The late, great Joel Schumacher had a fantastically interesting and diverse career as a director. From brilliant social thrillers like Falling Down to epic musicals like Phantom of the Opera (and I have to confess Schumacher is the reason I fell in love with Phantom in the first place), he was always wanting to try something new and different. Even when his films weren’t necessarily good (B&R), you can definitely say it was different and at the very least interesting. So with that, it makes sense that a director of that style working with an actor who operates on a similar philosophy would make something different, unique and brilliant.

And thus, 8MM.

The story of a private investigator (played by Nicholas Cage in probably one of his best performances) hired to find out if the contents of a supposed snuff film is in fact real has a famously troubled production, with studios finding it a very dirty film they wanted little if anything to do with, the writer (Andrew Kevin Walker) leaving and disowning it after Schumacher decided to “lighten” the material (which is really saying something). To say the film we got is still as good as it is really is a testament.

First off, the snuff film itself. Whilst you don’t see much of the actual film itself, you see enough as well as Cage’s reactions to it that you know it’s truly something horrifying. It’s made clear fairly up front that this things existence alone is bizarre and terrifying, and that’s before you even meet the people who made it.

For such a dark film, it has a surprisingly stacked supporting cast. Joaquin Phoenix, James Gandolfini, Peter Stormare, Catherine Keener, Anthony Heald and Norman Reedus (yes seriously), and they’re all bringing their A-Game. This goes doubly for Nic Cage, who plays the lead admirably straight and at times painfully broken by what he’s experienced. It’s truly gut wrenching at times watching him struggle with this.

8mm is a brilliant, if bleak film. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend.