One out of
five stars>
Pretentious, derivative, visually-overblown serial-killer ‘thriller’ that
even the lovely Jennifer Lopez can’t save.
The utterly preposterous plot isn’t even played for laughs.
Jennifer Lopez plays Catherine Deane, a scientist who’s volunteered to test a machine that allows her to enter the mind of someone in a coma.
Entreated by FBI Agent Peter Novak (Vaughn) she agrees to enter the mind of a serial killer, hoping to locate his latest victim before it’s too late…
This movie is bad in so many ways that it’s difficult to know where to begin. Its main problem is that the much-hyped visual effects completely over-shadow the plot, even, at one point, literally drowning out Lopez’s big
‘character revelation’ moment.
In addition, it has 'The Soundtrack From Hell' – imagine someone loudly playing an instrument called the Egyptian Bagpipes for two hours, and you’ll get the idea.
On top of this, the script is so appalling that you feel sorry for everyone involved – for example, the ‘Big Twist’ at the end, though clearly sign-posted, appears to have been written out in favour of ‘a bit with a dog’.
And as if that wasn’t bad enough, the film completely wastes its excellent supporting cast (Dylan Baker, Marianne-Jean Baptiste and Pruitt Taylor Vince) by giving them absolutely nothing to do.
There are only two things this film has in its favour – the afore-mentioned
visual effects and the admittedly impressive costumes. Oh, and the bit with
the dissected horse.
Ultimately though, this just isn’t enough. If state-of-the-art visual effects are your thing then wait for the video and fast-forward to the flashy stuff.
Otherwise, avoid like your life depended on it!