When it comes to assessing movies, first impressions aren’t necessarily the best.

Even before the pandemic, I generally watched interesting films more than once. I’ve changed my opinion of the movie’s quality on several occasions — sometimes for the better; sometimes for the worse.

Two examples occurred on films I recently revisited for the first time in several years. The 2007 legal thriller “Fracture” was a lot better than I remembered. In contrast, the 1998 neo-noir “A Simple Plan” fell well short of my original admiration.

Anthony Hopkins co-stars in “Fracture” as Ted Crawford, a wealthy owner of a Los Angeles-area aeronautics company who discovers his younger wife (played by Embeth Davidtz) has been having an affair with a police detective (Billy Burke).

Crawford confronts and shoots his wife, leaving her in a comatose state. After taking steps to ensure her lover is assigned to the case, he admits to the crime and even signs a written confession.

This seems like a slam-dunk conviction for assistant district attorney Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling). Although he has already given notice to his boss that he plans to soon join a high-powered private law firm, Beachum agrees to prosecute the case. His chances on improving upon his 97 percent conviction rate are further enhanced by Crawford’s insistence on serving as his own attorney, despite an apparent ignorance of courtroom procedures.

But the industrialist has a few tricks up his sleeve and catches the overconfident prosecutor unprepared — and suddenly lacking in concrete evidence — in court. That sets up a battle of wits between the wily, calculating Crawford and the abashed but resilient Beachum.

This plot admittedly has a few holes — perhaps one reason for the film’s initially tepid critical and box-office reception.

Would-be murderers probably shouldn’t follow the Ted Crawford playbook on escaping punishment. His legal strategy seems to be predicated on the detective acting in a predictable but unprofessional manner after discovering his lover’s body. And I’m not sure I buy the notion that Crawford, while confined to a prison cell, knows everything that is happening in Beachum’s life seconds after they transpire.

Otherwise, this is a smart, twisty thriller greatly enhanced by two fine performances.

Two-time Academy Award winner Hopkins plays Crawford as a first cousin to Hannibal Lecter (admittedly with more conventional dining habits). His character is intelligent and shrewd, but possessing perhaps a bit too much hubris for his own good.

Portraying a character who is cocky, ambitious but also dedicated to justice, Gosling makes a good adversary.

Particularly for fans of the legal thriller genre, “Fracture” is worth a first or second look.

Like many reviewers, I originally embraced “A Simple Plan” because of its irresistible premise.

Rural Minnesotans Hank Mitchell (played by Bill Paxton), his brother Jacob (Billy Bob Thornton) and Jacob’s buddy Lou Chambers (Brent Briscoe) stumble across a downed airplane that crashed in the woods near their home. On board is a pilot who has been dead for some time — and $4.4 million in cash.

All three men need the money. Slow-witted Jacob is unemployed and hot-tempered Lou is saddled with gambling debts.

Hank has a steady job as a bookkeeper in a feed and grain company. But his wife Sarah (Bridget Fonda) is pregnant and dissatisfied with her low-paying work in a library.

The only college graduate in the group, Hank takes charge of the situation and decides to keep the money temporarily. He’ll divide it into equal shares if no legitimate claimant emerges.

Unexpected developments, however, soon send this “simple” plan out of control, as Hank makes a series of ill-advised decisions with tragic consequences.

The film is well-directed by Sam Raimi and features a superb Oscar-nominated performance by Thornton, playing a social outcast who nevertheless possesses a moral compass that his more educated brother lacks.

But the story doesn’t play out realistically. Fonda’s character, in particular, is transformed from the voice of reason to Lady Macbeth in the span of about 15 seconds.

The movie is also needlessly violent. I’ve got to believe that if a plane carrying $4 million crashed near Lake Quinault, for example, the situation would be resolved with far less bloodshed.

In retrospect, a more complicated plan would have been good for the characters’ health — and for the movie as a whole.