Jill Rips

Even though I am a Dolph Lundgren fan, I put off watching "Jill The Ripper" for a long time, namely because it was a Phoenician Entertainment production - they have made many cheap and shoddy movies. So I was surprised by the quality of this effort of theirs when I sat down to watch it. Although it is a low budget production, the movie looks fairly slick and professionally made. The snow-covered Toronto locations help to give this movie an appropriately dark and moody feel to it. Lundgren gives a pretty good performance, apparently not afraid to play a protagonist who does several unlikable things during the course of the movie. So there is some good stuff here. However, there are also a few disappointing aspects to the movie. Although running only 94 minutes, it feels a lot longer. The mystery aspect of the movie is somewhat confusing. In fact, there are several parts of the movie where it seems that footage is missing. And why the heck is the movie set in 1977? It could have easily been set in the present day with absolutely no changes to the script. Despite these and other flaws, the movie is still interesting, and will appeal to Lundgren fans who want to see him in a different genre and different kind of character for a change.

As a general rule I don't like martial arts movies and especially don't like Dolph Lundgren. But this isn't his typical fare and altho he still doesn't come off as an actor this film has a sort of interesting plot and our Dolph isn't the all powerful superhero.

He is an alcoholic ex-cop who has gotten involved in tracing what may be a serial killer for reasons of his own and almost displays some semblance of humanity. I say almost because although he tries our hero still has a lot of work to do, but this film is tolerable for the late nite audience.

Dolph Lundgren stars as a former cop/boxer who searches Boston's kinky scene to find out who killed his brother,who was well thought of in the community, however along the way he learns how his brother enjoyed kinky sex and that a serial killer is to blame. Dolph Lundgren is very good in this movie, in fact on the basis of his performance here, one would forget Lundgren's rise to fame involved action roles. That said the material gives Lundgren nothing to work with, in fact, Lundgren is completely left out to dry in a dreary thriller which is both predictable and incomprehensible. Co-Star Danielle Brett is also good, in fact the film works best when it centers around the chemistry of Lundgren and Brett, indeed had the film taken the time to explore their relationship the film would've been fairly decent. However the movie is lackluster, the action is non-existent, the plot not given enough exploration (Too much boring B.S around Lundgren's investigation of his brother's employer) and the film is needlessly gory and ridiculous. Once again, Lundgren is actually really good (As is newcomer Danielle Brett) but the film just lumbers from one sequence to the next, which makes this movie particularly disappointing. If anything else though, it shows how underrated Lundgren is, as an actor.

*1/2 Out Of 4-(Poor)

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs

Despite having no other major actors and having a regular Lundgren director,Jill Rips is Lundgren's most breakthrough film since Pentathlon ,after a decade spent starring in otherwise cheap,cliched fodder.The mystery/thriller element is immenently stronger than the action,which there really is virtually none of.Out the lot of them ,Dolph has always seemed the one most desperate to act rather than exploit his martial arts abilities than the likes of Van Damme,Seagal and Norris.The intricately wound plot is an inspired blend of Basic Instinct and the more recent Nicholas Cage thriller 8MM,in it's themes of S&M bondage and perverted deprivation.This is well worth seeing.Dolph doesn't look like he'll ever escape DTV movies ,and make another major film like Universal Soldier again,but all the same,and speaking of Van Damme,this is pretty much to Dolph's late career what Legionnaire was to the boasty Belgian.****

I must say, from the preview, it's interesting title you really expect this film to be an engrossing sort. It's a facade. This was one that ran short on just almost every level. Out of curiosity, I wanted to see this, just to see if Lundgren's acting has improved. A none too much improvement there. On a personal mission, of revenge, and of course a cop, he goes into the S and M world, none too sexy to find out who killed his brother who was into it. Based on a novel, sheerly here, the film hasn't done the book justice. The film kind of runs along the same line as the Get Shorty's, and watching Lundgren go through the motions, with his wooden clog acting, doesn't make for enthralling viewing. This film, no kidding, I was gyped, something made out to be much bigger than it really is.