Bad Samaritan

Original script. Believable cast. They make it work easily & all in all it looks like what a thriller should look like! For once I'm not grumbling in disappointment over lack of continuity or missed opportunities. Several layers thick with multidimensional characters that behave unexpectantly individual and unique instead of plotted. A pleasant surprise, indeed. Perhaps I should have rated it a 9!?

I didn't expect much of a movie with a name like Bad Samaritan, I didn't expect to find something to enjoy about it besides David Tennant playing the villain, and I certainly didn't expect to find a great movie. The only real complaint I have is that the bad guy's backstory was dumb, and honestly would have been better off unexplained. I haven't seen a movie this consistently intense since The Infiltrator came out two years ago. I was especially impressed with the continuity and attention to detail, and MY GOSH can David Tennant pull off a fantastic American accent.

For the most part, this film was well shot, very well acted, and well paced. My only real criticism for the film is the elements I felt were a bit over the top. These would include a bizarrely done flashback snippet, some odd plot occurrences, and a score that I felt elevated the cartoonish nature of the film. Still, would recommend a watch for those who like cat and mouse thrillers.

David Tennant stars as the movies antagonist in a clever little thriller that deserves more recognition than it appears to have recieved.

It tells the story of two friends who through their valet job proceed to rob people while they are at the restaurant. But on this occasion one of them finds a little more than he expected as the home contains a chained up woman.

Now Bad Samaritan immediatly suffers from a flaw that a lot of movies have have lately. Namely protagonists that I can't care for. Why am I supposed to root for criminals? These people are robbing folks, why am I supposed to care about them? Sadly this has been a big thing lately and really badly needs to stop.

The story is great, David Tennant is excellent (As always) and it all plays out really well. But our lead being a thief just kept nagging at me and bothered me considerably more than it perhaps should.

Putting that aside I can confidently say Bad Samaritan is a smart little film, well constructed and well performed so if the bad protagonist thing doesn't bother you then it's well worth your time.

The Good:

David Tennant

Very well made little thriller

Solid concept

The Bad:

Unlikeable protagonist

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

David Tennant needs more high profile work

Bad guys need to play bad guys, thieves should not be the protagonists

Women still haven't established that allowing themselves to be photographed topless/naked is a bad idea

Bad Samaritan is a film that I simply did not know was even being released until I looked on Fandango and checked what movies I could go see yesterday. And besides David Tennant, there's really no big name here at all and there wasn't a single bit of marketing that I saw, so there's that. Really, Bad Samaritan will likely be a film that comes and goes and never knows that it existed. However, I actually thought it was a pretty well made film. Granted, it starts to fall apart after the hour mark, but if you're just looking for a cheap thrill with some fun performances, creepy imagery, and good time at the theater, then look no further than Bad Samaritan. The film has no place making some of the third act decisions it does however, it never fully jumps the proverbial shark, and it's always entertaining.

7.3/10