Horsemen

I don't know about you, but when I sit down to watch a horror film, I don't expect to be blown away. My expectation is only to be engaged, kept in suspense, and hopefully scared out of my mind (this last one being of the rarest variety).

This movie lived up to my expectations in all the important ways. My curiosity was jump started in the first scene, and the somber, introspective mood of the story line, spiked with horrific scenarios and sickening plot twists, was exactly what I hoped.

The final twist was too easily guessed, of course, but it didn't take away from the finale - a powerfully emotional scene portrayed very convincingly by Dennis Quaid, who brought his usual energy and charisma to the role.

If you're looking for a quality horror flick or suspense thriller, this one is well worth your while!

Tell me that the movie is like Se7en and I am interested. Tell me that Ziyi Zhang (Memoirs of a Geisha, House of Flying Daggers, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 2046) is in it, and I am interested. Tell me that Dennis Quaid, the actor starring in one of my favorite films, The Big Easy, is starring this one, and I am definitely interested.

A combination like that should mean that I am in for a treat of some kind.

Barry Shabaka Henley is always a welcome addition, and he was no disappointment here.

However, the rest of the film was a big disappointment. It was devoid of any real emotion, and the struggle with the kids just distracted from the quest for the killers. It never came close to Se7en.

This frightening and suspenseful thriller concerns about an unsettling and bitter cop emotionally affected for the death of his devoted wife by cancer , being trapped into a dark and tenebrous environment . It's a stirring and moving story full of twists and turns ; however being pretty claustrophobic . This exciting picture contains thrills, chills, plot twists, action-filled and lots of gore and guts . The movie centers on a Detective named Aidan Breslin (Dennis Quaid) , an expert on forensic Odontology , as his chief (Chelcie Ross) assigns him to investigate a weird chain of murders that bear a rare marks on trees and surrounding. The ominous killings have a rare phrases as ¨ We are nothing ¨ from Exodus 1,5 and ¨Come and see¨ , as he finds out it proceeds from Book of Revelation of the apostle Saint Joan . Meanwhile , Aidan holds a problematic relationship to his oldest son named Alex ( Lou Taylor Pucci) . Investigating a series of murders of strange violence, he discovers a horrifying link between himself , his dark secrets and the suspects that seem to be based on the Biblical prophecies dealing with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death ; resulting to be the leader a horseman riding a white horse. Breslin is helped by a tough inspector ( Henry Collins Jr) and a forensic expert ( Barry Shabaka).

In the picture there are psychological issues , plot twists, emotion, mystery , spooky sets and a little bit of gore. The movie turns out to be a crossover between the religious intrigue from ¨Crimson rivers : Angel of Apocalypse ¨ , the suspension tortures from ¨The cell¨, investigations means of ¨CSI¨, and ¨Seven¨ thriller. From the beginning of the film until the end the suspense and intrigue is unstopped . The creepy images of wide range from the genuinely eerie to the bizarre along with scary and amazing frames . It's predictable but also its predictability is redeemed for some extraordinary surprises and in part by the charismatic acting from the main protagonists . Acceptable performance by Dennis Quaid as unlucky Inspector who distances from his two sons and good support cast formed by Ziyi Zhang, Patrick Fugit , Peter Stormare , Eric Balfour and Paul Dooley , among others . Thrilling musical score fitting to action and tension by Jan Kaczmarek who formerly won an Academy Award for ¨Finding Neverland ¨. The flick is middlingly directed by Jonas Akerlund , a Videoclip-maker in his first and only picture. The movie obtained a bit of success but failed at the box office. Rating : 5,5 . The motion picture will appeal to religious thriller buffs and dark atmosphere enthusiasts.

What is happening to Dennis Quaid? Seriously now, he is playing the role of the distant father more and more and he plays in worse and worse movies. I like the guy! Cast him in something decent!

As for the movie, it kind of sucked. I mean, the mythos behind the killings was shabby, the police-work ridiculous and, worst of all, I could not relate to ANY of the characters except Dennis Quaid's one... part of the time. And the casting just reveals too much.

Bottom line: if you take Seven, you make it a lot less gruesome, you add cardboard policemen and even cardboard villains, you dumb it down considerably, then you get The Horsemen. Gave it a 6 only for Zhang's efforts on speaking English.

In a cold Washington, the widower Detective Aidan Breslin (Dennis Quaid) is assigned to investigate a case based on his forensic expertise in teeth. Sooner he finds a series of dreadful murders with the victims in suspension rigs based on the Biblical Revelation 6 – Come and See – and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Famine, Pestilence, Death and War with the involvement of abused teenagers. Meanwhile Aidan never has time to spend with his two sons that are still grieving the loss of their mother.

"Horsemen" has a promising beginning in the style of "Se7en". However, the unpleasant and predictable story is quite pointless and has a disappointing and lame conclusion. Dennis Quaid is too old to have young sons and Ziyi Zhang is too old to perform the role of a young woman; therefore, both are miscast. Further, with so many maladjusted teenagers in the world, the insane idea of this movie might be quite dangerous for disturbed youths. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Os Cavaleiros do Apocalipse" ("The Horsemen of the Apocalypse")