Desert Saints

Bennie Harper (Melora Walters): You sure are a tough guy. Arthur Banks(Kiefer Sutherland): What are you talking about? Bennie Harper: You talk like a tough guy, you walk like a tough guy, you even order drinks like a tough guy... Arthur Banks: I'm not a tough guy - I'm just careful! Bennie Harper: Careful of what? Arthur Banks: Of pretty women...

Well, he wasn't careful enough, but I can't say any more that that without giving it away. Suffice it to say that this was a very interesting story about hit-man Banks, and a girl he picked up (Harper) to help him complete a job. The two acted like an old married couple as they haggles, and argues, and generally got on each others nerves until the job was done.

In the meantime, they are being chased by the FBI in the persons of Rachel Ticotin (Con Air, Total Recall) and Jamey Sheridan ("Law & Order: Criminal Intent").

But the film belonged to Walters (Boogie Nights, Magnoloa) and her gorgeous breasts, and to Sutherland ("24").

At the movie's start, Mr. and Mrs. Pelham (not their real names) are checking into a fancy hotel for their honeymoon.

Then we see the man in the green Nova burying a dead body in the desert, apparently in the American southwest. Well, actually, there's a little more to the scene, but I don't want to give away too much.

The man in the Nova goes to the truck stop where Dora is a waitress to eat, and then he continues on his way after dessert. When he needs gas, he discovers Bennie, who explains that she is going west to start a new life, but her car has broken down and she has no more money to get it fixed. The man gives Bennie a ride, and later she explains that her husband Byron was abusive.

FBI agents Scanlon and Marbury are in search of hit man Arthur Banks. They need evidence that he has actually done something in order to bring him in, and their intention is to get him to testify against those who hired him.

Bennie and her mysterious friend spend the rest of the movie either on the way to do another job in Mexico, or on the run from the FBI. A number of plot twists are introduced to keep things interesting. Still, the movie is hard to follow because we keep seeing flashbacks or scenes that haven't happened yet. That scene with the honeymoon couple is shown two more times, each time with a little more detail. Some of the flashbacks are helpful because they help us understand what is going on in the present.

Kiefer Sutherland does a capable job here, although I suspect he is better in "24" (which I have never seen other than a few clips). I just didn't quite see Emmy quality here.

But it was Melora Walters who really made the movie work for me. Bennie was tough and intelligent but adorable and sometimes funny.

There were several violent scenes, and while some of the results of violence looked quite graphic, the violence itself wasn't that bad. The language had apparently been cleaned up a lot for TV, and there was also some sexual content.

Overall, it was an okay adventure.

I watched this because I am a Kiefer Sutherland Fan. If you are as well you won't be disappointed. A great performance by Sutherland as Banks, leaving you wandering if you will ever find out what is going on in his psyche.

Bennie's voice was a tad annoying as was her character, but Walters played the part well. Fantastic performance by Sutherland in the car when he too is getting annoyed with Bennie!!

I liked the ambiguous ending - who was the shot for??? For a film I thought was going to be a B-Movie I was surprised at how good it was. Not a B-Movie in my mind. Definitely an enjoyable way of spending an hour and a half.

Oh, and Kiefer is FWOOOOOAAARRR!!!!

i saw this movie last night for the first time. i thought it was very interesting though a bit muddled and confusing in the first half especially. the film jumps back and forth in time with flashforwards and flashbacks without notice. until you figure this out it is a bit confusing and jarring. the ending is unexpected and to a certain degree unsatisfying as part of it comes out of nowhere. still it's an interesting movie that you think about afterwards and may want to see twice just to understand better. the acting is good. kiefer is fine and hunky for all the women out there. melora walters is great and you will fall in love with her like i did. ** 1/2 stars

If you're not a Kiefer fan, I'm not so sure. Me, I'm a Kiefer fan and while I will say I liked this film well enough, I'll also say it's not the best film in the world. I enjoyed Kiefer's ability to play a professional killer and yet you actually kind of like him by the end of it. I did not like Melora Walters. Her voice grated on me I guess. Jamey Sheridan (The Walkin' Dude from Stephen King's 'The Stand') was completely wasted in this I felt. He's a great actor as well but I don't think his character was developed enough.

In fact, I'd say none of the characters were really well-developed. And as a fan of character study movies, I was disappointed in this. But it wasn't *all* bad. There are quite a few scenes I found enjoyable to watch but overall, it's just a so-so flick.