ViewGuide

Created Mar 09, 2011 07:07AM PST • Edited Mar 10, 2011 06:04AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Bad 1.0

   Ben Kingsly plays a serial killer targeting other serial killers in this bad thriller. Aaron Eckhart plays Thomas Mackleway, the clueless FBI agent who must track down the killer, and finds himself becoming personally involved in the events. To think of anyone actually giving Eckhart a gun, let alone putting him charge of what appears to be the search for the single biggest killer of all time, is laughable. Eckhart appears completely lost in this film.

   Drawing on some similar characteristics of the popular TV series "X-Files”, this movie slips from the absurd into delusional, and then back again. Utilizing every police cliché it can, it never presents itself as more than folly. Director E. Elias Merhige seems to have thrown into this picture a hodgepodge of outdated cinematic effects, such as extreme close-ups of the characters eyes as they show surprise.

   The film never really develops any heightened “thrill” and seems more often than not to rely on shock value than crisp and unique storytelling, eventually disintegrating into a mishmash of dream sequences and B grade acting.

   Watched on Netflix streaming (thankfully, I didn’t pay money to see it in a theater).

4. Acting

   Bad 1.0

5. Male Stars Bad 1.0

   I have a lot of respect for Ben Kingsly, and his peformance was the only tolerable spot in this film. But even he seemed to play down to the rest of the production.

   Aaron Eckhart seemed completely out of place, wandering around in a daze. His palate of acting range was barely touched in this monotone performace. I was not convinced he was an FBI agent, nor did I feel he portrayed enough emotional depth for his role.

6. Female Stars Pretty Awful 0.5

   Carrie-ann Moss plays another FBI agnet who has some past with Eckhart. Her role fluctuates between hard-nosed cynicism and complete vulnerability. She plays neither well in this film.

7. Female Costars Pretty Bad 1.5

8. Male Costars Pretty Bad 1.5

10. Film

    Bad 1.0

11. Direction Pretty Awful 0.5

    I’m not sure what Merhige had in mind for this film, and the more it went on, the more I doubt he knew what he had in mind. I find him culpable in this fiasco, as a better storytelling effort, and coaxing more out of Eckhart, could have eliminated some of this mess.

12. Play Bad 1.0

    It got increasingly laughable as it went along.

13. Music Pretty Bad 1.5

14. Visuals Pretty Bad 1.5

    Weird dream sequences were confusing.

15. Content

16. Edge

    Sordid 2.6

17. Sex Titillating 2.1

    Drawings of genitalia, and a rape scene

18. Violence Brutal 3.2

    Images of mutilated victims, body parts, and drawings of agonized faces.

19. Rudeness Salty 2.5

21. Reality

    Glib 1.9

22. Circumstantial Surreal 2.8

    Hard to explain without spoiling the movie, but out of body experiences.

23. Biological Glib 1.3

24. Physical Glib 1.5