Opens October 1, 1999

They say that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and this axiom couldn't be more true than in the case of first-time feature director Jake Scott. With a distinguished lineage as Ridley's son and Tony's nephew, Scott clearly had some superb teachers, but he also brings his own remarkably distinct voice to his first outing, Plunkett & Macleane. For a number of years, Scott has made an impressive mark in the commercial and music video arena, having garnered numerous awards for his work. Well, now he's making movies, and the film world better watch out.

Opinions are likely to be split straight down the middle on this movie. It's truly a love-it or hate-it sort of film. Many people will quibble with Scott's edgy, irreverent and not-always-historically accurate portrayal of the 18th Century, but it's just this unique vision that makes him a director to watch. Like David O. Russell's risk-taking technical wizardry in Three Kings Scott has combined style with substance to make a truly dazzling film.

Loosely grounded in real events, Plunkett and Macleane introduces us to the same-named heroes, who meet accidentally one night in a foggy cemetery. Brought together by greed -- both want a ruby that was swallowed by a recently dead-and-buried thief -- they rob the man's grave and get caught. Luckily, Plunkett (Robert Carlyle) stashes the gem on - rather, "in" - his person, and the two men use it, along with Macleane's (Jonny Lee Miller) society connections, to gain their release from prison. Once free, the two fellows strike up an uneasy alliance. While Macleane is by no means a true gentleman, he has convenient links to society in the form of his friend Lord Rochester (Alan Cumming) and the sort of education and bearing that will allow him to pass himself off as a man of breeding. Plunkett, on the other hand, has the smarts to plan their criminal future. The plan: Macleane will attend the parties and find out who has the best goodies, then the two men will do the dastardly deeds.

Soon enough, the illegal actions of our heroes make the paper, and the press dubs them as "The Gentlemen Highwaymen". This moniker has unique significance to the independent-minded Lady Rebecca Gibson (Liv Tyler), who is herself a victim of their crimes. Rebecca quickly realizes that Macleane is one of the highwaymen, but her growing fascination with and eventual love for him lead her to keep it a secret. In the midst of all this subterfuge is the puritanical Thief Taker General Chance (Ken Stott) who makes it his mission to destroy these unstoppable thieves, especially after he learns that Lady Rebecca is enamored of one of them.

Now, one look at history makes it clear that Scott took a great deal of artistic license with the story. In reality, Macleane never knew a Lady Rebecca and was eventually executed, while Plunkett escaped into anonymity. In reality, flintlock pistols rarely fire as accurately as they do in the film. In reality -- well, "in reality" be hanged. None of that is at issue here. What Scott has sought to do is create an all-consuming sensual experience, exploring a bawdy, sexy, violent world with a fresh and unconventional perspective. Through lush costume design, vivid settings and superb camera work, he presents us with an England we've never seen before. In Scott's hands, modernism -- pierced body parts, brightly died hair, colloquial language -- and historical accuracy clash and meld into a melange of original vision. If '80s pop sensation Adam Ant were a movie, this would be it.

Scott drew inspiration from a staggering number of sources. Certainly, his music video background plays an enormous part in all this, and music is used in remarkable ways. Clearly, too, Scott takes after his dad on many levels. In subject matter, Plunkett & Macleane is something of a paean to Ridley's first feature The Duelists, while there are influences of the elder Scott's masterwork Bladerunner and Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon. Many scenes, especially one ballroom sequence in particular, have the pageantry and painter-like elegance of a Peter Greenaway movie. Scott has also drawn on the artwork of Hogarth, whose 18th century studies of debauchery provide an effective counterpart to the lush world of society.

With so many influences, one can see how this film could get away from a less-focused director. Scott never falters in his vision; he has a statement to make and Hell be damned if you don't like it. His eagerness does show every once in awhile, however, when he rushes dramatic scenes that could well use a few extra moments of emotion. Still, you never lose sight of who these characters are nor of their inherent humanity. Actors Robert Carlyle and Jonny Lee Miller, reunited after their success in Trainspotting, embrace their roles with gusto, balancing irreverence with intense emotion and freewheeling action. Liv Tyler gives a restrained, gutsy performance as Rebecca, and both Cumming and Stott shine as prissy fop and brutish villain, respectively.

With Plunkett & Macleane, Jake Scott has taken a tremendous number of risks and he may be lambasted for them by those who are less willing to leap into surrealism. He does falter on a few occasions, but one can easily forgive these tumbles because his perspective is so brash and raw. Indeed, this film literally leaps off the screen, crackling with intelligence and confidence. So self-assured is Scott that, whatever your reaction, you can't help but admit that Plunkett & Macleane is inspired filmmaking. Risks are always better than playing it safe, and Scott shows that he's willing to go right to the edge to seduce his audience.