Product Details

• Actors: Vinnie Jones, Derek Jacobi, Julie Cox, Vanessa Redgrave
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
• DVD Release Date: August 19, 2008
• Run Time: 116 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0019X3YTG
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #70,529 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Riddle" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A brutal string of murders spurs reporter Mike Sullivan (Vinnie Jones, Snatch, X-Men: The Last Stand) to search for the cunning killer in this supernatural mystery. But to stop the killings, he first must solve a century-old murder hidden inside the pages of a newly discovered Charles Dickens manuscript. Co-starring Derek Jacobi (Gladiator, Underworld: Evolution) and Vanessa Redgrave (Atonement), this intriguing thriller takes an unusual twist guaranteed to surprise you!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not many thrills in this thriller, September 10, 2008

By	Tracy Vest (Northern California) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

British footballer Vinnie Jones is cast as Mike Sullivan, a London sports writer who wants to tackle hard news. When Sadie, an old friend with whom he exchanges riddles is found murdered, Mike is thrust into the investigation, despite a detective inspector who'd rather he go away. While renovating her pub, Sadie came across what could possibly be an unpublished manuscript of a dark story of murder by Charles Dickens (though it appears they had Dickens confused with Edgar Allan Poe). When Mike discovers the manuscript, he and police officer Kate read the manuscript hoping to find clues to solve the crime with the help of a homeless man (Derek Jacobi, who also narrates the manuscript as Dickens in a dual role). What they discover is a lot of corruption.

Unfortunately, the director chose to portray half the story in present day London and the remainder in Dickens' Victorian era story which coincidentally mirrors the current events (many of the actors besides Jacobi have dual roles also). It makes the rest of the movie confusing and distracting and had me nearly comatose at times. It might have sounded good on paper but the finished product was pretty boring and contrived. They even managed to make Jones, who is usually such an energetic presence in his roles seem pretty darned bland. Not worth a purchase; put this one in your Netflix queue instead.

© Tracy Vest, September 2008

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Madness, Murder, and Literature: a Classic Combination, August 29, 2008

By	Marlane B. Quade - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Though it might not be considered violent compared to many thrillers, the acting, casting, and dual-story plot make this one of the most intriguing thrillers I've seen in a while. There is a subtle interweaving of stories fom the Dickens manuscript and the modern-day murder case-- some actors play double roles, which adds to the supernatural quality of the mystery.

This film does draw very loosely on events in Dickens' life and marriage, though it "re-writes" much. More interestingly, it brings out the darker side of the Victorian author's work with quotes from Oliver Twist, reference to the murders in Our Mutual Friend, and an almost Poe-like narration of a tale of madness and murder.

Derek Jacobi is versatile as ever, portraying both an insane (though well-read) homeless man, and the author/narrator of the newly discovered Dickens manuscript. Mel Smith (The Princess Bride, Alas Smith and Jones, Trevor Nunn's Twelfth Night)has a brief but amusing appearance as the enthusiastic (and athsmatic?) authenticator of the manuscript.

Not big on action, but definitely worth watching for the sake of a good story. An added bonus is that, unlike the young and beautiful Hollywood sterotypes we are so familiar with, this cast can really act.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars horrible, December 6, 2008

By	TB (USA) - See all my reviews

A rather bad thriller with a fake dickens story woven into it. The dickens story had no real relevance to the thriller and continuously interrupted the flow of the movie. Unless you have 2 hrs. to waste, stay away from this movie.