Lady Terminator (1988) aka Pembalasan ratu pantai selatan aka Nasty Hunter aka Shooting Star aka The Revenge of the South Seas Queen

4 / 5 Nov '09
Tagline: She Mates... Then She Terminates
Directed by: H. Tjut Djalil
Written by: Karr Kruinowz
Actors include: Barbara Anne Constable, Christopher J. Hart, Claudia Angelique Rademaker
Genre: Action, Horror
Length: 82 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:

So I'm guessing that in Indonesia that the The Terminator must have been really popular. This tale starts out to be one thing but definitely ends up another. It starts out with everyone warning to avoid "the sea queen", an Anthropologist goes on a trek to meet the sea queen and ends up having some sort of slug crawl into an unmentionable area. From that point on, she's imitating Arnold Schwarzenegger what with the robotic running, sideways glances and even some of the same catch phrases! I think the biggest difference is that Arnold wasn't screwing people to death! This is rather cheaply made and laughable in many places but they certainly tried their hardest. They filled it full of car chases, explosions, action sequences, fights and a whole bunch of red stuff! It's actually pretty darned fun to watch though I did find I was shaking my head in disbelief many times. I actually think this was better than the real 4th Terminator movie, heck this is on par with the 3rd one. If you can't get enough Terminator and want to see a naked female version (she does put on clothes after a while) then this should be turbo packed enough for most! A rather strange fan entry into the series but worthwhile for fans of the ridiculous!

Availability:  On DVD

Cardiac Arrest (1980)

2 / 5 Nov '09
Tagline: Some killers want more than just your life...
Directed by: Murray Mintz
Written by: Murray Mintz
Actors include: Garry Goodrow, Max Gail, Michael Paul Chan
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Drama
Length: 93 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
A very cheap looking film about a fellow they call "The Missing Hearts Murderer"...seriously! The detectives just bumble about doing stupid thing with evidence after stupid thing. The actors are less than skilled, and it's as dry as can possibly be especially with the dialog...sheesh! It appears that the culprit is using Curare darts to stun the victim before removing the heart...could it be? What could the possible motive be? As this goes on we follow a Woman who has issues with her heart who needs a transplant who is left with only luck for a donor. That is until she receives a phone call offering to remove the element of chance with her wait... It's not really a horror flick (though falsely billed as one), Police flick yes and maybe a thriller (although I wasn't thrilled) but more likely a mystery...the only violence is darkly lit and barely visible and it seems like so little happens over a very long time. It's definitely not something I'd recommend to anyone as there are better films about this subject matter and seriously I did have to force myself to sit through it sadly. It's very cheesy and maybe a laugh or two to be had within but I'm afraid that's the best you're gonna get! Really it's like an extended Matlock episode only less charming unfortunately.

Availability:  On DVD (but OOP) or watch for free here:  http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=3385159241218680804&ei=2dYUS_CgPJPllQfx6pG6Dg&q=cardiac+arrest+1980&hl=en

Scarface (1983)

5 / 5  May '11
Tagline:  The world is yours...
Directed by:  Brian De Palma
Written by:  Oliver Stone
Actors include:  Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer
Genre:  Crime, Drama, Thriller
Length:  170 minutes
Banned:  Nope

Review:
I've maybe only seen a handful of gangster films, but this one definitely takes the cake.  It's one of the rare occasions that a remake eclipses the original but it most definitely does.  I'm a big fan of [Artist435211]'s work but I'd have to agree that this is his masterpiece.  It's so insanely brutal and violent and it's got such a striking message to go with it.  Scarface ([Artist161806] in the role of his life) is a Cuban immigrant in Miami who gets involved in organized crime.  Before you know it, he's eyeing up the Bosses old lady ([Artist230874]), making deals on his own and getting into loads of trouble.  It really takes you through the rise and eventual domination of Scarface showing us all the gory details and betrayals.  It's brilliantly made, it's absolutely riveting and the details and characters are unforgettable.  Definitely one of the best movies I've ever seen, I'm really kicking myself for not seeing this earlier.

Availability:  On DVD

He Knows You're Alone (1980) aka Blood Wedding

3 / 5 Dec '09
Tagline:  Every girl is frightened the night before her wedding, but this time... there's good reason!
Directed by: Armand Mastroianni
Written by: Scott Parker
Actors include: Don Scardino, Caitlin O'Heaney, Elizabeth Kemp
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Length: 94 minutes
Banned: Iceland

Review:
Although it does have the odd imaginative death this film is anything but. I liked Halloween too but the lengths this film goes through to "borrow" from it are ridiculous, even the music sounds like fake Halloween music. They didn't bother with a plot though, this just has a silent large killer who sorta shows up everywhere (gee where have I heard that before?). It's filled with boring teen drama, our lead character is engaged to a feller that folks don't seem to like so much, but her ex boyfriend is trying to win her back and everyone likes this. That takes up most of the movie, but when people aren't pitching woo at Amy she's seeing the murderer everywhere. It's well filmed actually and reasonably well put together I suppose it's just the talky bits are too many and not enough really happens. Some more back story would have been greatly appreciated but if it would have made the film longer, I'd pass. It's too bad because it actually does start out a whole lot stronger than it finishes. If you adore all slashers then you'll want to see this one too but if not then this certainly won't sell you on them.

Availability:  On DVD

Blood Simple. (1984)

4.5 / 5 Jan '10
Tagline: Breaking up is hard.
Directed by: Joel Cohen, Ethan Cohen
Written by: Joel Cohen, Ethan Cohen
Actors include: Frances McDormand, John Getz, Dan Hedaya
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Drama
Length: 99 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This is one impressively bleak down-trodden first effort from the Cohen brothers, but it's also very impactful and interesting. I did stay away from this one for a while because of the words "film noir" which attach themselves to this picture. I was rather foolish in that as this was easy to understand and captivating pretty much from the moment it beings until the moment it ends. Frances McDormand was wonderful as Abby a cheating wife who's new feller Ray would do just about anything for her. The problem is Abby's rich ex-husband has hired a hitman to kill Abby & Ray but he gets a little more than he has bargained for. It's got tons of twists and turns and surprises around every corner but the sinking feeling it creates won't go away until the film is over. This has some nice blood, a great story and it's extremely memorable, a very cool film from team Cohen.

Availability:  On DVD

Fatal Attraction (1987)

3.5 / 5
Tagline: On the other side of drinks, dinner and a one night stand, lies a terrifying love story
Directed by: Adrian Lyne
Written by: James Deardon
Actors include: Glenn Close, Michael Douglas, Anne Archer
Genre: Thriller
Length: 119 minutes
Banned: Malaysia

Review:
If something seems too easy then there is probably something terribly wrong with it. Well that seems to be the lesson here as Alex (Glenn Close) enters the life of colleague Dan Michael Douglas. See Dan is happily married though when his Wife & Kid are away for the weekend he invites her over for a sex romp. Once the family is back Dan doesn't want anything to do with Alex, but Alex doesn't take no for an answer. She obsessively stalks (and is great as a creepy psycho) and torments him appearing everywhere determined to destroy him (or have him back who knows?). The acting definitely makes this worth your while and well I think the lesson isn't a bad one either. I think my biggest complaint is that it's longer than it really needs to be. Still worthwhile for those who like scary psychos!

Availability:  On DVD & Blu-Ray

The Fourth Man (1983) aka De Vierde Man aka The 4th Man

4.5 / 5 Mar '10
Tagline: Christine is young, beautiful and rich. Her three husbands all died tragically. It's time for Christine to find her fourth man.
Directed by: Paul Verhoeven
Written by: Gerard Reve, Gerard Soeteman
Actors include: Jeroen Krabbé, Renée Soutendijk, Thom Hoffman
Genre: Thriller
Length: 102 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This is one unusual film and a completely unexpected surprise especially when you compare to Paul Verhoeven's later works (which is all I've really seen until now). It's sort of in the spirit of Brian De Palma yet it's far from being a copycat of sorts. The story is about a jerkish gay Catholic writer who suffers from hallucinations (likely Catholic guilt about his homosexuality). During a press conference he is fascinated with a Woman named Christine (Renée Soutendijk who is videotaping him, and the two wind up in some sort of affair. He's especially pleased that Christine looks rather masculine, only he learns she has a serious lover that he offers to help her with. She brings the lover back to the house (and see our writer is obsessed with the male lover which was his motivation for wanting to help). When the writer uncovers that Christine is actually looking for her fourth husband and that unfortunate accidents have happened to the first few he can't stop seeking facts even past the point of danger. It's one heck of an enthralling tale, really absurd and somewhat morbidly humorous even oh and I should warn you that there will be a lot of penis in this film. It's one heck of a strange perverse artistic thriller that although at first it somewhat confusing rest assured it will all be explained. This is the sort of film that I can't imagine forgetting, it really makes me wonder what else Verhoeven has created, I wonder if all of his Dutch language films are as intriguing as this one?

Availability:  On DVD

Fade To Black (1980)

4 / 5 Mar '10
Tagline: Meet Eric Binford, the ultimate movie buff. If you know someone like him... run!
Directed by: Vernon Zimmerman
Written by: Vernon Zimmerman
Actors include: Dennis Christopher, Tim Thomerson, Gwynne Gilford
Genre: Horror, Comedy, Action, Thriller, Drama
Length: 102 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Now this was one heck of an original treat cram packed with various Movie memorabilia and trivia for just about any movie lover. Many of the quotes and characters were things that I know nothing of (not being a Noir fan for the most part) but much of it was entertaining. The story is about movie obsessed geek (kinda like a demented film geek version of Napoleon Dynamite) Eric Binford (brilliantly played by Dennis Christopher) who is a bit socially inept to to his hobbies. He works at a film company but isn't respected, his home life is a crappy too as he has been raised by his nasty abusive Aunt. Life starts looking up when he meets a gorgeous look-alike who actually seems to like him. Being as how she's flighty she forgets their date and stands Eric up which sends him over the edge. Soon he's emulating characters in films and painting his face and he starts believing he is the characters. The main one he becomes is from the film White Heat but he also turns into Bela Lugosi (which is why the face paint on the cover) in Dracula and many more. It really is spot the cultural reference throughout the entire film which is a great deal of fun. This will appeal to a very select few, but those who love nerds getting revenge in violent ways should absolutely love this and the comedy bits are quite funny too. This is something I'll definitely have to watch again to try and soak up even more of it, very well done especially for a rather unknown low key movie. Highly entertaining and definitely recommended, a real treat even though it's maybe technically not the best movie.

Availability:  On DVD

Sonny Boy (1989)

3.5 / 5 Mar '10
Tagline: N/A
Directed by: Robert Martin Carroll
Written by: Graeme Whifler, Peter Desberg
Actors include: David Carradine, Paul L. Smith, Brad Dourif
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller, Exploitation, Comedy
Length: 97 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This could be one of the weirdest movies I've ever seen. It's not particularly well shot, it feels very straight to video and with every minute it seems to get increasingly more bizarre. It's kinda like a mix of Bad Boy Bubby, Raising Arizona and Mad Max 2 only much cheaper and more mean spirited I suppose. The story is about a fat man named Slue who is sort of a mob syndicate for a backwards town (the whole thing is quite surreal in a way) and his lovely wife (?) Pearl (David Carradine in a dress with bad make-up...he would never pass). When they send their crime henchman the irritating Weasle (Brad Dourif) to do bad things he kills a couple and accidentally kidnaps their baby in their stolen car. The baby Pearl wants to keep as his/her own and they call him Sonny Boy. From there they abuse the heck out of the kid in every possible way (it's pretty nasty, they even cut out his tongue for his 6th birthday) and lock him away and feed him raw chickens and stuff. From there they decide he's a really good weapon so they start unleashing him to commit crimes for him. It sort of goes on from there in an insanely exploitative manner, but unfortunately it did feel like it went on for a little too long and it did try a little too hard to be weird. Still if you like films that make you not believe your own eyes this is a must see. Something tells me David Carradine would want to be remembered this way...

Availability:  Never been on DVD

Escape From New York (1981)

4 / 5 Apr '10
Tagline: The world's greatest leader is a hostage in the most dangerous place on Earth. Now only the deadliest man alive can save him.
Directed by: John Carpenter
Written by: John Carpenter, Nick Castle
Actors include: Kurt Russell, Ernest Borgnine, Lee Van Cleef
Genre: Action, Science Fiction
Length: 99 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This was a rather entertaining dystopic flick that takes place in the future: 1997. Well luckily for us 1997 looked nothing like this film, here they have New York City as a maximum security prison full of thugs. When Airforce One is taken over, the current president (the very British Donald Pleasance) escapes in his pod (just like the Simpsons of course) lands in New York City. One of the biggest thugs The Duke (Isaac Hayes) takes the President hostage and offers them a finger of his in order to get attention and have their demands met. Kurt Russell plays the eye patched hero Snake who is also kind of a bad guy but they make an offer for him to safely return the President. It has some exciting chase sequences and some really impressive shots of New York and some colorful characters and a cast of impressive actors too. This isn't my favorite from John Carpenter and I actually expected it to be a little more thrilling than it was. Still it was quite enjoyable and a fair bit of fun, definitely has classic moments and is quite iconic.

Availability:  On DVD & Blu-Ray

Witness (1985)

4 / 5 May '10
Tagline: Harrison Ford is John Book - A big city cop who knows too much. His only evidence: a small boy who's seen too much...
Directed by: Peter Weir
Written by: William Kelley, Pamela Wallace
Actors include: Lukas Haas, Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis
Genre: Thriller, Drama
Length: 112 minute
Banned: Nope

Review:
This was a rather exciting and tense thriller with an unusual premise. Harrison Ford plays a cop named John Book who is sent to solve the crime of a murdered Police Officer found in a bathroom. The thing is, the witness is a little Amish boy who's Family want nothing to do with the Police but of course they are forced to work together. They also have to hide out in Amish county so John Book has to get used to doing things a little differently. It's a bit of a touching film as everyone learns a little something from one another and it has a bit of a sense of humor which I suppose is why it has more of a broad appeal than most thrillers. The thing is, this tale involves other Police Officers and nowhere is really safe anymore, and that's where it really gets exciting. The acting is really impressive and in our cast we also get Danny Glover, Kelly McGillis and a very young Lukas Haas and the story is very well made too. Definitely recommended to most everyone, heck even my Grandparents seemed to like it!

Availability:  On DVD

To Live And Die In L.A. (1985)

3.5 / 5 May '10
Tagline: The director of "The French Connection" is on the streets again!
Directed by: William Friedkin
Written by: William Friedkin, Gerald Petievich
Actors include: William Petersen, Willem Dafoe, John Pankow
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Length: 116 minutes
Banned: Norway

Review:
I was not as enamored with this as I'd thought I might be. I adored The French Connection, and this has a rather similar nature, it's just not as effective and it has a few problems with it. First of all the plot is kinda silly, it's all about counterfeit money...seriously. An idiotically obsessed Cop (William Petersen) gets a boner for revenge against a counterfeitter when his Partner is killed two days before retirement (seriously...cliche city!). His new partner wants to play by the rules but he's a frickin' moron who is determined to commission counterfeit money from Willem Dafoe. The music is horrendous, it's all done by Wang Chung who spent most of the movie pretending they were Tangerine Dream, distractingly bad. The first half of the film also doesn't have a heck of a lot going on, a few fine moments jumbled in with a lot of mediocre stuff. The last half is exciting, particularly the ending which definitely made up for many shortcomings it has. The film is quite violent which I appreciate, and there is a pretty awesome chase scene here too but I've seen better. It's worth a watch, but hang in there and don't expect to be as impressed by this as some of the other similar thrillers out there.

Availability:  On DVD & Blu-Ray

Amsterdamned (1988)

4 / 5 May '10
Tagline: The city is murder
Directed by: Dick Maas
Written by: Dick Maas
Actors include: Huub Stapel, Monique van de Ven, Serge-Henri Valcke
Genre: Thriller, Horror, Action
Length: 114 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Ever since I heard the name of this film when I was a little girl I've wanted to see it...how could you not? Luckily it was as good as it's name, I found this to be a rather original and scenic thriller film thanks to dutch director Dick Maas (De lift [The Lift]). It's very cool that it was shot in the canals of Amsterdamned, it has an exciting speed boat chase, gruesome murders and intrigue! The idea is that there is a serial killer who is into diving and he lurks in the canals springing up at any time to collect his next victim. It's in the style of a who-dunnit, almost like a giallo film which is pretty neat. We follow around a Police Officer and his daughter as they try to figure out who the killer is and of course prevent the next victim from being claimed. This really does have a bit of everything, it's got a sense of humor even...they really made this an interesting little film that should appeal to most.

Availability:  On DVD (region 2 though)

Shoot To Kill (1988)

4 / 5 Jun '10
Tagline: It's about staying alive.
Directed by: Roger Spottiswoode
Written by: Harv Zimmel
Actors include: Kirstie Alley, Sidney Poitier, Tom Berrenger
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Length: 110 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This was a pretty exciting little adventure thriller that really did try to incorporate something for everyone. It's about a cunning serial killer who uses hostages for protection then shoots them in the eye when finished. He manages to escape and hide within a group of adventurers led by Sarah (Kirstie Alley) out in the mountains. Sarah's pro-adventurer boyfriend Jonathan (Tom Berenger) is forced to team up with determined a determined FBI agent (Sidney Poitier) to track them down in the mountains. Lots of things go wrong and the scenery is spectacular! It's got graphic violence, danger, surprise, dare devil stuff, many chases in various vehicles and even a laugh or too. The cast is very recognizable and they all do a good job (okay Berrenger is a little over the top), it's a pretty entertaining flick. Probably one of the most well rounded thrillers I've seen, most should like this I'd think.

Availability:  On DVD

Special Effects (1984)

2 / 5 June '10
Tagline: Mary Jean is just dying to get into the movies... She's about to get her wish.
Directed by: Larry Cohen
Written by: Larry Cohen
Actors include: Zoe Lund, Eric Bogosian, Brad Rijn
Genre: Thriller, Horror, Drama
Length: 103 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
This is a bottom of the barrel rip-off of Brian De Palma that has very little in the way of redeeming qualities. I was intrigued by this because I usually like Larry Cohen pictures, and I loved lead actress Zoë Lund in Ms .45. The thing was in that role she was mute...this is one of the only other roles she's starred in and with a voice it seems obvious why...she was not a very good actress. You will see her boobs many times, and watch her clumsily play two roles. She plays an actress who is strangled to death by the director of the film (it happens near the beginning of the film so I'm not wrecking anything). Her boyfriend looks guilty in the eyes of the Police so they focus on him. The thing is that the director video taped her death so he intends to use this footage to make his own film. Now they have the chore of finding a look-alike which of course they do quickly in order to shoot the rest of the scenes from the film. It's a lot like Body Double only a whole lot crappier from the bad music, stupid plot and neverending supply of dull moments. Very much not worth seeking out unfortunately, I really did think it would have been so much more.

Availability:  On DVD

Dead Calm (1989)

4 / 5 Jun '10
Tagline: A Voyage Into Fear
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
Written by: Charles Williams, Terry Hayes
Actors include: Sam Neill, Nicole Kidman, Billy Zane
Genre: Thriller
Length: 96 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
I actually brought this over to my Folk's house to watch and they said they'd seen this at least 4 times and that it was amazing so how could I resist? For once I agree with them...okay well maybe I wouldn't watch this four times but it was a very exciting and thrilling flick. John (Sam Neill) and Rae (Nicole Kidman) are a couple who are trying to get their lives together while relaxing on a sailboat after a devastating car crash. Things are going amazing until Hughie (Billy Zane) turns up in a rowboat claiming that he is the lone survivor on his ship. He claimed that disease had killed all of the passengers aboard and that the ship was sinking and that he needed help. They take him aboard but something about his story doesn't seem to click with John (he's from the Navy I believe) so he goes to check out the ship he came from. From there it's all excitement pretty much and it's very tense as of course we find that Hughie isn't exactly what he claims to be. I liked that this plot did sort of edge on horror yet it also crams many exciting and frightening situations within. Very well done and should be the sort of thing that nearly anyone should enjoy.

Availability:  On DVD & Blu-Ray

Blue Velvet (1986)

4.5 / 5 Jun '10

Tagline: The Most Talked About Film of the Decade
Directed by: David Lynch
Written by: David Lynch
Actors include: Kyle MacLaughlan, Laura Dern, Dennis Hopper
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Length: 120 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Well fortunately this isn't too weird, in fact it's actually rather easy to follow for a David Lynch film. We follow nosy mystery lovin' Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) who stumbles upon a severed ear in a field. He brings it to the local Police Man who's daughter Sandy (Laura Dern) assists Jeffrey with details about the case. Jeffrey becomes so obsessed he actually breaks into the house of a singer named Dorothy (Isabella Rossellini) who is suspected to be involved with the ear somehow. He of course starts to piece things together and ends up in a strange relationship with Dorothy and several frightening underworld figures. Dennis Hopper plays an absolute psycho called Frank Booth who is one of the big bad guys of course, but it's a performance I doubt anyone will forget. It's one heck of a strange and bizarre mystery to be wound up in and it's an entertaining film as it all unfolds. You aren't going to get the answers to everything...it's not that kind of film. You will get a film that is extremely stylish, often darkly funny and tense and strange. Recommended even to those afraid of Lynch, heck I really hated Lost Highway but this I like!

Availability:  On DVD

Angel Heart (1987)

3 / 5 Jul '10
Tagline: It will scare you to your very soul.
Directed by: Alan Parker
Written by: William Hjortsberg, Alan Parker
Actors Include:  Mickey Rourke, Robert De Niro, Lisa Bonet
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Length: 113 minutes
Banned: Nope

Review:
Well I kinda thought this would be a really good film, heck nearly everyone seems to think so. I'm in the minority here as I didn't really see anything refreshing, shocking, horrific or even scary. Just naked [Artist440936] if that be your pleasure. Well okay there is a plot, Private Dick Harry Angel ([Artist84952]) is called upon by Louis Cypher (how original...in fact that was a bit too much of a clue for me). Angel's mission is to find a fella called Johnny Favorite who definitely doesn't want to be found. When people start turning up dead and he starts witnessing some strange things, the story gets thicker. It's got a fair bit in common with [Film5479] (which came out the same year) only I kind of liked the other film a bit better although neither wowed me to be honest. I will give this credit for being nicely filmed and relatively well acted I suppose and it creates a decent atmosphere. I just thought it needed more meat, more excitement and a bit more of a surprise, especially considering the hype that follows it around.

Availability:  On DVD & Blu-Ray

Deadline (1981)

3.5 / 5 July '10
Tagline: His obsession was to create the ultimate horror story... his curse was to live it.
Directed by: Mario Azzopardi
Written by: Mario Azzopardi
Actors include: Stephen Young, Sharon Masters, Marvin Goldhar
Genre: Action, Horror, Thriller, Drama
Length: 85 minutes
Banned: Iceland

Review:
Considering this is a rarely mentioned horror film of the '80s it actually rather entertaining. It revolves around a Stephen King-like author named Steven (how clever) who is a rather large jerk. He ignores his family, friends and other obligations in order to write and before long things get confusing. See the line between fantasy and reality are getting blurred for him, visions from his films are becoming real and he's not sure what end is up anymore. The neatest part of this film are the bizarre and sometimes even disgusting and bloody bits from his movies that appear including cannibalistic Nuns, grandma abuse and many other bizarre things. The further he gets wrapped up in this the more his family falls apart and that is a rather disturbing angle actually. It's a shame that the story wasn't a tad more cohesive and explanatory (particularly when it comes to the ending), but I definitely give it credit for ambition and style. It should please most any '80s horror fan, you'll probably see a thing or two.  Oh and be on the look out for the band [Artist5948] who make quite an impression in this film with their insane performance.

Availability:  Not on DVD

Cruising (1980)

4 / 5 July '10
Tagline: Al Pacino is Cruising for a killer.
Directed by: William Friedkin
Written by: William Friedkin, Gerald Walker
Actors include: Al Pacino, Paul Sorvino, Karen Allen
Genre: Thriller
Length: 102 minutes
Banned: Finland

Review:
Wow what a gritty sleazy thriller and I'm a little shocked at how far this one goes, but I like it. Al Pacino is really wonderful as undercover detective Steve Burns who has a rather difficult task ahead of him. He is on assignment to find a serial killer who brutally stabs men to death after picking them up from gay s&m clubs. Steve must blend in with the people and of course ends up in some difficult situations, especially considering he has a girlfriend at home who he has to keep in the dark. It's quite exciting, and flashy and it even has one heck of a dancing sequence with Pacino. It's brutal and violent and well it's probably a bit too much for some. Really my only complaint was the ending, I had something else in mind but I suppose it all made sense and all of that. It's not Friedkin's best, but I think it's an interesting movie so long as the subject matter doesn't put you off.

Availability:  On DVD