Emmett's Mark

Interesting thriller for first-time director Keith Snyder about a young police officer who suddenly is informed he is terminally ill. Unusual first-rate performances and absorbing atmosphere in a debutante filmmaker. An intelligent film.

Screw what anyone says about movies where everything is not about action, 'cause this is a very very good film. I don't know the first thing about what a good cameraman is supposed to do or what good special effects are (if there even are in this one), but I look at the big picture and that must count for something. The acting is good, natural, down to earth, the atmosphere is a bit cold, distant and autistic. But that made the whole movie worth watching it, I thought, and the absence (finally!) of any wild romance or crazy love made it a big Hansaplast on a bleeding wound. Really. If you have lost hope in Hollywood, see this.

Just saw this film at its world premiere in Philadelphia. I thought it was beautifully shot (wait till you see the shot of Roth in the closet), nicely directed (that closet shot again), and impressively acted (even Scott Wolf) but the story seemed a little unfocused, even cliched at times. There was a subplot involving a murder investigation that was never given the attention it should have received. And there is a certain extremely cliche plot-twist about midway through the film that should have been eliminated in the writing stages. On the other hand, both Wolf's and Roth's characters were well-written, each receiving a nice amount of screentime to showcase their characters' depth. Overall, this was a solid, above average drama/thriller. And with today's lack of quality films, that's a huge compliment.

The story follows Detective Emmett Young who finds out that due to a sudden and very rare disease his death will be very soon and very unpleasant. He soon meets someone who offers him a way out. He then puts out a hit on himself that is sent to a former police man and now security guard (Tim Roth). Emmett Young is soon met with another challenge of finding a violent serial killer/rapist within the time of his hit. The story unfolds perfectly with some great character study. From start to finish the story is bleak and dark which blends perfectly with the over all theme. The story also has a surprising and unsettling twist in the middle which gives the movie more tension and well as adds to the protagonists struggles. The use of dialog throughout the story helps set the mood as well as give the audience a truthful look at the 3 main characters. We see what exactly separates Emmett Young from his assassin as well as what can drive someone to make the choice to kill another person. Tim Roth gives a brilliant and chilling performance as a broken former cop who has more reason to kill than just money. Anyone who likes smart story telling as well as fine character performances will enjoy Killing Emmett Young.

AKA: Emmett's Mark, this was sent straight-to-video for no reason. It's pretty good.

Scott Wolf plays the title character who is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Young meets a stranger (Byrne) who can a hire a hit-man (Tim Roth) to kill him. Young accepts the offer at first, but he changes his mind at the last minute and now has to stop his own death.

The best part of the movie is the performance by Roth. He could just phone in his role, but he puts in an extra layer of character development that makes you like him. Byrne and Wolf also put in fine performances. There's also a really well-shot foot chase and while there's no reason for it, it was welcomed. If you're looking for something different, "Killing Emmett Young" is a decent choice.

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