Profession profiler

Mindhunters is one of those movies that's been on my watchlist forever, over the years its just managed to consistently evade me. Now I've seen it however, the wait was worth it.

This thriller starring Johnny Lee Miller, L L Cool J and Val Kilmer tells the story of several FBI agents going on a mock assignment on a secluded island in hopes of pleasing their tutor and getting the desired profiler job of their dreams. However shortly after arriving things suddenly get a tad too real.

I'll be honest even though its been on my watchlist for so long I didn't actually know what it was. For some reason I thought it was a sci-fi with a name like that, whereas it is in fact a fairly smart little thriller.

A blend of SAW (2004) and your standard police drama it's an entertaining little movie that is well written, well constructed and certainly not take your brain out viewing.

Sadly it's not without its flaws but it's still a lot of fun and a demonstration that once upon a time Hollywood did know how to do original old school style movies before they so very badly lost their way.

Fun little movie.

The Good:

Fairly smart

Cast are on point

Old school feel

The Bad:

Feels like its missing something

Film could have done with a higher running time

The film concerns a motley group of FBI recruits (Christian Slater , Johnny Lee Miller , Kathryn Morris , Clifton Collins) commanded by a training professor (Val Kilmer) . These Mindhunters train in a multidisciplinary capacity , including highly demanding field training . They are stranded at an island where are finding various killings executed by a serial murderer . For seven elite profilers, finding a serial killer is a process of elimination. Their own. Have been killed one by one . Who's the killer?.

In the picture there are mysteries , frenetic action , tension , suspense and a little bit of gore when the murders happen . From start to finish the nonstop action is continued , it is fast moving and that's why it is entertaining enough . The film is a crossover amongst the investigations means of ¨CSI¨ , the ¨Seven¨ (David Fincher) thriller , the training risks of ¨The recruit¨ (Roger Donaldson) and the intrigue of ¨Identity¨ (James Mangold) . The motion picture is a stimulating whodunit where we are really intrigued in the twisted happenings from the presentation to final . The screenplay has a complex plot and the end has an extraordinary surprise . The Investigative Support Unit ("Mindhunters" is slang for the ISU) is the FBI's special force (similar to ¨Criminal minds¨ TV series team) , they're profilers that have assisted state and local police in cracking some of the United States' most notorious serial murder cases . Mindhunters specialize in understanding and profiling the chemistry and mechanical workings of the brain in these serial criminals and have researched notorious series killers . The motion picture is only setting on two stages : the FBI academy and the island ; however , it doesn't make boring , neither tired , nor dull , but amusing . The pic was professionally directed by Renny Harlin . The yarn will appeal to suspense and dark atmosphere fans . Rating : 6.5/10, good . Well worth seeing.

I found Mindhunters to be a thoroughly entertaining movie that did have some good surprises and moments. The story is as original as it could be, although, one can argue that the whole group in isolation getting picked off one by one thing has been done before. I will not give away too much of the movie so that you can be surprised at the twists that it offers, except I must make one comment. Why on earth do they let LL Cool J have some of the most ridiculously stupid one liners. I mean, if he wants to be bought as a believable actor, he needs to put an end to this madness. I am sure you will know what I am talking about when you see the movie.

Anyway, I give it 8 out of 10 and a definite check it out if you enjoy thrillers... especially ones with gruesome killers.

A film so ramped up to 11 it stops making sense in the opening act and gets gradually more deranged. Renny Harlin throws every cinematic flick, trick, twist bluff and counter bluff that you start to feel like you're channel hopping while watching another film entirely on fast forward.

Bunch of criminal profilers gets an adventure holiday type training programme that turns out to be a cat and mouse with a real killer out to prove them incompetent. What's work without some stress related "challenging targets"?

Most of the actors are decent and a good fit for TV movies but Harlin is clearly less interested in directing them than the set pieces and the visual pizazz, most of them just have to hold still and behave irrationally before the inevitable running about in the dark before holding still and behaving irrationally some more. There's some cats as well.

Not to say it's bad; it's a fairly entertaining techno thriller/horror that's not boring. It's got some effective scares later on and keeps you guessing who's going to die next, and how. Sadly the killer's identity is a bit obvious despite the copious red herring and most of the dialogue's rubbish, but if you ever wondered what would happen if you dropped the CSI crew into a Saw movie (and to be fair who wouldn't want that?) then this is for you.

A group of seven FBI trainees is sent to an isolated island for the final stage of their training period under the direction of the eccentric Jake Harris (Val Kilmer), who uses questionable methods. However, they are attacked and killed by a serial killer that can be one of the team members. The tension increases amidst the group with the lack of confidence on each other.

Although not being exceptional, "Mindhunters" is a good thriller and slash movie. The tense story is original, mixes horror, thriller, action, crime and mystery and the resolution is not bad. This is the type of movie that entertains and I liked it. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Caçadores de Mente" ("Mindhunters")