Conspiracy Theory

This movie was run down by the critics and people seem to come away with the thought that "Jerry" was crazy and finally one out of his many theories was real. Maybe that is part of the conspiracy. When I first saw it in the theater, I would have agreed with most of the reviews in general. However, after watching the DVD now that I have studied and researched many of the conspiracies mentioned by "Jerry" throughout the movie, I know that most have been proved to be true conspiracies and not theory. This is what makes the movie more interesting to me, that information released later has backed up most of the theories. The lesson to be learned is that "Jerry" was never crazy. He was injured, and unfortunately he was set up to have problems nearly impossible to prove. If no one had believed enough to listen to him, there would have been no story. The question is why do viewers still come away with the belief that "Jerry" is crazy, and got himself into trouble when he was doing about all he could to deal with his post traumatic condition, and was picked up just for discovering some CIA offices by being suspicious. The movie has a lot of twists and turns, and maybe a few too many toward the end, but I was amazed to find that most of the conspiracy theories mentioned are now known and documented as true.

The plot, acting and general tone of this film is so poor, I had to register just to warn you about it. The story goes nowhere and takes all day getting there! The acting from Julia Roberts is laughable, in fact it's the only thing comedic about this film. Stay away, the blank tv screen is more entertaining than this film!

Conspiracy Theory is a fairly good movie, it's entertaining sure but it did tend to drag in parts for me and felt inconsistent as a whole. Mel Gibson's crazy performance waffles between brilliance and just plain over-the-top and I had a hard time believing any part of the romancy thing going on between him and Julia Roberts as he was just a little too certifiable for anyone to fall for. And while the whole conspiracy theory/Manchurian Candidate aspect was super interesting there were also sections explaining this storyline that just went on too long and ended up being really boring. Enjoyed Patrick Stewart as the bad guy 08.13

This is a wonderful suspense, mystery, thriller film that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. The plot is full of twists and turns plus a lot of action. Allice Sutton (Julie Roberts) is batted back and forth between Dr. Jonas (Patrick Stewart) and Jerry Fletcher (Mel Gibson). It is hard to trust either man, but she finds herself caught in a web of lies in which she has to pick a side, and we don't know the truth of the matter until the end of the film. While the film is full of action, my favorite moment in the film is where Jerry Fletcher begins to cry about his multiple volumes of Catcher in the Rye. I have never been a big fan of Julia Roberts, but she does an amazing job performing the character of Alice Sutton. Jerry Fletcher I still believe to this day is Mel Gibson's best role ever. He does an amazing job performing a paranoid New York cabbie. Patrick Stewart (who is one of my favorite actors by far) is Dr. Jonas who is the only one who knows Jerry's true history. After I first saw this film about ten years ago, it became my favorite film, and though opinions change over the years, it still remains among my most favorite. It is full of so many twists and so many angles on the truth, you're not sure who to really believe until the end of the film. It is one of the most suspenseful films I have ever seen. (Not as in scary suspenseful, but as in you don't know what will happen next).

I usually like Mel Gibson but his acting in this movie is definitely not flawless. But the biggest mistake is not the acting but the script. Simply horrible. The story didn't seem believable to me. Silly dialog and many ridiculous scenes. Corny. Really bad and weak intro. Over-sentimental, especially the ending. Predictable. Yet another modern Hollywood picture. There are many better movies on the similar concept. 2/10

Noisy, silly, absurd, and not in the least bit funny, this felt like one of the lengthiest films I have seen in a long time! Julia Roberts turns in a wooden performance of an implausible character, while Mel Gibson is just plain irritating. It MIGHT improve with a second viewing - but then again Life's Too Short.....

Oddly compelling but ultimately absurd tale of man (Gibson) kidnapped for CIA experiment involving mind control for the purpose of committing covertly sanctioned assassinations. His bizarre experience leads him to justice department attorney (Roberts) whose federal judge father (Bert Remsen in flashback) was slain by a brainwashed assassin. But when CIA mind control project boss (Stewart) discovers the potential for the secret to be revealed, he employs covert tactics to prevent the leak. Gibson is way over the top in his portrayal, a babbling nutcase with obsessive compulsive disorder and an extreme persecution complex. Roberts is suitably stony-faced, but just doesn't look convincing in her characterisation. Patrick Stewart is perhaps the most watchable aspect of this film, as the shady and clinically brutal CIA assassin trainer. Special mention to Cylk Cozart as one of trustworthy agents who manages a couple of mild chuckles when he feigns unconsciousness after misguided attempts to knock him out miss the mark. There's simply too many plot holes and contrivances to suspend disbelief for the mammoth two-hour plus duration. It's one of those movies that compels you to hang on in anticipation of some great revelation or moment, alas, it never eventuates. The climax is rushed and disappointing and the film's sing-a-long conclusion is embarrassing. No great shakes, just an immense waste of time.

...it's called the Everglades. If you've ever had to sit through a British Norman Wisdom comedy of the fifties - he's like Jerry Lewis without ever producing a single good gag - you will recognise this film as like a Norman Wisdom comedy played straight. Without singing either, though even Norman Wisdon singing is preferable to this. Mel Gibson reprises his legendary 'not quite all there' performance on speed while failing monumentally to be Robert deNiro, and Julia Roberts plays a certifiably stupid senior Federal Law official with a soft spot for short middle-aged lunatics who go into her office lobby (guarded by the world's most feeble security men) shouting every day. Ooh! Did I give the plot away? Patrick Stewart vainly tries to hide behind a large nose bandage, and that's as much as I could watch. Well, Mel, I hope the gravy was good. The film doesn't deserve a 1, but that's the lowest there is.

Surprises are always being strewn around along the way to the end. You never know who's is and who's out, who's good and who's bad until near the end. Keeps you guessing and then surprises you. You start thinking Mel Gibson is a bit mad and paranoid, but realize that he might be saner and smarter than you are as the movie progresses. Quite an intelligent plot and though I'd like the ending to be a bit more 'happy' than it is, overall, it is one to enjoy.

This film has the subtlety of an elephant cutting its toe-nails, the delicacy of a giraffe playing basketball, or even the mindlessness of chimpanzees playing hockey. I cannot for the life of me explain why anyone within (or without) Holywood should go to all the trouble of signing up a couple of superstars so as to waste umpteen metres of celluloid on such a heap of trivial nonsense, considering the quality of anything which might remotely be called honest. Equally unexplainable is how in a country (Spain) more or less considered civilised the main national network should screen it on a Sunday night and call it the "film of the week". Here we have one of the best (= worst) examples of Hollywood brainwashing makes millions of dollars shamelessly with what at very most can be called unadalterated balderdash.