SINGAPORE - As a massive fan of Brian De Palma classics like Carrie, Dressed To Kill, Scarface, The Untouchables and Carlito’s Way, this reviewer had high expectations for Passion, thanks in part to the fact that the movie is headlined by Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace - two strong actresses who give consistently solid performances (even in not-so-great films).

Except that it wasn’t quite the case here. Perhaps my expectations were too high. Based on the 2010 French thriller, Love Crime, the film takes a rather laborious route to tell the story of two advertising executives women who engage in an erotic, twisty game of power plays and murder. I’m all for De Palma to rehash all his good old tricks, but a lack of passion in the actual story-telling was terribly apparent. There still are those inspired De Palma moments scattered about in this corporate satire-meets-sapphic thriller. There are just about enough split screen effects, plot twists and expertly-crafted sequences to remind you that there will always be a perverse fascination in the auteur’s signature style.

(M18, 97min)