lathe-of-heaven
BRIEF BLU-RAY REVIEW: This Blu-ray is SHARP! Yes, they likely did some DNR (digital noise reduction) since this is one of the earlier Blu-rays, but not detrimentally so. The picture is sharp, clean and very nice looking. For a 2000 film it looks awesome, and the sound is very good too.Now, to the film...I sure don't understand some of these very nasty and negative reviews. This was quite simply a riveting, well made, well acted Crime Thriller. I honestly don't know what more you could want or ask for in a film of this type. One person here said something about MTV and 'Frenetic Editing'...??? WHAT...?! It was exactly the opposite. YES, the film and visual techniques are indeed stylized, but there is absolutely NOTHING 'Frenetic' about it. Watch the 2nd and 3rd 'Bourne' films if you want to see what frenetic editing looks like. There is a total absence of palsy-induced, shaky camera work. The shots are classically structured and edited. The style comes in with some nice colouring effects thrown in HERE AND THERE and I personally REALLY loved the soundtrack. Yes, it is from it's time, but the songs are very effective and there is a nice blend of original scoring too that fits the film quite nicely. Technically, to me anyway, the film is flawless and looked and sounded great (especially on Blu-ray :)Whether you like Keanu or not might have a bearing as to how much you like the film. I felt that for the part that he played that he pulled it off nicely and his characterization was perfect. I have always really loved James Spader (platonically :) I think he is the living $h!tz of cool. I've just always really dug the understated and low- key, sardonic slant that he gives his characters. All the other supporting actors / actresses did a fine job that also fit in very well with the tone and feel of the film.It is a Classic Serial Killer / Police Thriller with great action, excellent pacing, and a nice time-appropriate feel and style. I really liked the director and the way he did the film very much. I was quite surprised to see that he did not go on to make very many more films. For this Genre, I felt that he delivered a very effective movie. It certainly is not just Mindless Action as so many others are. There is a very real soul and believability to the characters and why they do what they do. I think that the mood and overall feel of the film is perfect, with a well suited soundtrack. Oh, without giving anything away, I LOVED the scene at about 37 minutes as the cops gather briefly in the mall to look for the current victim. Truly Classic!I don't know... maybe people are all into the current trend of Dark, moody Noir Thrillers that are coming out now. And, granted, I love those too, I really do. BUT... I guess even though this was made only about 15 years ago, it's look and style might be considered kind of antiquated compared to newer films. That may be true. But, in my lowly and wretched opinion, I feel that that is NO reason to dismiss this highly entertaining and involving Thriller just because it comes from a slightly different era. Some jaded numbnut snobs here glibly state, "Full of '90s clichés" That just simply is not true. There are a TON of very blah, pointless, and NON-entertaining Crime Thrillers out there, believe me. But, THIS is most definitely NOT one of them...FWIW, here is my take on movies in general. And, I PROMISE not to go on and bore you to death... Simply this: No matter WHAT the style, time period, or Genre, a Movie is a Movie. It is either a good movie or a bad movie (or many times something in between) Now, there may be certain TYPES of movies that you just don't like. For example, for me I find no entertainment value in sadistic Torture Porn films. Others may really like them, but I can say that for me personally, categorically I just do not like them. Okay... Some say that the first 'SAW' film was very clever and a new approach to Horror. Fine... I can acknowledge that for that type of film, it is probably one of the best. But, I just don't like those types. So, the same may be true about this film here. Maybe you don't like the more glossy, somewhat stylized Crime Thrillers that were made 15-20 years ago; maybe they just go against your grain and aren't your 'thing'. well, in that case I would say then that it is likely that you may not enjoy this one, unless you really happen to like either or both Keanu Reeves and James Spader.Bottom line... If you happen to like the style of Crime Thrillers made around the this time, it is one of the more entertaining and well made ones. I personally found it quite gripping and it really drew me right into the story. So, if this is your kind of movie, I really don't see how you can miss... It is not especially 'Weighty' or profound, but then neither is it mindless. To me, it sits solidly in the middle where probably the broadest entertainment value is for most people.So... if you are looking for a good, entertaining, well acted and well directed Crime Thriller and you are not just exclusively interested in the newer Darker, moodier Noirish style that kind of predominates Crime Films at the moment, and you can just sit back and enjoy a good Cop / Serial Killer story, then you probably will have a LOT of fun watching this one as I did.
secondtake
The Watcher (2000)Wow is this a terrible movie. It uses every worn out cliché in the psycho serial killer book. 1) It abuses women. 2) The cop in pursuit is a psychological wreck. 3) There is a taunting relationship between cop and killer. 4) There are deadlines and timetables. 5) There are car chases and explosions. And, to top it off:Keanu Reeves is still a bad actor.Luckily the leading male is not Reeves, but James Spader, who is decent (hence more than one star rating). The other billed actor is Marisa Tomei, who has a small and actually pretty dull role (she gets duller with every movie for some reason). Spader is not intense or psychologically tormented enough to make his role successful on its own, however. He's fine, but there isn't much to work with here.Maybe the filmmakers knew they had a weak movie (though that does give them a lot of credit) because there are some face-saving gestures that also painfully fail, like inserts of jerky footage, or other footage in a digitally processed excess that ends up each time being one of Spader's dreams. There is no love interest romance thing going on here. Just a cop chasing a wacko killer.Do not, I repeat, do not watch this movie. Almost anything is more interesting, better filmed, better written, better acted.
thinker1691
Directed by Joe Charbanic, this movie's screenplay written by David Elliot provides a solid platform for Keanu Reeves to shine. The story concerns a burned out F.B.I. agent (James Spader) who seeks refuge in Chicago when he fails to apprehend Griffen (Keanu Reeves) a demented serial killer. Unfortunately, the ghostly murderer follows him to the windy city and once again begins killing women. Barely existing in between his nightmares and his medication, Dectective Campbell is drawn back into the dark demented world of his elusive suspect, when he seeks help to understand his mental anxieties. With the help of Chicago police detectives, (Ernie Hudson) the game of death takes on a double urgency when the killer begins sending photos of his intended victim 24 hours prior to murdering them. Difficult as it is, audience members must get past the fact that Reeves usually plays the hero, but here he is the heavy. Reeves is a superior actor and is convincing as he plays against Spader. Both are superior thespians who allow this black drama to rise above the mundane to entertain us with exciting car chase scenes and murderous mayhem. Marisa Tomei plays Polly a mental health therapist who finds herself a potential victim. This is a special film in many respects, the most important being that our cast does well to mark this movie as a milestone for Reeves and Spader. Recommended. ****
