I should learn to trust Paul Schrader more. I had to scrap a whole review at the last minute ‘cos I was making the mistake of reviewing while watching. Like Schrader’s Auto Focus, this movie all finally comes together in its last moments. I was looking for a whole other movie up to that point. I thought it was the inspiration for 8MM or Man on Fire or other revenge movies of that kind. This movie’s too real for all that. Too, too real. I can’t think of anything to add but I’ll watch this movie again for sure and maybe, hopefully, elaborate. I’m including the other review below for posterity.

Original review has no bearing on my final opinion Oh … so 8MM had an original version, huh? This movie unfortunately just doesn’t go far enough for me. It feels a lot more authentic than its imitations, as is the hallmark of many a 70s production, but it somehow feels somewhat flat as a revenge story. George C. Scott is okay in the lead, but he turned in a more anguished performance in Exorcist III. Nicolas Cage was more anguished in 8MM and it wasn’t even his daughter in trouble. It’s all a little confusing.

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