10 Movie Scenes That Went Completely Over The Top
2. The Opening Scene - Femme Fatale
Femme Fatale is probably the most misunderstood film in Brian De Palma's filmography. What some see as a sleazy Cinemax director slumming it, others praise as one of his very best. One thing is certain: it's not what it appears. It plays to all the director's greatest strengths and interests - complex plotting, voyeurism, an excellent climax - and constantly has the right audience second-guessing everything.
To give away too much is to spoil the film, but everyone is seemingly familiar with the lesbian make-out session that opens the film, which occurs during a heist at the Cannes Film Festival.
Everything is in place for a heist, every player has their role: there's the lead, who seduces the model wearing the diamond-crested clothing meant to be thieved, the scuba diver with the blowtorch, the guy in the van, et cetera. But quickly, the film betrays convention when none of the characters do their job, and instead are screwed over by the lead.
It may not always make literal sense, but it always makes cinematic sense, even when it's subtly screwing with its audience.