Many consider "Blow Out" to be the highlight of Brian De Palma's career, but to be honest I was pretty underwhelmed. It starts of great though. De Palma gets to show of his amazing knack for style in a brilliant opening scene that provides a hilarious pastiche on the slasher genre. The faux-sleazy look, the clever winks at genre classics, the genuine suspense even though you know it's a movie-within-a-movie, it's genius at work. There are more of those beautiful stylistic touches spread throughout the movie (the fireworks during the climax would be an obvious example),but the plot is just contrived and the final act demands more than a little suspension of disbelief. And while John Travolta puts in a strong lead performance, obligatory damsel in distress Nancy Allen never really manages to make her character likable so you don't really care whether she lives or dies. That's why the obvious Hitchcock influence isn't as effective as it could have been, Hitchcock gave us characters we deeply cared about and then did awful things to them. Sally is no Marion Crane to say the least, making it more difficult to stay interested in her story. "Blow Out" looks fantastic, but doesn't go very far beyond that.

Brian De Palma's ''Blow Out'' starring John Travolta, Nancy Allen and John Lithgow would go down as my favourite film (just ahead of "Causalities of War" and ''Dressed to Kill'') of his on-going filmography. Usually I find him to be an on-and-off director, and ''Blow Out'' was switched on. It's one of those presentations that doesn't just hold you there with its captivating sombre murder mystery (similar to Blow-Up and 'The Conversation') relating to a political conspiracy, but also De Palma's showy technical side is nothing short than exquisitely striking. Well you might say that's the case for most of his work, however on this occasion its extremely well controlled to balance the story and it isn't so much the peering camera and sharp editing (although still commendably evident and how can you go wrong with split frames) but the ingenious use of sound effects and the ironic nature of our main protagonist being an audio technician for b-grade horror movies (which within the building he works bestows some cool horror posters that fans will surely pick up on).

The layered story has that old-fashion noir quality, with the momentum building upon mood and suspense constructing illuminating atmospherics and consisting of fitting performances. While the brooding plot screws around with its webby developments and taut tension, never does the suspiciously tactical script entirely pick it apart with any sort of depth or rationality. In the end its quite basic. However this made the harrowing impact of the film's conclusion even more lasting, as the emotional brunt came from De Palma's intensely slick visual work like the stirring slow-motion climax with Pino Donaggio's harrowing score (which holds a delightfully crisp and variable arrangement throughout). It's top drawer in De Palma's illustratively intimate details oozing with colour, tones and shades with it being served by some beautifully projected expressive photography and a lingering nasty current. An excellent John Travolta brings a convicted temperament to the lead and a bubbling Nancy Allen adds a perky injection. A precisely scheming performance by John Lithgow is truly menacing. Also in support is Denis Franz.

An enjoyably stylish, if simple thriller.

Jack Terry (John Travolta) is a sound recording artist for B-movies. One night, he's out recording sounds when a car drives off the bridge. He dives into the creek and rescues Sally (Nancy Allen). It turns out that state governor McRyan was the driver. McRyan's man Lawrence Henry convinces Jack to cover up Sally's involvement. As he examines his recording, he discovers what sounds like a gunshot. Meanwhile Burke (John Lithgow) is trying to cover it all up. Manny Karp (Dennis Franz) filmed the incident and is selling the pictures.

This is Brian De Palma with many of his visual touches. It's reminiscent of other great movies Blowup and The Conversation. Travolta is in his early hot streak. I wish Nancy Allen didn't do the girly voice and her character not be so slow. The story is full of paranoia and turns. I love the simplicity of Travolta working on his film. The whole movie has a great sense of impending doom.