Untraceable
GREEN’S “YOU KNOW YOU’D WATCH IT TOO” REVIEW:Creepy. From the opening scene to the end, that’s what this movie is. Creepy because you know there’s probably some computer hacker geek who hasn’t thought about trying to figure out a way to actually kill people and broadcast it live over the Internet, just like the killer does in this movie. In addition, the sick part is you would probably watch it because you‘d be curious. Heck, I probably would too, for the very same reason, loath as I am to admit it.
I've said it before and it bears repeating: Diane Lane is simply one of the best actresses in the business today. Period. Just as underrated as her real life husband, Josh Brolin ("No Country for Old Men".) In this movie, Lane takes a role that five or ten years ago would have automatically had a male lead, probably the likes of Arnold or maybe Harrison Ford, Denzel Washington or someone comparable, and made it her own. She makes for a very credible FBI agent and brings a toughness to the character, yet the story still allows her to be compassionate as well. Colin (son of Tom) Hanks and Billy Burke are both excellent as the colleague and the cop. Joseph Cross is sufficiently creepy as Owen Reilly. Director Gregory Hoblit does a good job of keeping the story flowing and moving in the right direction.
The script follows the basic action/thriller/serial killer plot and will not wow you. You know - unknown bad guy emerges, kills a few people in horrific but original ways, stumps the authorities for a bit then eventually gets taken down by the local law enforcement agency. Still it is a compelling story because you want to see the gruesome killings and you want to see the killer brought to justice.
The DVD contains some excellent featurettes which are very informative and worthwhile viewing. It has been quite a while since I have been weirded out by a movie but this one did exactly that. The DVD case proclaims “Untraceable” to be the Internet age’s version of “Silence of the Lambs.” Maybe it’s as good as that film was, maybe it isn’t. What it is is a good, suspenseful movie. I’d say well worth the 101 minutes of your valuable time.
**** out of *****
SCRIBE'S I CAN'T BELIEVE JIMMY OLSEN IS KILLING PEOPLE ONLINE AND SUPERMAN HASN'T STOPPED HIM YET REVIEW:
Let me make two things perfectly clear: I hate movies about serial killers, firmly believing both they and vampire films should be banned for at least ten years, and Diane Lane has made some truly terrible movies in her career.However, this isn't one of them and, in fact, it's pretty good. As Green so expertly describes the plot, I will provide only a brief overview. Someone is committing murder online and these are killings that can only occur based on the amount of hits the website receives.
The film is a harsh indictment of an unfettered Internet, going a bit too far to make the point. Comparisons to other serial killer films are unfair as they are basically all the same anyway. What distinguishes this one is the hook.
Watching the horrific murders on the screen is reminiscent of the beheadings committed by Al-Queda. They're a tad too elaborate to be believable, but not as bizarre as the killings committed in "The Cell" with Jennifer Lopez.
The acting is fine. Nothing special but competent, with the exception of Smallville's Joseph Cross, a young actor with quite a future. He has a dark, edgy quality on the weekly TV show where he portrays a very different Jimmy Olsen and it serves him well in his role as Owen the tech savvy serial killer with a politically correct reason for why he's killing people.
Sadly, this a film lacking in any significant imagery. Director Gregory Hoblit shoots the film like a movie of the week featuring rock video jump cuts whenever there's something disturbing happening. His lackluster directing hampers an already flawed concept and drags the storyline in a few significant spots. A better director like David Fincher would have served this film better.
Still, "Untraceable" is undeniably watchable. I consider "Silence of the Lambs" to be one of the most overrated pieces of crap ever filmed so this movie couldn't have possibly been worse by comparison.Compelling, for the most part, it mostly gets a decent review from me because it's a fresh idea in a moldy genre.
*** out of *****
(For the record, I never watched the Nicholas Berg beheading and I would not have watched this either.)
Labels: review
posted by Tim @ 19:23
10 Comments:
First of all, I dissagree with scribe's opinion of
Silence of the Lambs being an 'overrated piece of crap', i happen to believe it was a very good movie/book. The only similarity that i found between SOL
and Untracable, was the creepiness.
I enjoyed watching these people die horrible painful deaths. my kind of film.
You disagree with my views on Silence of the Hams but, hoping there's sarcasm afoot here, you enjoyed the grisly death scenes. Yeah...I think I'm ok with the disagreeing part LOL
I haven't watched Silence of the Lambs/Hams in a long time, but do recall it being rather disturbing.
I don't think Rusty is kidding about enjoying the grisly death scenes, considering he owns all of the Friday the 13th movies and has watched all of them many times.
Scary that this kid is related to me, huh?
I've never gotten into watching Smallville, but aside from that I would agree that Joseph Cross has a bright future ahead of him.
Which of Diane Lane's movies would you rate as truly terrible? I can't recall any in the truly terrible category.
Wow you guys liked this piece of $hit?
Come on, the last shot with the FBI Badge - WTF? All in all, minus 10 for predictability.
It was however, a good concept that could have been a good movie with a better cast of characters and a better, or should I say more exciting storyline. If action and suspense is what you are looking for, skip this movie and watch Law and Order instead. Better yet, just stay home and watch the news.
Not impressed, and that ending shot? really made me laugh and think what a waste of almost 2 hours.
Don't hide your feelings, bluez, tell us what you really think.
(PS that's okay, we're allowed to disagree... as in our opinions of the previously reviewed movie.)
I was not being sarcastic. I would never be able to watch something like that happen in real life, but in a movie, knowing its fake entertains me
Yeah, Bluez really needs to work on that passive aggressive streak. For the record, i judge films like this on a much lower curve because most of them, with the exception of Seven, suck ass.
scribe, how can you not generally like movies about serial killers and like a movie like, "No Country for Old Men?" In a way you could classify/compare Javier Bardem's character in that movie as a serial killer.
I don't see it that way. No Country was about human greed and avarice and the consequences of our actions in a hostile universe. I was raised by a psychologist so serial killers hold no special fascination for me.
Wow for once we're waiting for green to get HIS shapely arse in gear...
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