Tag: THRILLER

LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023)

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Directed By: Sam Esmail 

Based On The Book By: Rumaan Alam 

Cinematography: Tod Campbell 

Editor: Lisa Lassek 

Cast: Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Marashala Ali, Myha’la, Kevin Bacon, Charlie Evans, Farrah Mackenzie 

Amanda and Clay’s aspirational vacation with their teenage children is interrupted by the arrival of a middle-aged man and his daughter who own the holiday home and who have fled an unprecedented blackout in the city. When the internet, television, and radio stop working, as does the landline, they have no way of finding out what is happening. As strange sonic booms shatter the peace of the countryside, and animals start to migrate in strange ways, the physical and mental health of the families begins to disintegrate. The renters are upscale and White; the owners are upscale and Black. The issues of race clash and become distractions to the more alarming things that are happening all around them.

I don’t know what it is with Netflix and taking these big movie stars who mostly were in romantic comedies in the 90s and 2000s and then putting them in these doomsday apocalyptic movies on their streaming service. One can understand It allows them some range and shows them in a new light, but you know is starting to feel like a certain concoction or formula.

By the end, the film feels like it kind of trolling the audience, especially when it comes to the daughter’s storyline in a way it’s not a bad episode of the show BLACK MIRROR, but one that’s more disappointing because it has so much potential and ultimately, that is what this film feels like it has so much potential, but it feels stale to a certain extent.

Throughout the film, you know every scene is practically filled with tension, especially once the oil tanker hits the beach, so it always makes you feel uncertain. But throughout the film, there seems to be so much stuff that’s unresolved and we really don’t get to know too much about the stories of any of the characters.

I understand we’re being introduced to them pretty much as they introduced to each other but there still could’ve been some kind of development for the character’s past.

Even when it comes to Mahrshala, here is this good gentleman but it always seems like he is hiding something which is a payoff, but not in the way that we thought it would be. And the film only truly comes alive when Kevin Bacon makes his kind of cameo in the film.

You know, we have the characters on a different kind of plot thread or character finally development for Julia Roberts, who starts off the film with his big monologue about how she dislikes people which is supposed to be shocking I guess especially when you used to be America, sweetheart, and then, by the end we see how much she actually does care and misses humanity, after being mean spirited for no reason throughout most of the film.

At times, they hint at racism, and some prejudices, which could also be easily seen as judgment of character. No, ultimately nothing really comes of it. It just seems there to be a kind of tease or to add attention in the audience is mine to the situation.

There feels like there could’ve been more done when it comes to Race relations with the characters in the movies, especially considering it is supposed to be Mahrshala Ali‘s house and yet he’s being made to feel like a visitor in his own home. 

Myha’La seems only there to be kind of the whiny daughter trying to empower her father and also a bit of eye candy just to add another character to the mix.

We’re never quite sure what is going on and even by the end we’re still not we’re a little more informed, but we still it’s a mystery as to what exactly is happening kind of ambiguous, but it also seems a weird way to want to set up a more action pack sequel.

I guess one would expect more considering the film is written, and directed by Sam Esmail you know adapted from a novel, but he is the mastermind behind the show Mr. Robot amongst other shows so while he got the thriller elements right, it seemed like the characterization might’ve been like that show where it comes in bits and pieces but again he had multiple seasons when it came to that show with this movie you’ve only got a 2 1/2 hour running time And you know we care about the characters cause they’re the protagonists. We barely know anything truly about them which works for the thriller elements, but the dramatic elements kind of feel like they drop the ball.

Like, why should we care about other human beings? The film works as an apocalyptic tale in minutiae.

Grade: C

HOLY SPIDER (2022)

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Directed By: Ali Abbasi

Written By: Ali Abbasi and Afshin Kamran Bahrami 

Cinematography: Nadim Carlsen

Editor: Olivia Neergaard-Holm and Hayedeh Safiyari

Cast: Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Alice Rahimi, Soraya Helli, Arash Ashtiani, Mehdi Bajestani, Sohaib Quista, Forouzan Jamshisnejad, Maryam Taleb 

Female journalist Rahimi travels to the Iranian holy city of Mashhad to investigate a serial killer targeting sex workers. As she draws closer to exposing his crimes, the opportunity for justice grows harder to attain when the murderer is embraced by many as a hero. Based on the true story of the ‘Spider Killer’ Saeed Hanaei, who saw himself as on a mission from God as he killed 16 women between 2000 and 2001.

This Is a film that is better to go into blind and then read this review. It discusses a lot of subjects in the film and this is the type of film. You will want to talk about it afterwards.

Drama and tension-filled, what is more disturbing is the fact that it is based on a true story. 

The film begins with a typical night for one woman. As she puts her child to end after feeding them and washes for her night out. As we see her make her rounds as a prostitute. How she is treated. We are made to believe she might be our lead character. Then she is attacked and we hope after spending this time with her she will survive, but she quickly becomes a victim. (Sort of like the SCREAM films only with no celebrity and no excitement in the kill.)

This allows us to see her killer. So that the mystery is cut short and in his hands now. 

The mystery is when or if he will get caught and how as it seems only two reporters are on his tail and seem to care. As the film continues we see the female reporters attempt to interview and find the Killer. We get to know more about his personal home life. Around his kids and wife which is relatively normal except for some outbursts and his fanatical extremism.

The film does show him hunting, picking up, and killing the prostitutes. As well as a scene that shows him having sex with his wife and with one of his victim’s bodies hidden in the room before he can dispose of it. How he gets turned on while watching the dead body a few feet away. Which only he can see.

The film offers many close calls. As we hope each time the next victim will escape and survive. Even when the bodies are discovered the reporters are at their front and center and he is in the background.

Even once the culprit is eventually caught. It shows that many men especially approve of his crimes and might inspire some to commit the crimes themselves in the future. That is one of the scariest parts of the film and the people involved. As most around him supper him Even after he is arrested.

As even after he is arrested it seems like all the work in hunting him down and getting him arrested after a reporter barely survives an attack by him. 

Luckily the film isn’t cut and dry. It doesn’t end with his arrest. We go through the short trial and also get interviews with victims’ families. As well as his own after. 

The ending offers some kind of justice turning tables to show him whimpering and fighting against his decided fate just as much as his victims fought for their lives.

The film shows the scary chauvinistic attitude and misogyny that exists in men. As even the desk clerk. Who at first didn’t want to let her have a room by herself. First son tries to hit on her and then when rejected not only threatens but finds it necessary to demean her.

In the end, it still shows a majority of the male characters inadvertently seem to hate women or at least consider them second class while holding them on a pedestal. Yet still try to exploit them for the crime in their heads of attracting them. 

GRADE: A +

SANCTUARY (2023)

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Directed By: Zachary Wigon 
Written By: Micah Bloomberg
Cinematography: Ludovica Isidori
Editor: Kate Brokaw and Lance Edmonds

Cast: Christopher Abbott, Margaret Qualley 

Follows a dominatrix and Hal, her wealthy client, and the disaster that ensues when Hal tries to end their relationship.

The film seems simple at first and will be pretty cut and dry storywise and sticks to it but you get involved and ultimately lost in the film, game, and characters 

The film reminds one of Christopher Abbott’s previous film and performance in the movie PIERCING only less life and death or violence, just darkly comedic with hints of violence. 

The films have the similarity of involving a sec worker and power plays as well seeming to be mostly bound to a hotel room only the previous film left the room 

The director Zachary Wigon adds style so as to not make this seem boring and to liven up the experience.

Truly a psychosexual domination film of games 

The film truly kicks off once Margaret Qualley’s character takes off her wig. Though the film plays more theatrical for the stage rather than a film. It keeps the Audience interested more in Qualley’s character and performance as she truly is the wildcard to Abbott’s more straight man’s performance. 

His threats always keep turning hollow and truly show the weakness of his character, Especially compared to her. 

This is Margaret Qualley’s best performance so far though probably not her most memorable which for most might still be ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD.

She is smarter than him because she has had to work her way up. whereas Abbott’s character has done what he has been told but resented that work while coasting along it and its features.

Also can be seen as a comparison and power play from a director/writer and actress who might have decided to go off script and prove their defiant character and talent 

You can see the characters’ codependency with one another, one reluctantly. the other more willingly and knowingly. You can see it from the many times either could truly walk away but seems willing or fighting to prolong it against their so-called requests. As it easily could end plenty of times. 

A kind of love story when it comes to power, communication, and trust with another person who knows you the most or at least your secrets 

The ending feels like a throwback to a classic comedy and more of a fantasy or dream than reality 

The film gets more intense as it goes along. Like the characters no matter how hard I resisted, continuously felt myself falling for the film even though or against my will

Grade: B 

BUG (2006)

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Directed By: William Friedkin

Written By: Tracy Letts (Based upon his play)

Cinematography: Michael Grady 

Editor: Darrin Navarro 

Cast: Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon, Harry Connick Jr., Lynn Collins, Brian F. O’Byrne 

Having escaped her abusive ex-husband Goss, recently released from state prison, Agnes, a lonely waitress with a tragic past moves into a sleazy, rundown motel. Her lesbian co-worker R.C. introduces her to Peter, a peculiar, paranoiac drifter and they begin a tentative romance. However, things aren’t always as they appear and Agnes is about to experience a claustrophobic nightmare reality as the bugs begin to arrive.

This is a love story between two damaged individuals. As we can see from the beginning Ashley Judd’s character is not only lonely but also seems to be more willing to put up with abuse and the nature of whoever she is dating. As her ex, she has a court order o. Keeps coming over to beat her up and steal her money. 

So it’s not too shocking that soon after being with this new man that she is introduced to, she starts to suffer from the same psychosis.

The couple could be compared to what happens when two drug addicts get together. Where they seem to live off each other and in their own world. Watching this movie they do come off as meth addicts. Even in scenes later we see that they have been freebasing also. Something g strangely even his psychiatrist takes a turn with. 

though there is a more artistic rather than erotic sex scene. Which director William Friedkin has been doing constantly in his later films. As overly erotic as KILLER JOE was, the seductive or sexy scenes seemed more like going for pretty and meant much more. It could be that both these films come from the theater world. So these are the only moments where he can truly try to make it more cinematic with his own vision. 

It took me some time to watch this film over the years. So the anticipation builds up. So that when finally watching the film it is tamer than expected and feels like it needs to be seen on the big screen to truly feel the film. Unfortunately, I didn’t, but the second half of the film is truly graphic and disturbing. 

The film didn’t live up to certain expectations but it is effective to a certain degree. It definitely helps if you come into the movie blindly 

Which is why I believe the second half is so disturbing is that the first half has a few shocks but stays mundane. So the lunacy of the second half not only wakes up the Audience but disrupts them out of comfort and expectation. 

We also watch the breakdown of Ashley Judd’s Character whom we truly feel sorry for from the beginning though we also see how submissive she is.

The last act comes across as downright artistic when it comes to production design and the acting. 

Though he had been a working actor this Is the movie that truly made Michael Shannon a star or put him More on that path. After so far a career of bit roles and more theatrical work.

Harry Connick Jr. Even plays against type in this film. As Judd’s abusive not quite ex-husband 

Not your typical horror film or thriller. It is more disturbing about damaged people damaging themselves and each other. Involving those who are unlucky enough to cross their paths. 

It ends up not being what you first thought when you sat down to watch it, but luckily something much deeper.

There is some beautiful filmmaking here making the mundane interesting and you can feel its theatrical roots. The director and cast truly make the film feel bigger than the location it seems to be stuck in and make the hotel room seem labyrinthian 

Grade: B- 

A BLUEBIRD IN MY HEART (2018)

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Written & Directed By: Jeremie Guez
Based on the novel “THE DISHWASHER” By: Dannie M. Martin 
Cinematography: Dimitri Karakatsanis 
Editor: Dieter Diependaele 

Cast: Roland Moller, Veerle Baetens, Lola Lelann, Luba Azabel 

Attempting to lead a quiet reformed life, an ex-con finds refuge in a motel run by a single mother and her daughter Clara. The peace and freedom he has found in this safe haven disappears when Clara is assaulted, forcing him to face his old demons

The predictable this film manages to make you care and stay interested throughout. As it maintains an intensity as much as the main character seems to have who we never quite learned about when it comes to his past, but we are given enough to interpret.

It’s simmering mostly, but there are two scenes. The film truly lets loose with action, though low scenes are short and one quite torturous.

This is a movie more about characters and emotions. It’s actually quite plain and simple, It sticks to the point at under 90 minutes and gets started in no time. 

In the beginning, you can feel the uncomfortable nature that eases up as the walls the main character does 

As well, as you can see the symbolic relationships and placeholder that he becomes for the people around him, mostly female.

He has a  rough, dangerous nature, but a gentle side, when it comes to them. That stays very simple and small scale.

The film is a revenge tale in the end as he takes revenge and in doing so sets up a situation where the victim of his revenge has people who need to take revenge for him especially when their first attempt goes awry 

This is a well-acted hidden gem of a movie that while might be predictable in some aspects feels like an introduction, not necessarily to buy the story, but more through characters that you care about 

It stays small scale but packs a lot of heart and you know it’s a French Film because every character seems to smoke. 

Grade: B-

A HAUNTING IN VENICE (2023)

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Directed By: Kenneth Branagh 

Written By: Michael Green 

Based on the Novel “Hallowe’en Story: By Agatha Christie 

Cinematography: Haris Zambarloukos 

Editor: Lucy Donaldson 

Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Tina Fey, Michelle Yeoh, Kelly Reilly, Jamie Dornan, Camille Cottin, Ali Khan, Jude Hill, Emma Laird, Kyle Allen, Riccardo Scarmarcio

In post-World War II Venice, Poirot, now retired and living in his own exile, reluctantly attends a seance. But when one of the guests is murdered, it is up to the former detective to once again uncover the killer.

Kenneth Branagh finally has gotten the formula right. Maybe it was getting all the studio movie cliches out of his system to go back to more artistic filmmaking choices. This film finally shows the proper depth of the story & character.

There are Not so Many celebrities or stars in the film so the suspicions aren’t so high not your attention centered on them. 

This was the attraction for MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS  and the next film partially DEATH ON THE NILE which was a little more dialed down but still enough for a little spectacle. 

While primarily those films were aided by CGI when it came to locations especially. This film has less basis on CGI and truly explores the exoticness of the classical space and uses the cavernous location to its strength. As everything looks lush & plush.

While the film has its central mysteries every character seems to be hiding their own secrets. While it still Magyars to have the melodrama throughout. This film feels a bit more dry and dramatic. It has a darker outlook. It even Manages some surprises 

In the middle, it might be a little confusing. Once the third act comes into play surprisingly and with no lead-up the mystery is solved. There is more to go after that. 

What works is that it can be seen as a stand-alone but works in the trilogy. As if you have seen the previous films. You can understand the mindset of the main character at the beginning. As you have seen he has come to it. After suffering losses in the previous films. 

At first, it seems like the film is trying to rely on or try to jump onto the horror trend, but it ends up working for the story and distinguishing itself. Not seem like a Cash and is actually being adapted from an existing Agatha Christie story 

Even as we realize how lonely the main character is as he has fans and admirers but never truly anyone close to him they all want something from him and the friends and acquaintances from the past have either moved on or that is the basis of their relationship work-related. Knowing and seeing the evils of the world has made him scared to engage or trust in the end. He realizes he can’t let the nature of the world scare him Off and that he needs to try to help as much as he can to try to make it brighter 

He believes by separating himself from the world he’s not contributing to evil, and he’ll just keep to himself, and be safe by the end I think he realizes that the world at large needs him and he wants to be there to try and make it a better place combat that evil he’s found his faith so to speak. Kenneth Branagh plays it brilliantly reminding you of not the fine actor he can be and seeming to bypass the more comedic detours and also tightening up his directing skills. To come across as more artistic and personal and less sensationalistic. Still managed to have style in fact even more of it 

This film offers a bit more depth for the character and is a lot drier than the previous films it feels more intimate. Thought offers fewer distractions. 

This one seems less a seat filler or weekend attraction and more a film made with ideas and interest than a paint-by-numbers affair 

Grade: B

THE FORBIDDEN PHOTOS OF A LADY ABOVE SUSPICION (1970)

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Directed & Edited By: Luciano Ercoli
Written By: Ernesto Gastaldi and Mahnahen Velasco
Cinematography: Alejandro Ulloa 

Cast: Dagmar Lassander, Pier Paolo Capponi, Susan Scott, Simon Andreu, Osvaldo Genazzani, Salvador Bugbeo

The wife of a struggling businessman is blackmailed by a mysterious man into having a sadistic affair with him, or he will leak evidence implicating her husband of murder.

This might not be a good film but stay for the look, style, and fashions. Which are especially memorable. Like a Vogue magazine pictorial only with a theme.

The film is so erotically lurid that it feels like a Joe Eztherhaus-type film script. As it involves blackmail and sex. Though more talked about and hinted at than shown. So not quite exploitive.

Most of the film plays into the main characters’ suspicions and sacrifices. It then finds itself focused on infidelity and her paranoia over it 

Which would place it more in the drama category. Yet plays like a thriller. Thought could easily be a foreign soft-core erotic movie. As the film seems to be more about the beauty of the female characters. 

It’s not really the mystery behind everything. It’s the whole experience. What I took away was taking it all in. Rather than trying to figure out a murder or mystery. It felt more like watching a drama 

As for a film that is filled with eroticism it isn’t as exploitive as one might expect. It does present a quite open sexuality, manner, and behavior.

Watching it feels like walking through a museum in a foreign land. It seems like everything is exquisite yet you are soaking through the past that is so close to the modern day. That you can still see some of these fashions in play maybe in more high society.

The character of Dominique wears a dress that practically has no sides to it. So you get to see her Frame and shape. Which makes her outfit an all-time classic. As she is the most interesting character in the whole film. You might find yourself wishing she had a spin-off. 

The film ends up more as a psychological drama than a giallo, which is what one might have expected. The film’s characters just offer a lot of threats.

Only in the last 20 minutes after 70 minutes of set up does the film truly become a thriller. Even after an opening scene that makes it seem Like one. 

What is impressive is that it feels epic yet really only has six cast members but plenty of locations 

The film lays it on a lot towards the end to offer a twist that should have been somewhat obvious. As it has a Colombo type of ending.

Close but no cigar 

Grade: B-

UNSEEN (2023)

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Directed By: Yoko Okumura
Written By: Salvatore Cardoni and Brian Rawlins 
Cinematography: Federico Verardi
Editor: Michael Block

Cast: Midori Francis, Jolene Purdy, Michael Patrick Lane, Missi Pyle, Brett Baker, Nicholas X. Parsons 

Sam receives a call from Emily, a nearly blind woman who is running from her murderous ex in the woods. She must survive the ordeal with Sam being her eyes using video call.

At first, this might seem like a gimmick film. A sit is based upon a video call between strangers that ends up becoming a theoretical life for both of them eventually. 

However, it doesn’t stick to the perspective of that being all we see and that being how the story is told. It is not a minor part of the film. This Isn’t a film like SEARCHING or MISSING where the film is told strictly through video devices. 

The film is fun as it goes along. Though it is serious and presents its own challenges for its Characters. It feels loose and experimental but also has style to a certain extent. 

The film gets crazier as it goes along, but it somehow works. As we get to know and like the lead characters. Who are American Asian characters who mainly get bullied and stalked by white characters. Who expects them to be meek and take the abuse. Making it a bit political but more subtle. 

It also serves as an obvious plot point of the film but the title can also be interpreted as how the characters feel in society in A certain way and also unseen as almost invisible

The film feels like a teen movie. Even though the language might be a little too much for a PG-13 rating they are most likely the ones who will enjoy the film the most.

This is mainly a thriller with some dark comedic elements thrown in. It goes by fast and its Running time is under 90 Minutes. So that it makes solid entertainment.

Each story keeps you captivated in different ways that gel together well and each lead character in the tales keeps you caring and wanting to see them survive and succeed. 

You might not take it seriously but you will undoubtedly have fun with it.

Grade: B- 

SHIMMER LAKE (2017)

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Written & Directed By: Oren Uziel
Cinematography: Jarin Blaschke
Editor: Blake Maniquis 

Cast: Benjamin Walker, Rainn Wilson, Stephanie Sigman, John Michael Higgins, Wyatt Russell, Adam Pally, Rob Corddry, Ron Livingston, Mark Randall

An inventive crime thriller told backward, reversing day by day through a week following a local sheriff’s quest to unlock the mystery of three small-town criminals and a bank heist gone wrong.

This could have easily been a story for a season-long show BIG SKY.  Even though it takes place over and not a few days.

Written and directed by noted screenwriter Oren Uziel. The film has the originality of his usual screenplays. Only here in a little more serious thriller vein. You can see why it was on the black list of 2009 (The Blacklist is a yearly list of the best-unproduced screenplays voted on by script development executives) 

The story is told backward over a week. As we start with Friday and go back to Monday to see how a bank robbery affects a small town and its citizens.

The film is better than expected especially as a Netflix original film. Before they got distracted by having big stars and budgets and seemed to still care about storytelling.

As the film is an ensemble film. It’s also a thriller with double-crosses, twists, and backstabbings that once you think you have it figured out. It surprises you again but at least as it goes along it gives you more information to see why certain characters act the way they do or why they make the decisions they do. 

It allows for plenty of quirky characters and situations. Though it does rein it in for the seriousness of everything at hand. As well as the overall dramatic implications all over.

We even get to know most of the characters involved in some way. As each day or part of the film that focuses on that day also tends to focus on the character we begin the day with and brings us into the grander puzzle of it all. Half the joy is discovering and witnessing how it all fits together. As well as the reasoning of various characters. 

The cast all rise to the occasion to keep the audience riveted and invested. If you pay attention what happens or will happen is spoken of and told in a certain way before it happens. Even though the ending is a little hard to believe. It still works as long as you believe how cold-hearted the characters can be. Even if they show warmth, humanity, and humor before. 

Stephanie Sigman as a run-down wife in mourning who can be plain one minute, aggressive the next, and sexy out of nowhere and not really having to really try. She is a versatile actress who needs to work more, especially after her dynamic debut in the movie MISS BALA.

While the film has a lived-in quality. It still lacks a certain depth it needs a little more grit.

Can admit to watching it a second time just to make sure I understood everything. It’s not a long movie but it does pack a jab and enough intrigue to keep you guessing.

Grade: C+

KILLING ZOE (1993)

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Written & Directed By: Roger Avary 
Cinematography: Tom Richmond 
Editor: Kathryn Himoff 

Cast: Eric Stoltz, Julie Delpy, Jean-Hughes Angalade, Gary Kemp, Salvator Xuereb, Bruce Ramsey, Tai Thai, Kario Salem, Cecilia Peak, Ron Jeremy

Zed has only just arrived in beautiful Paris and already he’s up to no good. Having just slept with a call girl, he spends a night on the town with his dangerous friends. They all decide to rob a bank the following day. There’s only one problem: Zed’s call girl, Zoe, just happens to work at the bank which is to be robbed!

This film had all the makings of a good movie. While it has a typical bank robber film premise, only set in France. It is noteworthy for being the feature writing and directing debut of Roger Avary. Co-writer of PULP FICTION with Quentin Tarantino (Who executive produced this film) 

Here the film is about Zed, an American safecracker. How many are there anymore or have they all become hackers? He comes to France to help his friend rob a bank. He is a heroin user and is waiting for a job. He hires a hooker who the next day we actually find out is a bank teller at the bank.

This is a very strange film. The bank robbers are a multi-ethnic crew but all look grungy and dress like fabulous 1980s & 90’s archetypes. They all come off as euro trash.

The film is more dialogue-based, but when there is action. It is swift, grotesque, and merciless. 

There are scenes of just sitting around while different revelry goes on around them And the conversation feels more rambling.

The first half of the film is subdued with weird women wanting to go home with the men. So they can abuse them. Then there is a revelation from his friend that takes hold to maybe the nihilistic attitude he takes throughout. 

Then there is the drunken distorted sex scene in a bathroom. Where we can’t tell if it’s male on male. 

It starts to get a bit more exciting in the second half of the film with the bank robbery. Where just going in is a massacre. Then when they are stuck in a stand-off situation. It gets a lot worse with Zed, down in the basement not knowing what is going on upstairs and his friend going further and further off the deep end. Trying to plan an escape and each idea continuously fails. Zed has his own drama with a guard burned alive and half dead, begging for him to end his suffering. 

The ending is remarkable as everything comes to a head with Zed finding out what is really going on. His confrontation with his friend Eric. The discovery of Zoe in the bank and the cops coming in to end the standoff.

Other than having some cliches in the film. It also offered things that movies rarely Depict or bother giving any Credence or screen time to. It was also one of the few films that showed a female character could be more than one thing. One didn’t necessarily define the other. Female Characters could be complex and multifaceted. Keep in mind I was 15 When i first saw the film 

While the ending is a little curious. The film as a whole is just strange and while it can easily be lumped in with the 90’s crime movie genre or even a Tarantino knockoff. It is original in many aspects and might be disappointing for audience members looking for a more typical cops and robbers heist film. 

I remember being very excited to see this film in Theaters. As I was a huge Tarantino. Fan and knew of the controversy surrounding Tarantino and Roger Avery. It seems like Tarantino is producing. This was a favor for pulp fiction, so Avery having to manage things on his own in this film could be seen as daunting for a first-time filmmaker as I watched this in the theater. I could see some influences, and how he maybe wanted the film to be different from the cliché 

In doing so the film now seems really cliché as most bank robbery films do the same and try to seem like they have an original voice and really don’t as they try to humanize more of the side characters, who would normally never be the center of attention. Even though this at the time was one of the first. 

While this film has some sharp dialogue after watching this even though one was thrown off balance, and scratching my head,  like what just happened it will definitely keep you on your toes and I will say it’s an interesting rental, but don’t hold your breath for greatness. Even though it does have its fans, Roger Avery made a sequel to the film unofficially.

Grade: B-