Thought Crimes - Tödliche Gedanken

So I saw this movie about two years ago and didn't remember anything about it. I was in for a trip down memory lane. It's a well made thriller/action film that kind of reminds me of the Matrix, except nowhere near as crazy and out-of-this-world. The relationship between the two sisters is well done, although somewhat of a normalcy for any kind of movie. The acting is fairly good, and so is the directing. The plot twists were there, but sort of pedestrian for government thrillers like this. That about sums up this movie---while it's fun to watch, there isn't much to make the connoisseurs stand up and take note. It's just another one for the masses, and a genuinely vanilla flavored outing.

Of course it's got good points, such as the final twist before the ending showdown, in the kitchen, that was very nice to watch even if it was a bit predictable. I also quite enjoyed the character Brendan Dean (Joe Flanigan), as he was quite humorous and 'real.' The plot was well paced and you could easily understand what was going on at all times. Overall I'd recommend this to action/thriller fans.

Recommended.

The movie has a strange start; the kind I don't get to watch in a lot of other movies. It's blunt, straight to-the-point to what happened, and where the story is going to take off from. I recall watching the same kind in a recent Hindi movie called 'Zinda' (that had a completely different story and theme, by the way).

Also noted by another viewer, one of the aspects that make this movie different is that within the first 15 minutes of the movie, you know that the central character isn't going to discover her strengths on her own; but she needs assistance. Had they not done that, it would have become yet another 'gifted' story. Overall, I liked the movie, and had a good feeling after watching it. There are many loose ends in the story that have been left unexplored, but hey, nobody's complaining.

Navi Rawat has looked great in the movie, by the way.

This movie wastes no time on long, forced-in background stories, you get right into it and you'll figure everything out as you go. It managed to make me watch it without looking away, checking the runtime or even pausing it for a bathroom break.

The acting is just as good as the fast-paced storyline, the characters are played realistic, humane and compelling. Nothing is overdramatised neither handled too casually. You don't realize they're acting, and that's exactly the way it should be done in this type of movie.

There's nothing about this movie I didn't like, except for the fact that, like all movies, it had an end.

Rented it on the title thinking it would be either a rip-off of Minority Report or something Orwellian. Was neither, but could be a distant prequel to Minority Report. But in its own right it's Psi-Fi of a high order (even down to a guest appearance from Joanne Vannicola from TV's "Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal"). Good stylized secret intelligence world around a plausible rendering of telepathy. The main actor did a good job with the bewilderment of the naive telepath and the guided recovery to functionality. The ending was too smug and triumphal for my liking and spoilt (a little) an otherwise fairly thoughtful thriller. I only recognized one actor but all played their parts well, the suspension of disbelief wasn't really broken at all. Recommended to anyone who likes a good story well told.

Thought Crimes arrived on the UK DVD market without much fanfare. I rented it, expecting a cheap B-movie. What I got was a very enjoyable story. I've since shown it to friends, who unanimously agree about its virtues.

The story is about a girl who unwillingly receives telepathic powers. She can hear other people's thoughts. After being driven mad by it, she gets picked up by a mysterious scientist, who trains her to develop her powers, and target them. Soon, she is asked to assist in helping with an investigation.

The movie is well-written, and many pathways for sub-plots and story lines are opened. Some are closed, but quite a few remain open, suggesting that this was meant to start a series. It's a thrilling movie, with a fairly original concept, dramatic moments that are convincing without getting too sappy and crucially, a sense of humour. It is comparable to Wheddon's various series (Firefly, Buffy et al) in its qualities. (Except for one deplorably bad line of dialogue in a crucial scene near the end) In terms of the acting, most people do a fairly good job. The male NSA agent / hero lays on the charme a bit thick, but I suspect the script forced that anyway. Maybe I just dislike male good-looking actors.

I highly recommend this movie for light entertainment purposes. It's more original and enjoyable than most big Hollywood movies these days, and it deserves a larger audience (and a spin off TV series!)