Acechada

Police officer Jessica Shepard (Ashley Judd) has just been transferred to homicide and promoted to detective inspector. Her first big case is a murder investigation of a man she had dated. The next day, another man shows up dead with the same cigarette burn on his hand, and he had also dated Jessica. The police are now looking for a serial killer who has the propensity to kill men Jessica has dated. Jessica begins to have dreams about her past, and she opens a box that belonged to her father. Jessica's father was a police officer who went crazy and killed his wife and her lovers, and then himself. His partner and later police commissioner (Samuel L. Jackson) raised Jessica, and taught her everything about police work. When a third murder occurs, her partner, Mike Delmarco (Andy Garcia) begins to watch and protect Jessica. Jessica goes to jail after the fourth victim ends up in her bed. She has no memory of any of the murders, because she blacks out before each murder. The story's twist is the identity of the real murder. You should be able to figure it out before the end, just look for the clues. (Paramount Pictures, Run Time 1:37, Rated R) (7/10)

To hear Director Philip Kaufman tell it, "Twisted" was supposed to be the best film noire picture since the classics of the 40s. Not so. It has most of the elements of film noire..the dark lighting, the darkened streets and a murder mystery. But it doesn't quite work.

Officer Jessica Shepard (Ashley Judd) is a kick ass police officer who has just been promoted to Homicide Inspector. Now it seems that the comely young officer also has a penchant for violent behavior and one night stands. Her mentor is none other than Police Commissioner John Mills (Samuel L. Jackson) who has raised her and nurtured her career following the tragic deaths of her parents some years earlier.

Shepard's new partner turns out to be Mike Delmarco (Andy Garcia) whom she had unknowingly met the previous evening during a party at a bar in her honor. Suddenly, Jessica's one night lovers begin turning up dead, brutally beaten. At the same time, she has been experiencing blackouts immediately before the murders. She then begins to suspect that she may be responsible.

Sounds good huh? I though so too but on watching it I guessed who the murderer was almost right away. This took away any suspense the director was trying to build by placing suspicion on other characters. We do get some nice shots of San Francisco though.

The petite Ashley Judd is just not convincing as a tough love 'em and leave 'em cop. She does her best work in the psychological scenes where she comes unraveled at the thought that she may be murdering these men. Jackson does the best he can with limited material. He is off screen more than he is on. I thought that his character could have been fleshed out a little more. Garcia, playing an Italian again, does what he can with his role. TV's Camryn Manheim puts in a appearance as the forensic examiner Lisa.

Not nearly as good as Director Philip Kaufman would have you believe.

I had heard several people say, "Don't rent this movie; it stinks," but took a shot anyway because Ashley Judd is appealing to me. Well, I wouldn't buy the film but it worth the rental. It wasn't bad at all. It was a decent "serial killer movie" except for the ending which went on too long and got a bit sappy, but a lot of movies are know for that. However, by the end, all the characters (including Judd's "Jessica Shepard") had worn thin and I was glad to see it end.

I also had heard that the ending was easy to figure out but I didn't find that. Actually, I thought I, but I guessed wrong and I assume others did as well. So, don't believe everything you hear; it's a decent film. Nothing to spend a lot of money on, but you could do a lot worse. With Judd, Andy Garcia, Samuel L. Jackson and David Strathairn, the same could be said about the cast

The new Philip Kaufman movie "Twisted" (** out of ****) lives up to its contorted title. This provocative but unconvincing erotic thriller starring Ashley Judd, Samuel L. Jackson, and Andy Garcia emerges as a less suspenseful distaff version of the Clint Eastwood serial killer saga "Tightrope" (1984), but with a heroine who behaves like the nymphomaniac in 1977's "Looking for Mr. Goodbar." A first-rate cast flounders in freshman scenarist Sara Thorp's darkly-themed, neo-film noir, crime melodrama that casts sexy brunette Judd as a thuggish San Francisco policewoman with a bit of "Dirty Harry" Callahan in her blood. Thoroughly unoriginal with an artificial 'gotcha' ending as contrived as many of the antics in this improbable police procedural about a mass murderer on the rampage in the city by the bay, "Twisted" lacks a sympathetic heroine. This gal gulps wine like a fish and has an attitude problem that would have prevented her from earning a promotion above traffic patrol in the most backwater town. When a fellow detective insults her in front of her peers, she staggers him with an unceremonious kick in the kidneys. Nevertheless, Kaufman, who has helmed consistently better movies, like "The Right Stuff," "The Unbearable Lightness of Being," the 1978 "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" remake, and "The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid," makes this implausible potboiler palatable, with laudable help from "Scream 2" cinematographer Peter Deming. San Francisco has never appeared moodier, and SF native Kaufman stages the action in several atmospheric locales which enhance the film's harsh, gritty subject matter.

Policewoman Jessica Shepard (Ashley Judd of "Ruby in Paradise") is one tough cookie. "Twisted" opens as she tangles with sexual predator Edmund Cutler (Leland Orser of "Pearl Harbor") who sticks a knife in her throat. Little does this potential rapist know he has picked the wrong policewoman as his prey. Suddenly, Jessica turns the tables on Cutler and claps him in handcuffs. Down on his knees in front of her, Cutler pleads for mercy. Our plucky protagonist responds with a stunning kick to his face, smashing his nose. While it's a case of police brutality, this scum deserves more than just a broken beak. Nonetheless, Jessica finds herself in hot water and attends sessions with straight-arrow department psychiatrist Dr. Melvin Frank (David Strathairm of "Passion Fish") who wants to assess her mental stability. This couldn't have occurred at a worst time. No sooner does this happen than SFPD Commissioner John Mills (Samuel L. Jackson of "Basic") has her promoted to the rank of inspector. Turns out Mills raised Jessica as his own after her cop father went crazy, murdered her mom, then committed suicide. Jessica gets a new partner, veteran detective Mike Delmarco (Andy Garcia of "Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead"), who shows her the ropes on the homicide squad. When Jessica isn't in conference with Dr. Frank, she spends her time getting drunk on Napa red and blacking out. During her mysterious blackouts, a serial killer starts knocking off guys Jessica has picked up at seedy bars she cruises when off-duty. Mills objects to her promiscuity, but Jessica ignores him. Initially, her homicide superior, Lieutenant Tong (Russell Wong of "The Fast and The Furious"), wants to take her off the case, but Commissioner Mills rejects that idea. "I'm not pulling her from her first homicide case! It would kill her career." Everybody on homicide, except Delmarco, believes Jessica is killing these guys. After all, she flies off the handle at the least suggestion of impropriety. When Delmarco makes a pass, Jessica grimly reminds him, "Anyone who kisses me turns up dead." Even Jessica begins to suspect she might be doing it during her alcohol-fueled blackouts.

The biggest problem with "Twisted" is its gallery of suspects. Indeed, audiences have more than enough possible candidates to choose from, but most are either deceptive dead-ends or obvious red herrings. For the uninitiated, red herrings are conspicuous clues made to mislead moviegoers. More red herrings and dead-ends turn up in "Twisted" than the scores of seal lions lounging on the piers of San Francisco. Naturally, the pleasure of any whodunit is discovering the killer's identity before the cops catch him. Sadly, when Kaufman and Thorp unveil their villain in the last reel, you feel cheated by the outrageous revelation of his identity. Just when you think you have the killer identified, the moviemakers whip the rug out from under you. Make no mistake, the villain here truly qualifies as the last person you would suspect! Most of the time, the last person you suspected really turns out to be the last person you suspected. However, the moviemakers stand logic on its head and refuse to provide you with all the incriminating evidence until the heroine figures whodunit herself. No, I won't divulge the identity of the psychopath, except to say nothing about his motives seem remotely credible. Watch the Ashley Judd & Morgan Freeman movie "Kiss The Girls," if you want to see a better serial killer thriller. Moreover, when the villain outs himself, his story sounds so preposterous you cannot help but shake your head. All-in-all, Camryn Manheim gives the most interesting performance as a "Quincy" style OCD forensic technician. When "Twisted" doesn't qualify as downright implausible, this 97-minute, R-rated opus remains largely impenetrable.

Ashley Judd plays police detective Jessica Shepard, on the hunt for a serial killer who is murdering the men she recently dated. When Jessica starts blacking out before each murder, the police commissioner (Samuel Jackson) and her partner (Andy Garcia) begin to suspect that she may be more directly involved with the murders.

Twisted may boast an impressive cast but that's about all it has going for it. The story is pretty unoriginal as this is just a female version of Tightrope. While having a tough female cop in the lead role is a little interesting, it doesn't save the film from being really bad. The film tries to trick the audience offering some twists and turns but they all fail. Twisted is a poorly written thriller lacking twists. If you really think about it, you could probably figure out the ending before the thirty minute mark. It's just so obvious that you wonder why they even bothered making it in the first place.

Ashley Judd stars in this movie and she really needs to move on to a different genre. High Crimes, Eye of the Beholder, Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy and now Twisted have all starred Ashley Judd and I think audiences are getting bored watching her in the same role in every movie. In Twisted, she gives her usual performance though she looked a little bored throughout the film. You would think having Andy Garcia and Samuel L Jackson would help but apparently no talented actor can save the movie. Jackson also appears bored throughout the movie and this a paycheck movie for him. Andy Garcia gives an okay performance. It was just a little over the top.

It's a by the numbers thriller and if you pay close attention to the film you can figure out the killer five minutes into the movie. If you sit back and relax you may enjoy it more but they could have hidden the identity of the killer a little better. All of the three main actors in this movie are way above this material and I was surprised to see all of them in this. In the end, Twisted is another dull entry into the genre and it's only worth watching if you're a die-hard fan of anyone involved. Rating 4/10.