Instincts meurtriers

* ½ out of ****

I've mentioned it before and I'll say it again; I'm a sucker for mystery thrillers, especially when they involve methodical serial killers. So despite the fact that Twisted was clearly one of the worst reviewed films of the year, I still rented it based on both my preference for the genre and for the film's cast, as I am huge fans of Samuel L. Jackson and Ashley Judd. Andy Garcia, Russell Wong, and Leland Orser are in the film, too, and that's definitely not a shabby supporting cast.

The film stars Judd as San Francisco patrol officer Tess Shepard. After busting a murderer, she's promoted to inspector by the commissioner (Samuel L. Jackson), who also happens to be her legal guardian thanks to a rather sordid past. Tess' new partner is Del Marco (Andy Garcia), and they're quickly assigned to their first case when a corpse is discovered by the shore. The crime is murder but there's a catch; Tess recognizes the dead man, a mere stranger she picked up at a bar a month ago. Another murder occurs, and it's yet another man Tess slept with. And considering she keeps blacking out the night each of the men is killed, she begins to suspect if she's the very own killer they're looking for.

For all that's very wrong with this film, Twisted isn't nearly as bad as I though it'd be. Don't take that as high praise, because the movie's still bad, just not horrible enough that I'd put it on any personal bottom 10 lists.

Because I saw this film just a day after Taking Lives, there was the occasional bit of déjà vu. Remember how I mentioned that film introduced us to the heroine by showing how clever and resourceful she was? Pretty much the same case here, except we also see that Judd's Tess Shepard can kick ass. Her cleverness is displayed through her ability to perfectly describe people and objects she's seen after a brief glance; a fine ability, no doubt, but not something that really impresses in terms of plot and characterization.

The movie's various attempts at building a sense of mystery are suspense are quite pathetic. Examples? Judd keeps hearing a metallic clinking outside her apartment every night before the murders, and she keeps drinking alcohol on those same nights and consequently blacks out. This is a repeated process, so you'd think it take her more than the majority of the film's running time to figure out her drink might be tainted with a drug or that whoever's making that noise might somehow be associated with her blackouts.

Figuring out the identity of the killer is almost too easy. Just follow Roger Ebert's little movie rule about how the culprit is almost always the person who has no other reason to be in the picture and you'll be able to narrow it down real fast.

Twisted is blessed with a surprisingly high-profile cast, and while most everyone is nothing less than decent, it's a bit of a surprise actors of such high-caliber would choose a script that plays out more like 'TV movie of the week' material. I can maybe see the appeal to Ashley Judd in playing a tortured but tough heroine, but Samuel L. Jackson has arguably the film's most thankless role, and he's barely in the picture for more than fifteen minutes. Competent acting is always a great plus in the genre, but it also takes plot and suspense to actually make a thriller with thrills and this movie has absolutely zilch in that department.

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)

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.

Just saw TWISTED and I really thought it was great. Though I've spent time there, San Francisco looks so mysterious in the film that it seems like a different city, a fog-bound city of lovers and their killers. Ashley Judd is terrific as the cop who thinks she might be the killer. It is a truly twisted ride to the end. Sam Jackson gives a bravura performance at the end. I read somewhere that he really pursued the film and I can see why. Andy Garcia is great as her strange partner.

TWISTED is a film noir. Someone just sent me an excellent definition: "...a film noir is a crime story in which the characters in the grip of urgent appetites (sex, money and revenge are the most popular) are driven to perform extremely dangerous, complicated and often morally dubious acts, and in which the prevailing mood--a mixture of fear, desire and desperation-- is intensified by both a single-minded economy of narrative and an almost oppressive formality of graphic design.." TWISTED is not a typical Hollywood film, nor is it an Ashley Judd "woman in jeopardy" film. This is a bold role for a great actress.

I've read some extremely stupid and unfair things written here about the film. There is such a thing as a "black out" syndrome (just ask any psychologist) and everything seemed very accurate to me (I have friends who work in law enforcement who also enjoyed the film even though a cop is the killer). I think it's sort of like a political debate where everyone is trying to agree with each other instead of seeing the film for what it is. I hope people can see it and enjoy what the filmmakers clearly intended: a sexy, twisted film noir.

Seeing one popular site with a verdict of 101 bad reviews to just 2 good ones, I almost didn't go, but my S.O. likes some pretty so-so movies if they are exciting or suspenseful, so I took her. I did not find the plot so obvious. I actually enjoyed it a lot--a bit raunchy of course, but "normal" for this kind of flick. I actually recommend it as a thriller. Reviewers are really a bunch of whole assets, arent they? They probably are not too good at acting, screenwriting, directing or producing (though they might do okay as continuity persons!). Jackson, Garcia, Judd and several lesser players are just fine. Reviewers write to keep themselves working for a living, and that requires them to diss a goodly percentage of the movies they review.