Deadly Impact

In all honesty, I really enjoyed this movie. It was a decent thriller. It reminded me a little of the TV show 24 for some reason, maybe the storyline. Flanery and Pantoliano do a pretty good job and really make this film. I think the movie could have been better with a different female lead, she just didn't seem to suit the part. I must say though, she is a hottie!! Most of the rest of the cast just make up the numbers. One downfall was that I didn't really like how music played through most of the movie, I don't understand why they do this.

If you like movies in the same genre as speed and the like you will enjoy this one.

After a horrible incident, police officer Tom Armstrong retires and moves to Mexico. But he is forced to return when the madman who targeted him once has returned, and only Armstrong knows the killer's mind well enough to play his games. But, of course, this only makes him a target.

Director Robert Kurtzman ("Wishmaster"), more generally known as the FX maestro behind scores of films (often in the horror genre), brings his vision to the script of Alex Vesha, who knows something about tense situations, psychotic (but brilliant) killers and bomb scares. There are more than a handful of moments here where lives are on the line -- sometimes hundreds. Eat your heart out, Jack Bauer.

While the lead role of Armstrong (Sean Patrick Flanery) has to be admired, there's no denying that Joe Pantoliano steals the show as The Lion. Menacing, devious, a master of disguise... he's a perfect casting choice for a villain. Despite decades in acting (including "The Goonies", "The Matrix" and "The Sopranos"), he still hasn't really achieved the notoriety he deserves. This probably will not be the film that breaks him into the top tier, but that day is coming. Watch out, Kevin Spacey.

I have to say I'm not really keen on the romantic aspects, and there is some slowness in general where the piano music kicks in. I understand the importance of the romance and relationships in this one, but there is a break in the pace that I think ultimately works against the fast action of the movie. I cannot really offer a solution of how to reconcile the need for romance and the pace, though, so I think the best was done with what they had. I would have replaced the romantic interest with a platonic partner or boss, but that's just me.

While I think the film is mildly flawed, due primarily to the pacing issue, it is worth seeing for anyone who enjoys the police or thriller genres. As stated, The Lion is a worthy villain in a long line of criminal masterminds, and Vesha, Kurtzman and Pantoliano really bring that to the forefront.

Silly and unbelievable story line. Wooden acting to a script that is a mish mash of so many other films. The title should be 'deadly cliché'. The biggest crime in this film is that from the first 5 minutes it leaves things unexplained as if key sections had been cut to confuse the audience. There is little or no tension and it becomes so predictable you can leave the film for 20 minutes in the sure and certain knowledge not much of consequence will have happened.

The script in this movie is very flat. The plot is very predictable and not particularly thrilling. The female lead is eye candy for the lads, but she didn't really sell the part - and her dialogue was pretty weak.

Deadly Impact is no better or no worst than Speed minus the bus ride for a low budget film the two stories seem very similar they both dealt with a bomber on the loose but this is where Deadly Impact falters the action is far few between and Joe Pantoliano does a better job at being a crazed bomber than Dennis Hopper's character in speed and the surprise ending which I thought was original which I won't give away you will have to watch it and I will give it a five star rating for effort.