|
This was a test screening gone
horribly wrong. First of all, there was some kind of major
mix-up with the passes. Some numbers were wrong or something
and we had to wait outside in the freezing lobby (the lobby heater
had broken) while they checked the names on our drivers licenses
with the names of their little sheet. Finally, we get into the
theatre -- the film was suppose to begin at 8:15 PM but did not
start until 9:30 PM -- only to find that: (1) the heater in
the theatre is so hot you can hardly breathe, and (2) they have
oversold the test screening by about, oh, forty people. So, we
break fire codes and people sit down in the aisles. The film
starts...then stops...then starts...then stops. After they
finally get the projector working correctly -- and it is 10:05 PM by
then -- the film begins and plays to conclusion. The funny
thing is -- this was all for a stinker called "Mindhunters".
The
serial killer genre is long dead. Remember the days when we
were getting about three a week -- "Copycat",
"Switchback", "Kiss the Girls" and so on and so
on? Well, thank God those days are dead. "Mindhunters"
tries to revitalize that genre, but hits a few bumps along the way:
(1) the studio evidently thought little of this film, which is why
they tossed it out during the dumping grounds, (2) this film has
'direct to video' written all over it from beginning to end, and (3)
not only does this try to bring back forgotten genre, but it
does so with the most cliched and overused storyline ever.
"Mindhunters" wants to be classy and wants to be
intelligent, but is far from it, let me assure you.
If
you've seen "Clue" you know the plot to this film.
If you've seen "Identity" you know the plot to this film.
It's a spin-off of the old Agaitha Christie story "Ten Little
Indians", in which who place a group of people in a certain
location, start killing them off one by one, have someone come to
the realization that it must be one of them doing the killing, and
then try and track the killer down. "Identity" had a
few tricks up its sleeve. "Clue" was hilarious.
"Mindhunters" is kind of hilarious too, but for all the
wrong reasons. In this story, the group of people is an F.B.I.
task team who is being trained to hunt and catch serial killers.
They are taken to a remote island for training against a 'supposed'
fictional serial killer called The Puppeteer. However, they
start dying off, one at a time. Then, they must try and find
out who is doing the killing before someone else is killed.
How in
the holy hell did Val Kilmer ever agree to do this piece of crap?
He goes from a tour-de-force performance in "Wonderland"
to an enjoyable cameo in the dismal "The Missing" to this
run-of-the-mill cinematic misadventure. And Christian Slater?
After his surprisingly effective role in "The Contender",
I thought he might be back on the right track. Does he think
something like this is going to revitalize his career? I hope
not. The remainder of the film is filled with actors you have
seen before and may or may not have liked too much: Clifton
Collins, Jr. (he was funny as hell in "The Rules of
Attraction" but is usually just annoying as hell), Jonny Lee
Miller (the lead from the film "Hackers"; he was supposed
to be a hot commodity -- where has he been? Who knows), and LL
Cool J (he can be charming from time to time, but this will do the
old career some damage).
Another odd thing about this picture is that it was directed by
Renny Harlin. I mean, most people hear that name and probably
automatically think of the loathed "Cutthroat Island", but
remember four pop action flicks like "The Long Kiss
Goodnight", arguably one of the best action films ever?
And what about the underrated "Deep Blue Sea"? He
can make good cinema and is one of the best action directors out
there, but this script and this story is so beneath him. He is
given very little with which to work and it shows in the direction
and the cinematography.
"Mindhunters"
is a pretty basic and utterly useless piece of thriller cinema that
is being released in the dumping grounds for a good reason -- it's
like Ed Wood and Joel Schumacher shat all over this film.
There are far better films out there to watch, and even a decent
serial killer film being released called "Taking Lives".
I spent too much of my valuable time waiting in line to see this
film, and to have it turn out so wretched is something that will
haunt me long after Jonny Lee Miller finally brushes his teeth.
-- Billy
Ray (
1/2 out of 4 pops )
Talk
about this film with other Popkorn Junkies |
