Eye of the Storm

My review was written in June 1992 after watching the film on New Line video cassette.

New Line has a sleeper in this thriller, made in America by German producers. Direct-to-video release could also score in the pay-cable market

Interesting premise by director Yuri Zeltser and co-scripter Michael Stewart traces the fate of two young brothers living at a highway gas station/motel/diner who witness their parents' brutal muder by a robber couple.

Ten years later, older brother Craig Sheffer is taking care of youngster Bradley Gregg, who was blinded in the violent incident. They're sympathetic characters, but the script keeps one guessing as to whether one (or both) of them has become a Norman Bates-esque psychotic.

Matters come to a head when Dennis Hopper's car breaks down and he stays at the boys' gas station with his sexy young wife Lara Flynn Boyle. As in "Paris Trout", Hopper makes a perfect boorish heavy, and under Zeltser's direction, the viewer's sympathy is frequently inverted regarding who to root for.

The film climaxes violently and satisfyingly during a thunderstorm in which emotions flare according to the barometer.

Boyle, post-"Twin Peaks", continues to be one of the sexier young actresses on screen and the entire ensemble cast is good. Tech credits are modest.

Honestly said, this movie is a rather mediocre and even quite boring thriller with the usual scenario. There is not much tension or action in the movie and there are many lengths. Many people talk about twists and surprises but anyone that has already seen a couple of movies of the same genre won't be surprised at all. I was stunned reading about a twist in the film on this site and looked up on the internet if I had missed a detail but in fact the so called surprise was a clear fact for me right on from the beginning so that I didn't even realize it could have been a surprising element of the movie. Don't expect anything outstanding, memorable or intense in this flick.

This movie steals many elements from some classic suspense flicks like "Psycho" or "Blue Velvet" without reaching the intensity of those original masterpieces. A part of the human and tragic story of the two brothers, this movie adds nothing interesting to the genre at all. The plot is very thin, the dialogues are sometimes very artificial, the filming is rather old fashioned and some elements like the desert storm are completely unnecessary and add nothing to the main plot. The whole thing truly gets ridiculous in the end when the final showdown almost fails to find an end. I'm a little bit surprised that actors like Hopper and Boyle who have worked with the "crème de la crème" of Hollywood writers and directors have accepted acting in this weak flick.

What keeps me away from giving an even lower rating to this movie can be resumed in a couple of points. First of all, the opening scene is rather heavy to digest and a good way to kick this movie off. We have the true highlight right in the beginning. Another good point is the acting of some of the characters. The blind brother is well and emotionally played and the weird villain is a signature role for a great actor like Dennis Hopper. The other two main characters do a rather weak job in here though and the interactions between them are poor. I was negatively surprised by Lara Flynn Boyle that did a great job at almost the same time in the "Twin Peaks" series. Another good aspect is the emotional background story of the two brothers and their tragic fate.

I really can't suggest this film to fans of psycho thrillers or suspense flicks. This movie isn't even worth to be bought at a low price or rented at your local gas station. I am happy I only saw it on television and had at least some more or less entertaining hours in a relaxed atmosphere. Go for any other suspense movie I have mentioned in my reviews if your looking for a better genre flick.

This movie is a great and exciting thriller! I watched it several times already and still get not bored of it. Everything is right in this one: the small but impressive cast, the remote location of the old wrecked motel. The story tells of 2 brothers (Craig Sheffer and Bradley Gregg), who run a motel. However, their guests never check out… When the couple Dennis Hopper and Lara Flynn Boyle stay at the motel, things start to become quite messy. The story is very thrilling and the performances of the actors are top. Craig Sheffer does a great job, as usual, but especially Bradley Gregg as the blind Steven is brilliant. If you like thrillers, then you absolutely must see this one! You will not be disappointed.

When Dennis Hopper is on screen as an abusive drunk, this movie maintains interest. There is also a very strong opening, however once Hopper disappears, it is a steady slide downhill. Believability towards the end concerning a certain brother's delayed demise, borders on ridiculous. The film is talky, has no nudity, and since everything takes place at one seedy desert motel, there is little to maintain interest. Eventually with the overlong ending, the wheels come off completely. For Dennis Hopper fans this might be worthy of one viewing, even though you have seen him play the same boorish drunk many times before. Others could skip this one for sure. - MERK

A terrific movie -- the kind that grabs you by the throat and won't let go. The set-up is simple, and yet the story keeps twisting and turning and deepening... you never know where it's gonna take you next. The script is crisp and fresh, but it's the tight, imaginative direction that makes this movie stand out. Rent it, buy it, steal it -- but see it... A real find.