Directed by E. Elias Merhige. Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Ben Kingsley, Carrie-Ann Moss, Harry Lennix, Kevin Chamberlin.Drama/Sci-Fi. Synopsis: A federal agent recently demoted to an office in New Mexico believes that a series of murders are actually a roving serial killer who is targeting serial killers.
This one was pretty good, but could have been better, in my opinion. The premise is pretty complex. A federal agent who has previously had issues (Aaron Eckhart Thank You For Smoking) lands in an office in the back water of New Mexico and and immediately gets involved in the investigation into the murder of a traveling salesman (Kevin Chamberlin Lucky Slevin). He also has to deal with the fact that one of the agents he will be working is a woman (Carrie Anne-Moss) he had a relationship with at his previous assignment when he engaged in conduct that put his career in jeopardy.
He soon lears that the victim in the crime he is investigating was himself a serial killer and comes to believe that he is chasing "Suspect Zero", a theoretical serial killer who targets serial killers. Now, that is quite a theory and quite an interesting plot, especially since his boss (Harry Lennix Chrystal) thinks his theory is crazy. It turns out that Suspect Zero is real, in the form of a former government agent named O'Ryan (Ben Kingsley Blood Rayne Lucky Number Slevin) , who was part of a top secret project, called remote viewing, which allowed agents to "view" remote locations and events without actually being present.
O.k., that is a little hard to buy but, apparently, it is/was an actual military project, according to the special features on the DVD. And, in the flick, O'Ryan uses his "ability" to target and then kill...serial killers.
Its the combination of these two potentially interesting stories that I don't think works well cinematically.I guess you need a reason why someone can track and kill serial killers, all of who are depicted as being active serial killers who are not under suspicion for their deeds. But, as far as the flick is concerned, I just don't thnk it worked as well as it could have if the movie has stayed with the premise of a serial killer killing serial killers, which is an extrememly interesting story, or even the remote viewing angle.
The movie does not suffer due to any fault of the actors, Kingsley is simmering evil in his portrayal of O'Ryan and, in my opinion, with a better story, this could have been a flick for the ages. The way its set up, however, O'Ryan is to loosely portrayed as villian, hero, and victim. I think the film needed to pick one. Further, not enough was done in the flick to really develop or provide depth to the "remote viewing" angle, which I think tended to move this movie-undeservedly so-into the campy sci-fi area.
The acting is to good for that area but, I'm sorry, if you're going to make a movie where someone has the ability to see things happening hundreds of miles away, you've got to really provide a solid back story and I don't think the film did that, hence my suggestion that it should have stuck with one of its major themes. Even if you buy the remote viewing theme as told, it still does not explain O'Ryan's detailed knowledge of the people he stalks...its not like he has remote hearing as well.
Like I said, the acting is good, Eckhart is certainly a quality lead and Moss does fine, too, I did buy the chemistry between them though I felt the romance angle was unnecessary as far as the story line.
But, that is just my opinion.
This one was pretty good, but could have been better, in my opinion. The premise is pretty complex. A federal agent who has previously had issues (Aaron Eckhart Thank You For Smoking) lands in an office in the back water of New Mexico and and immediately gets involved in the investigation into the murder of a traveling salesman (Kevin Chamberlin Lucky Slevin). He also has to deal with the fact that one of the agents he will be working is a woman (Carrie Anne-Moss) he had a relationship with at his previous assignment when he engaged in conduct that put his career in jeopardy.
He soon lears that the victim in the crime he is investigating was himself a serial killer and comes to believe that he is chasing "Suspect Zero", a theoretical serial killer who targets serial killers. Now, that is quite a theory and quite an interesting plot, especially since his boss (Harry Lennix Chrystal) thinks his theory is crazy. It turns out that Suspect Zero is real, in the form of a former government agent named O'Ryan (Ben Kingsley Blood Rayne Lucky Number Slevin) , who was part of a top secret project, called remote viewing, which allowed agents to "view" remote locations and events without actually being present.
O.k., that is a little hard to buy but, apparently, it is/was an actual military project, according to the special features on the DVD. And, in the flick, O'Ryan uses his "ability" to target and then kill...serial killers.
Its the combination of these two potentially interesting stories that I don't think works well cinematically.I guess you need a reason why someone can track and kill serial killers, all of who are depicted as being active serial killers who are not under suspicion for their deeds. But, as far as the flick is concerned, I just don't thnk it worked as well as it could have if the movie has stayed with the premise of a serial killer killing serial killers, which is an extrememly interesting story, or even the remote viewing angle.
The movie does not suffer due to any fault of the actors, Kingsley is simmering evil in his portrayal of O'Ryan and, in my opinion, with a better story, this could have been a flick for the ages. The way its set up, however, O'Ryan is to loosely portrayed as villian, hero, and victim. I think the film needed to pick one. Further, not enough was done in the flick to really develop or provide depth to the "remote viewing" angle, which I think tended to move this movie-undeservedly so-into the campy sci-fi area.
The acting is to good for that area but, I'm sorry, if you're going to make a movie where someone has the ability to see things happening hundreds of miles away, you've got to really provide a solid back story and I don't think the film did that, hence my suggestion that it should have stuck with one of its major themes. Even if you buy the remote viewing theme as told, it still does not explain O'Ryan's detailed knowledge of the people he stalks...its not like he has remote hearing as well.
Like I said, the acting is good, Eckhart is certainly a quality lead and Moss does fine, too, I did buy the chemistry between them though I felt the romance angle was unnecessary as far as the story line.
But, that is just my opinion.
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