Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
A young man is plunged into a life of subterfuge, deceit and mistaken identity in pursuit of a femme fatale whose heart is never quite within his grasp.
Original Sin is a lush erotic thriller set in 19th-century Cuba, starring Antonio Banderas and Angelina Jolie. The plot borrows heavily from Cornell Woolrich's source material but executes its twists with moderate competence, though the narrative becomes increasingly convoluted and strains credibility. The acting is serviceable — Jolie commands attention with her screen presence while Banderas is earnest but limited by the material. Cinematographically, the film has attractive period production design and warm Cuban-toned visuals, though nothing particularly distinctive. Novelty is low — it's a fairly standard erotic thriller dressed in period costume, following well-worn femme fatale conventions without subverting them. The ending attempts a grand romantic resolution that feels unearned and melodramatically overwrought, undercutting whatever tension the film had built.