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Steve Fearon (84 KP) rated Kill List (2012) in Movies

Sep 7, 2018

Kill List (2012)

2012 | Horror, Mystery

6.3

(7 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Performances are strong (1 more)

Gruesome and Violent in a very effective way

The ending is very divisive (1 more)

Lots of elements are left unexplained

Intense, memorable but lacks clarity

Contains spoilers, click to show

Kill List is a very British Horror, that follows a clearly damaged ex-soldier that is drawn into the world of hit-men and assassinations in order to earn his way out of financial trouble.

Featuring a number of recognizable British tv actors, and a interesting edit style that chops out extraneous seconds here there and everywhere, often overlaying conversational narrative over a shot displaying a different scene, effectively giving you two informational elements at the same time.

It has some brutal violence, as the two hitman proceed to move down their list discovering generally bad people, which allows the viewer to avoid the moral conflict that might otherwise complicate the premise.

There are nods that the people hiring them know more than they are letting on, and the film builds to a slightly confusing crescendo with an ending similar to another very controversial horror film of recent years, that will shock some and disappoint others.

Overall it is an enjoyable but challenging film, that would have benefited from signposting a few more of the confusing elements more clearly, though the ending and its insinuations are more than likely intended to be of a vague and open nature by design.

Violent, upsetting and very dark in theme, Kill List is definitely a horror, and definitely not one for those of a weak constitution...it is flawed, and not a classic but it certainly is a solid choice for a rainy evening.

Kudos

JT (287 KP) rated Ca$h (2010) in Movies

Mar 10, 2020

Ca$h (2010)

2010 | Mystery

2.0

(2 Ratings)

Movie Rating

A contender for one of the worst thrillers ever, this is nothing more than a total disaster. And that is being generous!

Director Stephen Milburn Anderson’s last outing was with Dead Men Can’t Dance back in 1997, and after such a long break you wonder why he stepped back behind the camera. The film’s central plot has been graced in Hollywood one way or another, at least in a different guise.

A bag of money from a robbery falls in the lap of Sam (Chris Hemsworth) and Leslie Phelan (Victoria Profeta) and so beings the moral dilemma. It doesn’t take long for the couple to blow and hide most of the money.

Sean Bean complete with trademark Sheffield accent steps in as Pyke Kubic tasked with recovering the half million dollar loot to split between himself and his brother who is in prison (also played by Bean).

For most you’d expect a game of cat and mouse, gripping edge of seat stuff. Forget that, what you are handed is a rather boring plot of Bean meticulously accounting for all the missing cash and spending time with the couple inside their home as some sort of unwanted house guest.

There is no need for violence here, he’s polite and calm but at the same time attempts to be chilling even insulting the couple for their lack of meat in home cooking. Christ, he even goes out to buy them food for their fridge!

It really is embarrassing to watch and sad, as put in the right hands this could have been a real sleeper hit. Two simple words, “don’t bother”!