Film Filter: Off- So this is the first blog of the thriller persuasion, deviating slightly from the horror genre. I cannot pass up an Ashley Judd film, though, and I did state that this was a horror/thriller blog, so sue me.
Pros- Well, let's not beat around the bush, the biggest positive note in this film is that Ashley Judd is kind of a ho'. I mean that with all due respect, but how many countless movies has she been in where she's been abused, battered, cheated on, or hurt- it's about time she becomes the queen of one night stands with strangers! This proves to be a troublesome hobby when all the men she has slept with start coming up dead. Whoops. As a cop with a deceased serial killer for a father, you can only guess who they're pointing the finger at. This is a good thriller because the plot moves along rather quickly, and while it's fun to guess who the next dead ex will be, it is tougher to guess who the one responsible is. Andy Garcia does a nice job as the calm, collected partner, while Samuel L. Jackson also does well in his supporting role. Again, let's not forget my love of themes when it comes to murder. I don't care how simplistic, it's always nice to have a themed motive in a murder flick- it provides a means on which to formulate guesses on who is responsible, and it adds a new depth to the plot. This time, it happens to be former lovers of Ashley Judd, which proves to be a very personal, and tough trend for her to discover.
Cons- Although Judd portrays an excellent inspector, she tends to also portray a fairly dim girlfriend. The men she's dated that get enough screen time to hear a story about them are both arrogant and aggressive. For someone who's supposed to have great character perception in her job, she sure doesn't have it on the dating field. She also lacks in the brains department when it comes time to settle in to bed every night, and her evening glass of wine causes her to drop to the floor and pass out. It's a new wine called Sauvignon Rohypnol, and it's a dry red. If it were me, I'd have joined AA, and quick. Not that she abuses alcohol in the movie, but if my wine did that to me I'd probably stop drinking it. Lastly, there are many good things about this plot and the back stories of the characters. Once the killer's identity is discovered, though, those clever, creative plot twists become very dull and in some cases non-existent. I love a good plot with lots of background knowledge, but even the satisfaction of knowing the killer gets anti-climactic if that knowledge risks the sabatoge of what has already been provided as good plot knowledge.
Wrap-up- This is a really good movie, until just about the end. It's so true that the finale can make or break the production, and it's still a good movie, but the inconsistencies and nose-dive of the plot leave it in just the average category. Check it out, though, if this type of movie is up your alley.
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