The Black Dahlia
Universal Pictures | Release Date: September 15, 2006
2.8
USER SCORE
Generally unfavorable reviews based on 209 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
32
Mixed:
42
Negative:
135
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
5
redlightJun 5, 2007
the following is from empire's review of the film, which i agree with: "De Palma is interested not a jot in the feelings of his characters, and thus the denouement which, in a way appropriate for noir, verges on the loopy, is frigid and the following is from empire's review of the film, which i agree with: "De Palma is interested not a jot in the feelings of his characters, and thus the denouement which, in a way appropriate for noir, verges on the loopy, is frigid and unsatisfying. It… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
6
ChadShiiraOct 2, 2006
If the performances by Aaron Eckhart and Josh Hartnett actually reflected their pugulist monikers of "Fire" and "Ice" (they're both more like Derek Smalls of Spinal Tap; lukewarm water), "The Black Dahlia" would've not only eluded If the performances by Aaron Eckhart and Josh Hartnett actually reflected their pugulist monikers of "Fire" and "Ice" (they're both more like Derek Smalls of Spinal Tap; lukewarm water), "The Black Dahlia" would've not only eluded the k.o., but also the standing eight count as well. It's the performance by Hilary Swank that helps this "Chinatown"-wanna-be off the mat. As the one nicknamed "Fire", we're not aware that Eckhart's character is haunted by Elizabeth Short's murder until Kay (Scarlett Johansson), his wife, tells us. Since Johansson is already made up to look like Kim Novak in "Vertigo", how about a Hitchcockian night of restless sleep for Lee, ala Jimmy Stewart. That hypothetical evocation of film referencing blatancy couldn't be worse than the crazy, crazy, crazy "Sunset Boulevard" homage this usually sure-footed filmmaker concocts late in the film. "The Black Dahlia" gets off to a disastrous start because it pussyfoots around. As the love triangle coalesces, some of us are thinking: Cut to the chase and give us the dead body.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
BobbiSep 16, 2006
I like weird twists and turns and I never read the novel, so the the plot twist was good. However, the movie was poorly scripted and the scenes did not make sense or blend well together.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
4
BrunoP.Oct 16, 2006
Boring.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
CarlaK.Sep 19, 2006
For me, this didn't inspire any kind of outrage, it was just more of a dull flatness. HIgh on style but not at all convincing. It felt a bit tedious as the thrill and suspense were lost in all the confusion in the plot.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
JanWinnSep 21, 2006
Brian Palma get a grip!
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
WiliamC.Jan 17, 2007
The Book is great. The movie busy.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
4
GrahamM.May 24, 2007
The only good thing to say about this film is its certain type of atmosphere and that it is not as bad as a striaght to video movie. Worth a rental if one is interested.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
4
SpangleMay 27, 2016
The Black Dahlia is a decidedly mediocre film. Featuring impeccable cinematography and a lush and sexy style, The Black Dahlia is everything you can want from a neo-noir film set in 1940's Los Angeles from a visual standpoint. Beyond that,The Black Dahlia is a decidedly mediocre film. Featuring impeccable cinematography and a lush and sexy style, The Black Dahlia is everything you can want from a neo-noir film set in 1940's Los Angeles from a visual standpoint. Beyond that, however, The Black Dahlia falls apart. Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, and Hilary Swank, all turn in mediocre performances. Aaron Eckhart is okay though. The story makes no sense and is poorly told. The end reveal of what happened throughout is scattershot at best and demonstrates just how little sense the preceding hour and a half made. Honestly, this film makes literally no sense from a plot standpoint and it seems as if Brian De Palma just took pieces of the novel, threw them at the screen, and hoped they would work. If the film was longer, maybe it would make sense. However, it is simply too overstuffed for the two hour runtime. Also featuring De Palma's trademark penchant for violence and sexism, the film is not good enough to justify the violence or the horrendous treatment of women in the film. While I would stop short of calling it an overall bad film due to the great visuals, the plot is meandering, nonsensical, and incoherent.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
5
eva3si0nMay 1, 2023
The Black Dahlia is a very deceptive film. At first glance, it might seem like a classic neo-noir movie. A good cast, an interesting plot at first glance, a good transmission of the time of the late 40s of Los Angeles. But all this fallsThe Black Dahlia is a very deceptive film. At first glance, it might seem like a classic neo-noir movie. A good cast, an interesting plot at first glance, a good transmission of the time of the late 40s of Los Angeles. But all this falls apart literally after 20-30 minutes. You understand that all this is just a screen, behind which lies a completely boring film. In which there is absolutely nothing to single out, this is a fiasco for a detective film. The Black Dahlia is a passing film that you don't want to waste time on at all. If you inspect the final, then disappointment from him awaits you.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
5
lori007101Dec 17, 2018
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The murder case of the black dahlia, in a style of film noir! Director Brian De Palma takes us with us, in 1947, the City of Angels. Two half-off boxers and best friends of the Police Department, hunt down mafia bosses, petty criminals and corrupt police officers. As they stumbling into the fall of the black dahlia, the two friends go to their limits. Actually, the thriller is coherent if De Palma, the story, had told something more profoundly. The story does not progress and the characters remain weak and boring. The character of hero Bucky Bleichert is portrayed by Josh Hartnett. One finds, however, that Hartnett is somewhat overpowered with his role. Hartnett plays his part but seems tense. Even the self-assured Scarlett Johansson seems rather pale and helpful here, in her role.
The top two roles have Aaron Eckhart, who happily plays his role as Lee Blanchard to the limit, and Hilary Swank, who personifies a mysterious femme fatale. The camera is also well positioned and goes along with the action. No wonder cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond was nominated for an Oscar here. For the point of view here is not only directed to the general, but also focuses the faces of the individual persons, of whom one does not know which side of the law they are on. The screenplay was written here by James Ellroy. He actually mixed the real case of the black dahlia with some fiction of the film industry. In the film, the killer was also posed. In truth, though, the Black Dahlia case has never been solved. Even though it's that the story has been cleared up, the whole thing is largely left behind and the film's course, runs with the handbrake put on. Verdict: You're better used to De Palma. A good thriller just unfortunately not quite exciting implemented!… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
All this user's reviews
4
geewahFeb 1, 2021
Dull.
Looks stylish, but this movie bites off more than it can chew and we're left with this mess.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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