Adapted from Andrew Neiderman’s novel, The Devil’s Advocate arrived in 1997 boasting an exceptional cast (Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, Charlize Theron) and a clever concept: what if Satan worked on Earth as a powerful attorney? A cleverly subversive, smart blend of The Firm and Faust with a generous helping of Paradise Lost thrown in, The Devil’s Advocate — which has just received a new, much-needed 4K upgrade from Shout Factory — was a polished cinematic spectacle that wrapped sleazy horror antics in a stylish, high-priced package.
Reeves plays Kevin Lomax, a Florida defense lawyer. His aggressive, victorious tactics catch the eye of a New York City law firm led by the charming but ethically suspect John Milton (Pacino), whose practice represents questionable clients. Kevin and his wife Mary Ann (Theron) relocate to a luxurious Manhattan residence, but as Mary Ann has difficulty adjusting and Kevin becomes increasingly consumed by work, a string of bizarre, frightening events help Kevin discover Milton’s true identity — and his intentions.
How Was The Devil’s Advocate Received Upon Release?
Earning a 65% critics’ rating and 80% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, The Devil’s Advocate performed reasonably well at release, evolving into an enduring audience favorite. Contemporary reviews noted its 143-minute length as somewhat excessive, but critics appreciated the film’s technical skill, concept, and Pacino’s theatrical performance.
“You enter anticipating a shamelessly corny, confrontational depiction of evil, and that, I’m pleased to report, is exactly what you receive,” commented Entertainment Weekly’s Owen Gleiberman, while Variety‘s Todd McCarthy observed that the movie “overflows with an almost operatic level of absurdity and extravagance.” Most critiques fell into similar territory, with reviewers either embracing the film’s unabashed style or dismissing it as a superficial collection of gimmicks.
Why Is It Important to Watch The Devil’s Advocate Now?
While the horror genre struggled to stand out in the mid-1990s, The Devil’s Advocate proved an outlier. A moderately-funded, star-powered, concept-heavy thriller crafted to draw mature viewers with abundant violence, nudity, and sexuality (this is decidedly an R-rated film), the picture occupies a middle ground between the more sensational, low-cost horror of slasher flicks and zombie splatter-fests and more sophisticated, upscale genre works like Rosemary’s Baby or The Omen.
Under the direction of Taylor Hackford (Dolores Claiborne), who demonstrates solid control over the movie’s fluctuating moods—merging courtroom drama and bleak satire with horror spectacle—The Devil’s Advocate could even be considered a forerunner of the “elevated horror” movement that matured in the 2010s and 2020s. The narrative also incorporates elements of intergenerational trauma, as Kevin learns his relationship with Milton is more familial than he initially realized.
The movie’s clever fusion of pulpy frights and social commentary makes The Devil’s Advocate particularly unforgettable. Mary Ann grows increasingly uneasy around the firm’s materialistic partners’ wives, while Kevin breaks legal ethics to defend one of the practice’s key clients, a Trump-esque Manhattan property tycoon charged with killing his wife and child (notably, Trump’s actual gold-plated midtown apartment served as the developer’s residence). Combined with Milton’s compelling lack of morality and the progressively terrifying hallucinations tormenting Mary Ann and Kevin, this creates the impression that the legal field is truly Satan’s ideal playground for manipulating mankind.
Reeves delivers one of his more overlooked performances, while Theron is deeply moving. Yet Pacino commands the picture. Arriving during a period when he was balancing more restrained roles in films like Donnie Brasco with over-the-top theatrics in Scent of a Woman, Pacino chooses the latter approach here, devouring every scene he inhabits while delivering one of cinema’s greatest portrayals of Satan. His final monologue to Kevin regarding God’s commandments (‘Look, but don’t touch… touch, but don’t taste!’) ranks among the all-time greats.
What New Features Does The Devil’s Advocate 4K Blu-ray Have?
Beyond what will undoubtedly be a dramatic enhancement of the movie’s already richly detailed cinematography sourced from the original camera negative, Shout Factory’s new 4K UHD release of The Devil’s Advocate includes no additional bonus content. It does, however, preserve a previously released assortment of deleted and extended sequences, along with a commentary track from Taylor Hackford.
The new 4K edition also omits the original bas-relief carving of imprisoned souls in stone that appeared behind John Milton’s desk in the movie’s initial theatrical exhibition and first home video issue. Following a copyright infringement lawsuit filed against Warner Bros. by Washington D.C.’s Episcopal National Cathedral and sculptor Frederick Hart—who alleged the artwork was essentially a copy of Hart’s “Ex Nihilo,” housed in the Cathedral—all subsequent copies of the film, after an initial production run of 475,000 DVDs and VHS cassettes, replaced the sculpture via CGI with a less distinct image, until the figures animate during the movie’s climax.
If you own a copy from that initial pressing, hold onto it, as it’s a genuine collector’s item. For now, a definitive collector’s edition of The Devil’s Advocate continues to elude fans, though that shouldn’t prevent you from revisiting this diabolical treasure.