Pecado original

Original Sin, a movie with scandal, surprises, and a whole lotta love (I mean the physical kind) has Antonio Banderas as a wealthy Mexican coffee maker owner who orders a mail order bride (weird to have this in 1900) played by Angelina Jolie. They get married, seem to start falling in love, but then the film turns into a twisting film. These twists give some great scenes of power for Banderas and Jolie to work off of, plus a excellent amount of sex and nudity from Jolie and a good feeling for the movie throughout. Unfortunately, the film has some flaws including an overused music score, overacting, scenes that make the film confusing, and an ending that had me a little dissapointed, then really dissapointed. Still , it's OK. Thomas Jane has some wicked fun playing a, uh, detective. B

This is a tragic story. Angelina and Antonio make for a very enticing pairing but nothing is as it seems. Can love really exist or is all a double-sided blade of emotions and illusions, lies and deception?

I just happened to watch this movie on TV. After a few scenes I realized that it was a remake of Truffaut's very entertaining " La Sirene du Mississippi" ( 7.1 IMDb rating). Like all of Hollywood's remakes that I have seen so far , this one is just as unsatisfactory ( to say the least )as all the others (The Day of the Jackal, The Manchurian Candidate etc.).

All of the reviews I read ( the first 20 or so) were all raving about this in my opinion silly remake. They are too young to know that many , many years ago there were so much better originals( mostly European)which is also expressed by IMDb ratings ( for The Day of the Jackal 7.9 vs. 5.7 and for The Manchurian Candidate 8.4 vs. 6.7 )

The film's plot, script, and acting are only average, but the film is buoyed by some sizzling chemistry between Jolie and Banderas. Their sex scenes are extremely memorable, so make sure you get an un-edited version (unrated).

Banderas plays a wealthy Cuban coffee farmer whose dedication to his trade has thus-far distracted him from the important business of finding a good wife. Using a matchmaker, he agrees to marry a woman from Connecticuit. He has been dishonest, however, in describing himself as a man of only average means. Banderas admits his dishonesty to his new wife (Jolie). However, it soon becomes clear that there is more to her than meets the eye, as well. Soon Banderas becomes so obsessed with Jolie that her lies destroy his entire life. He is well aware of what is happening every step of the way, but he doesn't care.

So, this is an interesting movie for a few reasons. As stated above, the sex scenes are among the best ever filmed. It is also novel to see a film about a man who is actually obsessed about his own wife. I personally could identify with Banderas in his willingness to give up everything for woman he knows he cannot trust. Heck, it happens to the best of us.

I have yet to find an actress as enchanting as Angelina. This film did wonders for me!! It was so primitive, sexual, intimate. BRAVO!! I would love to see Angelina in another film similar to this. It excited me the power of her lover over her when she seemed to be so calculating and strong.

And the final truths that come out at the end...I watch this movie again and again, and it never ceases to animate me. An apt title, 'Original Sin'.

The original sin of the woman as a seductress. Or perhaps, in the game of love, the original sin is to fall in love. I think that perhaps some of the comments posted about this movie are shallow. It's important to really watch this movie a couple times, and read between the lines.