Conspiracy Theory (1997)

Directed by: Richard Donner | 135 minutes | action | Actors: Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts, Patrick Stewart, Cylk Cozart, Steve Kahan, Terry Alexander, Alex McArthur, Rod McLachlan, Michael Potts, Jim Sterling, Rich Hebert, Brian J. Williams, GA Aguilar, Cece Neber Labao

In the age of fake news and alternative facts, it’s easy to forget that conspiracy theories have been around for much longer. In the post-Cold War era of the 1990s, when the world was constantly changing, they were also popular. Not for nothing was “The X-Files” one of the most popular series of that time. Conspiracies were also in vogue on the big screen – think of Area 51 in ‘Independence Day’ and the conspiracy in ‘Enemy of the State’. A forgotten but very entertaining film from this time is – very meta – literally about the conspiracy theories themselves. The title says it all: ‘Conspiracy Theory’.

‘Conspiracy Theory’ reunites lead actor Mel Gibson and director Richard Donner, better known for the ‘Lethal Weapon’ films. Gibson plays Jerry Fletcher, a taxi driver who has a truckload of conspiracy theories: about the New World Order, black helicopters and Olympic athletes who are forced to give up their DNA. One day he is suddenly kidnapped by secret agents led by the shadowy CIA psychiatrist Jonas. What seems? He was apparently right, and now they want to get him out of the way. In order to escape, he must find out exactly what the conspiracy is about. That will be difficult, because he has quite a few.

‘Conspiracy Theory’ works thanks to Gibson’s catchy playing. He portrays Jerry as a tragic, but ultimately sympathetic character who brings his ‘superior knowledge’ of all kinds of conspiracies with a touch of cynical humor. When ‘they’ come after him, you feel his amazement (‘aha, you see’), and he becomes an unlikely hero. Less successful is the unconvincing romance with lawyer Alice Sutton, played by Julia Roberts. That a successful lawyer tolerates the stalking behavior of a – or so it seems – clearly mentally disturbed conspiracy theorist because he once helped her against a pickpocket is not very credible. The plot twist that still connects them feels forced. Gibson’s sympathetic portrayal of Jerry makes you almost forget that conspiracy theorists are often dangerously unstable individuals. The film therefore fails to give the clichéd relationship between the two any panache. ‘Conspiracy Theory’ also lacks a good villain: with the character of Dr. Jonas, played by a barely American sounding Patrick Stewart, could have done a lot more – especially with the normally illustrious Stewart in the role.

Despite these weaknesses, Donner makes ‘Conspiracy Theory’ a smooth, energetic chase thriller that will keep you entertained until the very end. The always entertaining Gibson leads the somewhat pulpy story from start to finish, and ultimately the film gives hope to conspiracy theorists worldwide – just imagine…!