Preston Tylk

I thought this was going to be an OK movie but it didn't live up to it's early promise (or it's tag lines) and ended up being a very boring movie.

It's got one or two OK chase scenes & a bit of drama but there's not much else going on. The lead actor is a large part of the problem (he's barely there, maybe he was on tranqulisers or something to help him cope with this abysmal script) and the musical score is another problem. If you're trying to create an edgy thriller why on earth would you use music that would be more suitable for some mediocre schmaltzy sugary Hallmark tragic romance flick. That horrible "angelic choir" music completely destroyed any atmosphere this thinly drawn tale might have dredged up. But even with decent sound I don't think this would have been a whole lot better.

There's no mystery, no suspense and no thrills. The actor playing Johnathon did an OK job with what he had, which wasn't a lot. He was convincing at least. The PI was a stereotype. And there was some weird touchy feely stuff between the main dude and the PI that didn't really belong.

After the first interesting 20 mins the pacing drops to an excruciatingly slow amble and becomes much more of a drama than a thriller. I am not a big fan of drama - unless it's EXCEPTIONAL and deals with important stuff - which this isn't and doesn't'.

The ending just drags on forever with no particular purpose. In fact, it felt like they filmed half a dozen alternative "endings" but the director couldn't decide which one to use so he threw them all in. The final final ending was particularly boring and nonsensical. I also knew "whodunnit" pretty early on. There was no surprises for me. The only bright spot was the kid who played Dillon.

BUT I have given it 4 points because it's actually better than a lot of the mediocre stuff around - and that's not really saying much. I think it had an interesting story even if it wasn't portrayed well. I'd love to have seen what a more innovative & confident director with some decent actors could have made of it.

I can't say this is a great movie, not even sure it qualifies as "good" but it has it's OK points and it isn't a disaster. I didn't even fast forward any of it so that shows it at least held my interest (except maybe the end(s) when I started shuffling papers etc while it tried to find a point to finish on).

I DO think it's an excellent choice for say, a guy who wants a night in watching movies with his girlfriend (or vice versa) and can't work out whether to get a chick flick or a boys action/adventure/thriller movie. This will cover both of you, albeit in a not entirely satisfactory way. But if she likes sob-movies she'll probably like it. You can just watch the chase scenes and even score brownie points for offering to make drinks during the slow bits. :D (PS But not if she's a chick like me. In which case you'd be better off renting Suspiria or Ils)!!)

Not for serious fans of the genre or movie buffs but OK for a slow night/rainy afternoon popcorn fodder.

Another movie that makes you nostalgic for the studio system. In a former era Mr. Bokencamp would have been assigned a film like this, struggled to put his stamp on it and come away with, if not a great film, at least a journeyman's knowledge of how a film works. So called independent films like this one, and there seem to be plenty of them, have no particular vision, say nothing that couldn't have been said by a studio hack and strive awkwardly to transcend their genres, revealing only the callowness of their creators. To be sure, Mr. Bokencamp is thwarted by his lead who was not up to the demands of this role but appealing as his relationship with the detective might have been had Mr. Wilson been capable of bringing it off, it really has no place in film noir anyway. If you soft boil this genre it turns to mush.

I am not sure why Luke Wilson chose to star in this film. He does an okay job. He looks tormented at the required points and hurt at others. As for Norman Reedus he plays "creepy" well and I found it nice to see him in such a part even though it is similar to his character in the movie Gossip. I think it's better to see another Wilson film than this one. Try Bottle Rocket or Home Fries. Overall, this movie was just okay. If anything see it for some nice Dennis Farrina moments.

Preston Tylk, more commonly known on DVD as 'Bad Seed', is a moody, depressing little thriller that opens with a situation so bleak that we wonder where can we go from there. It concerns Preston (Luke Wilson) a mild mannered dude who comes home from work one day to find his wife (Milli Avital) murdered. He runs off in despair, and soon finds that shady, volatile Jonathan (Norman Reedus), is after him under the impression that he killed his own wife. Jonathan had a vague affair with her, leading to an obsession, and now can't let it go, funnelling his loss and sadness into a nasty, violent vendetta against Preston. Preston's only hope rests with estranged private detective Dick Miller (Dennis Farina) who agrees to go on the run with him and provide assistance. It's a low key, empty tale that heavily gives off the vibe that it's headed for a grim dead end, at least for some characters. There's a sense of hope in the chemistry between Wilson and Farina, the latter proving to be the sole individual in the piece who provides pathos and emotional warmth. Wilson is damaged, detached, and Reedus is cold, unhinged and unpredictable. They both play their roles well, especially Reedus whose hollowness can be felt like a tangible force when he's on screen. This isn't happy stuff though, nor is it fiery and fast paced. It's a melancholy little study of the confusion that death leaves behind, and the elliptical futility of revenge.

Others have suggested that the viewer not compare the direction of this movie to Alfred Hitchcock. However, the director selectively inserts H. Into this film in a very odd fashion. Strains of Bernard Hermann (Scottie/Vertigo) occasionally rise up. Our hero is occasionally presented as if he were a Hitchcock character, struggling with internal demons. As a result, I found myself imagining what the movie could have been if it had openly embraced Hitchcock.