The Devil's Advocate (1997)

What makes The Devil’s Advocate special is how it turns a sleek legal drama into a seductive moral nightmare—one where ambition feels like a drug and every victory carries an aftertaste. Taylor Hackford keeps the tension simmering as the film glides through Manhattan power and paranoia, anchored by Keanu Reeves’ earnest drive, Charlize Theron’s increasingly raw vulnerability, and Al Pacino in full command: charismatic, theatrical, and dangerously persuasive. It’s a supernatural thriller that doesn’t just want to scare you; it wants to tempt you, then ask what you’re willing to trade for success. The movie is proudly big and a little operatic, so if you prefer subtle horror you may find it loud—but if you want an entertaining, compelling descent into the psychology of corruption, it’s devilishly hard to resist.

The Devil’s Advocate is aiming for a slick, big-city legal thriller that slowly curdles into a supernatural morality tale about temptation and ego, and you can feel the ambition in every scene. The problem is it often plays like two different movies fighting for control—courtroom drama on one side, operatic horror sermon on the other—so the pacing gets bloated and the message can turn preachy. If you’re allergic to heavy-handed symbolism, twisty logic, or 90s-style “shock” moments that flirt with tastelessness, this may test your patience. That said, Pacino’s larger-than-life energy and the film’s glossy, ominous atmosphere can make it a fun watch if you’re in the mood for maximalist, melodramatic thrills rather than a tight, coherent thriller.