The Big Bang review

            It is always fun when new noir films emerge and they use new or modern topics to distinguish them from the classics. It is a blending of styles; an old narrative with the sprinklings of a modern plot. The Big Bang is this type of film, and it is exactly that; “fun.” From beginning to end, The Big Bang is engaging and fun. I’m not sure if it is a great film, but frankly, I don’t think it matters either way. A little bit campy and a little bit clever, The Big Bang is good entertainment.

            This film also reminds me of how enjoyable Antonio Banderas can be in the right role. As the private detective Ned Cruz, he is spectacularly enjoyable. Providing all of the film’s comedic one-liners and clever dialogue, Ned searches for a missing woman and 30 million in stolen diamonds at the request of a massive ex-con Russian boxer. The missing girl turns out to be complicated in a great deal more than Ned imagined, sending him through Hollywood to the New Mexico desert.

            The film is riddled with great cameos along the way. Each person Ned encounters as a possible lead is an opportunity for a small role and great actors to make the most of it. He encounters a seedy movie star (James Van Der Book), a porn director (Snoop Dogg), a kinky waitress (Autumn Reeser) and an eccentric billionaire (Sam Elliott). All have their moments, but it is Banderas who carries the film.