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The Alphabet Killer

  • 2008
  • R
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
9.2K
YOUR RATING
Eliza Dushku in The Alphabet Killer (2008)
Police officer Megan Paige (Dushku) sees her life begin to unravel as she investiagtes a series of brutal killings.
Play trailer1:43
1 Video
27 Photos
True CrimeCrimeMysteryThriller

Based on the true story of the double initial killings in Rochester, NY.Based on the true story of the double initial killings in Rochester, NY.Based on the true story of the double initial killings in Rochester, NY.

  • Director
    • Rob Schmidt
  • Writer
    • Tom Malloy
  • Stars
    • Eliza Dushku
    • Cary Elwes
    • Timothy Hutton
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.2/10
    9.2K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Rob Schmidt
    • Writer
      • Tom Malloy
    • Stars
      • Eliza Dushku
      • Cary Elwes
      • Timothy Hutton
    • 57User reviews
    • 37Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    The Alphabet Killer: Trailer
    Trailer 1:43
    The Alphabet Killer: Trailer

    Photos26

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    Top cast51

    Edit
    Eliza Dushku
    Eliza Dushku
    • Megan Paige
    Cary Elwes
    Cary Elwes
    • Kenneth Shine
    Timothy Hutton
    Timothy Hutton
    • Richard Ledge
    Tom Malloy
    Tom Malloy
    • Officer Steven Harper
    Michael Ironside
    Michael Ironside
    • Captain Nathan Norcross
    Bill Moseley
    Bill Moseley
    • Carl Tanner
    Carl Lumbly
    Carl Lumbly
    • Dr. Ellis Parks
    Brian Scannell
    Brian Scannell
    • Jay Castillo
    Larry Hankin
    Larry Hankin
    • Perry
    Jack McGee
    Jack McGee
    • Hank
    Melissa Leo
    Melissa Leo
    • Kathy Walsh
    Andrew Fiscella
    • Len Schafer
    • (as Andy Fiscella)
    Rocco Sisto
    Rocco Sisto
    • Father McQuarrie
    Tom Noonan
    Tom Noonan
    • Ray Gullikson
    Frank Rossi
    Frank Rossi
    • Francis Baker
    Meltem Cumbul
    Meltem Cumbul
    • Elisa Castillo
    Kristina Jewell
    Kristina Jewell
    • Wendy Walsh
    Sarah Anderson
    Sarah Anderson
    • Elizabeth Eckers
    • Director
      • Rob Schmidt
    • Writer
      • Tom Malloy
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews57

    5.29.1K
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    Featured reviews

    7VelvetTipper

    Fairly creepy, with an interesting story

    I like films about killers, especially those with an interesting little story or something that makes them a bit different. The Alphabet Killer doesn't disappoint in this respect.

    I'll admit, the start was pretty poor, I felt it was quite disjointed and it seemed as though a lot of scenes that should have been there to develop the plot were on the cutting-room floor. However, once we get into the middle and latter stages of the film, we definitely see a marked improvement.

    I think Eliza Dushku played her role well in this, and I felt the slant of Megan's mental illness playing such a large part in the story made her character more believable, and added interest to the film.

    Overall, this was a nicely put together film. It had little gore or anything really adult-themed, so if that's what you're after this isn't for you. If you want a killer movie portrayed more through the eyes of the main detective than is usual, you might like this. Yeah, you'll probably suss it out, but that's half the fun.
    6ken-stambaugh

    not horrible, but definitely not great

    I normally am not a fan of crime movies, especially those based on reality but stretched to the extreme, and the "Alphabet Killer" is no exception. Poor acting, horrible misrepresentation of reality, inaccuracy beyond belief, and camera work that my high school journalist could have topped takes this movie to the bottom. I do, however, enjoy movies that i don't know what's going to happen five minutes into it, and that is where this movie does succeed.

    I watched "Alphabet Killer" twice; once confused and then once playing the "Alphabet Killer" drinking game. Neither was incredibly enjoyable but compared to most of the films these days it was not repulsive. If you are bored and happen to have a free redbox code its worth the 2 hours for sheer enjoyment of how truly worthless cops are.

    I know this is one of my less useful reviews but i really don't have much to say about this movie; that's why i watched it twice. It really isn't that bad but at the same time it's not that good. I gave it the benefit of having funny cop hating to get the 6 instead of the 4.
    Xorpion

    Annoying Bland Comical

    Bland is the right word to describe this movie. Absolutely nothing interesting, nothing new and a cruelly stupid plot.

    Eliza Dushku is pretty but that is all she is. In most parts of the movie she walks and talks like a zombie. Not sure if that is how delusional people would behave, but her performance looks comical. And since the whole movie circles around her, she single handedly manages to bring the entire movie down.

    I really hope to see her cast in a better and more suitable role.

    This is one such movie where everything looks bad, right from the acting, music, script, dialog, plot – everything.

    I was shaking my head and hoping to see the movie end at some point.

    Stay away from this one – unless you want to totally waste your time.
    6gavin6942

    Predictable, not Schmidt's Best Work

    Detective Megan Paige (Eliza Dushku) is tracking down a serial killer who finds girls with twin initials and dumps them in a city with the same beginning letter (such as Kelly Kapowski in Kingston). But when she gets too attached to the case, she suffers a mental breakdown. When the killings continue, can she overcome her problems to stop him from striking again?

    I thought the film would be a pretty decent one... the concept was interesting, even if the movie strays quite a bit from the real events this was based on. And the cast is impressive. Dushku is pretty amazing, Cary Elwes is one of my all-time favorite actors, Timothy Hutton is here, Michael Ironside, and genre fave Bill Moseley. So you can't beat this ensemble cast.

    But sadly, it just didn't add up for me. It was predictable (even the "twist" seemed obvious from early on) and not as engaging as one might think. It wasn't even as good as another recent murder / detective story I reviewed, "Anamorph" (which was itself not all that amazing). I've been a fan of Rob Schmidt's work, especially "Right to Die" and thought he'd be a good person to bring a dark angle to this story. Sadly, not so much... clichés such as a child-obsessed priest appear, and some (presumably imaginary) ghosts that don't really add to the film.

    I wouldn't say not to watch this one, but it wasn't gripping. There isn't one thing I can pinpoint as making this film stand out -- not the music, the lighting, the effects... it was all pretty standard. It almost would have been more fitting for a Lifetime movie. As far as serial killers go, this one comes off as remarkably tame. If you want your psyche thrilled, look somewhere else.
    2bacon_bit19

    Painful

    Saw the rating of 6/10 on here and decided to give this a try. Bad mistake!

    I thought this was the worst serial killer movie I have ever seen. You know it's a bad sign when the serial killer seems more sane than the lead character.

    The lead character was not very bright nor likable, and I spent most of the movie hoping for her demise.

    Just because it's loosely based off a real life event does not mean it should become a movie.

    I would NOT recommend this movie at all.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      (at around 21 mins) In the group scene, the guy who plays Tim, is Nate Dushku. Eliza Dushku's real life brother.
    • Goofs
      (at around 1h 27 mins) Towards the end of the movie, Richard tells Megan that she is going to take a trip down "The Geneseo". The river running through Rochester is "The Genesee" River. Geneseo is a town about 45 minutes south of Rochester.
    • Quotes

      [first lines]

      Megan Paige: Mostly the job is to ask questions. The frustrating part, the part that drives you crazy, is that the people you really want to talk to are dead.

    • Connections
      Edited into The Alphabet Killer: Alternate Scene (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      Skeleton (She's So Cool)
      Written by Nils Alpha / Jukka Sebatian

      Performed by Alpha Kids

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    FAQ24

    • How long is The Alphabet Killer?Powered by Alexa
    • What is 'The Alphabet Killer' about?
    • Is 'The Alphabet Killer' based on a book?
    • What happened in the real Alphabet murders?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 10, 2009 (Kuwait)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Bảng Chữ Tử Thần
    • Filming locations
      • Rochester, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • New Films International
      • Intrinsic Value Films
      • WideyeCreative Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $29,784
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $11,000
      • Nov 9, 2008
    • Gross worldwide
      • $106,596
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 38 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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