This was one of the movies made when Stallone was still languishing in DTV hell, before he decided to do Rocky Balboa and put a rocket up the arse of his career. That being said, I really like this movie. Sylvester Stallone plays FBI agent Jake Malloy. Jake has been chasing a serial killer that has been murdering cops for a long time. He gets close to apprehending the killer on a job but the killer gets away. By way of punishment the killer kills Jake’s wife in the same manner that he has been murdering his other victims. Jake becomes so distraught at the loss of his wife that he starts to drink heavily and then tries to commit suicide, however he is found in and time and given medical treatment.

Jakes friend Hendricks (Charles S. Dutton) thinks it would be a good idea for Jake to get some help in overcoming his alcohol addiction and also the loss of his wife. He is sent to a rehab clinic for law enforcement officers, run by Doc (Kris Kristofferson), who tells Jake that his centre is the best place for Jake to be. However Jakes peace and tranquillity is shattered when a patient is murdered in an apparent suicide. Jake recognises the method used in the murder and realises that the killer has assumed the identity of someone at the centre, determined to cause more suffering to Jake. Jake must try and find out who the killer is before anyone else is murdered.

I dig this movie. It is a brilliant slasher film and does a very good job of keeping the killers identity a secret. It’s quite strange to see Stallone in a movie of this ilk, but a very refreshing change too as I feel he doesn’t do enough of these movies. The supporting cast is fantastic too. You have great actors like Robert Patrick, Stephen Lang, Jeffrey Wright, Christopher Fulford, Courtney B. Vance and the late, great Robert Prosky.

There are some great scares and brilliant gore. The film begins quite tense, slows down for a bit then slowly begins to ratchet up the tension again. Stallone is on top form and so is everyone else. It’s directed by Jim Gillespie who also directed ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’. It’s well worth a watch if you haven’t seen it, perfect friday night chiller to watch with the lights off.

4/5

JM