Why so much hype?

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Pacino and DeNiro, an unbeatable combination but then add a load of A list actors and you have a recipe for a seriously good movie. A clever story with an unexpected twist, generally well acted and well worth watching. Retained for future viewing.

Usually, I'm not a big fan of the "cop drama" genre. In "Righteous Kill", however, the presence of Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and a plot line that keeps you guessing until the end really held my interest throughout.For a basic plot summary, "Righteous Kill" focuses on the harsh, seedier morality aspects of the NYPD. Front and center are detective partners Rooster (Pacino) & Turk (De Niro), who investigate a series of murders that test the boundaries of objectivity and emotional investment in a case. To say any more would give away potential spoilers.The main reason this film succeeds is because it keeps the viewer guessing the whole way through. It never bogs down or stagnates at any point, as the narrative continues to push forward in interesting and creative ways. Again, I could say more but am loathe to give away the "concept" of the overall film.Of course, the acting from Pacino & De Niro is terrific. Both play their roles perfectly and slip into the kind of chemistry and dialogue they have been providing moviegoers for decades (e.g. the De Niro attitude; the Pacino speeches, etc.).Those who revel in the "cop morality" issues will even rate this film much higher than myself, as it tries to examine the meaning behind being a cop.Overall, this is a good cop flick that even skeptics of the genre can enjoy due to the terrific acting & engaging storyline.

Righteous Kill (2008): Dir: Jon Avnet / Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Carla Gugino, Curtis Jackson, Donnie Wahlberg: Here is a thriller that brings together two of the biggest icons of their generation. This is perhaps the first time since The Godfather, Part 2 that we had these two actors in the same film. Film asks questions regarding justice. Robert De Niro and Al Pacino play veteran cops out to solve a string of crimes, each involving the slaying of vicious criminals. Clever plot that details the slayings as oppose to falling into repetition. Third act presents an interesting plot twist that thankfully doesn't act on revenge. De Niro and Pacino are very good together in roles that are not what they seem. Carla Gugino plays an investigator whom loves sadomasochistic sex. Unfortunately the role isn't that broad and plays more as a sex tease than a personality. Curtis Jackson plays a drug lord in what shouldn't be a surprise. Jackson does what he can with what is nothing more than a standard role of little interest. Donnie Wahlberg is also featured as another detective. Directed by Jon Avnet with a flair of paranoia. Avnet previously directed Pacino in the underrated 88 Minutes as well as the pathetic Up Close and Personal, which is a film that should be buried under a ton of rock. Despite its message, the film seems primed for two respected actors in an average yet entertaining thriller. Score: 8 / 10

...dialog was better, I don't like dialog in this movie, most of the time was poor, without any good ideas, without passion and so on. Also directing was also terrible, I don't like how some or most of the scenes shown in this movie, I had a feeling that something is missing there or that they were too fast satisfied with the individual scenes and they didn't do enough for better scenes.What I like in this movie are Robert De Niro and Al Pacino(I like first little more), also I like Carla Gugino because she was hot in this movie:) That why I gave this movie 4/10 stars.Maybe was mistake for such a movie(it's not movie like Heat) to put two big stars like Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in same movie and both have main role. Maybe one character needs younger actor beside (I think Turk could be younger detective, and Rooster could be De Niro or Pacino)What I like in this movie beside Robert De Niro and Al Pacino is the story. I like almost the whole story, so I feel that movie could be much much better with better dialog, with better directing and with only one big star on main role.