleashed, Theron transcendent, and Reeves… well, trying his best. The script bites off more than it can chew, but when the result is this deliciously wicked, who cares about indigestion?
— Sammy
Currently practicing my closing arguments in the mirror (Milton-style)
🔥⚖️ PS: IF A JOB OFFER INCLUDES A “PENTHOUSE WITH ODD ART,” POLITELY DECLINE. ⚖️🔥
