Black River

Is there some type of written rule in American TVMs ( And for the sake of argument I class this as a TVM - not a mini series ) that there must be a tear jerking scene included ? I`m just curious because BLACK RIVER opens with a man called Bo Aikens burying his dog and boy is the sentiment laid on with a trowel . Am I supposed to empathise with Bo because his dog died ? Well I don`t and even if I did any sympathy I might have had for him would have disappeared a few minutes later when he confesses he worked as a screenwriter in Hollywood , lived in a big house with his beautiful wife with a big car parked in a big garage , but decided to give it all up because he wanted to be taken seriously as a writer . So let`s see now , he was working as a Hollywood screenwriter ( And getting big bucks for doing so ) and gave it all up because he wasn`t getting enough critical acclaim ! In other words he`s a schmuck and deserves everything that comes his way in my opinion .

I`ve heard the name Dean Koontz but have never read any of his novels and couldn`t tell you anything about the author and it wasn`t untill I looked up his profile on this site that I found he was American born . Watching BLACK RIVER I wouldn`t have believed it because the American stereotypes of middle America in general and Black River in particular seem somewhat overplayed with American pie hospitality and the occasional redneck scumbag in a premise that would have probably worked better as an episode of THE X-FILES. In fact I`ve seen this type of story umpteen times in that show

Yes, first and foremost, DO NOT even look at the titles here because you can always count on some Dip$h*t Numbnut giving everything away, just in their title. So, just a kind warning...

A basically good story, fairly decently executed. The main guy is OKAY in his role. The supporting characters I thought were actually better. But, even so... a fairly clever idea moderately well executed. I think that if the writing and direction had been just a little sharper, then this story could have had more impact, but the idea is good.

Again, a moderately entertaining Telefilm based upon a Stephen King short story, one of his more fun ones.

It you are not expecting full theatre grade quality and enjoy a good little mystery of what the hell is going on in this town, then you should enjoy this movie somewhat.

Again, DO NOT read the other review titles unless you want the entire story SPOILED!

My wife and I have seen this movie more times than the people who made it. We watch it every night before bed. We even created a Facebook group about it that we are the only two members of. I don't actually know if Black River is a good movie it's just our movie. We quote it to each other daily. Were actually watching it right now. For a TV movie based on a koontz book this thing has legs. I just wish we could connect with like minded black river fans and maybe have a yearly gathering where we.... you guessed it.. watch black river. As I read back this review I think maybe I have gone insane and need to seek help. Or I can just watch it again and when it's over and I get up to pee in the middle of the night I just hit play again. I'm going to get a tattoo of the movie poster.

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As a reader of Dean Koontzs' work I looked forward to seeing Black River (originally created as a mini-series but shown in the UK as a short movie). I have always found his work fast paced and well constructed, but I was a little disappointed with this offering as there seemed at times only a tenuous link running through the plot. To me Bo (Jay Mohr) seemed a little 2 dimensional and somewhat lacking in substance. He seemed more interested in finding out who was behind what was going on rather than "getting out of dodge", an aim he professed throughout. I feel that the concept put forward by the author was interesting and could have been handled in a slightly better way. Jay Mohr has in the past delighted me with his performances, however in this case he seemed to have the aspect of someone running around like a headless chicken who shouted all his lines. All in all, a bit of a disappointment.

Normally I've got some investment or interest in a movie before sticking it on, but Black River I went into completely blind. It was simply an algorithm recommendation to me and the synopsis, while not exactly original, sounded vaguely appealing.

I'll admit my heart sunk fairly early on when I was greeted with Dean Koontz name in the credits. Now, I actually quite enjoy Koontz work, but very rarely does it translate well to movie form. Indeed movies based on his works make his rival Stephen King look prolifically successful movie wise.

The movie follows Bo Aitkens (Jay Mohr) a moderately successful Hollywood author leaving LA behind in search of a quieter life following his divorce. While passing through the small town of Black River he is pulled over by the police and sent to the cells. Local Chief Salks (Ron Canada) lets him our and apologises for his erroneous arrest, but informs him his car has been impounded.

Stuck in the town, he encounters its eccentric Mayor Tomas (Stephen Tobolowsky), diner worker Mandy (Ann Cusack) and her recently discovered sister Laura (Lisa Edelstein) but starts receiving menacing phonecalls from someone calling himself Pericles instructing him what he can and cannot do. While menaced by a black SUV and thwarted at every attempt to leave the town by various fantastic means. He sets out to try and find out the town's mysterious secret and put an end to his imprisonment in the town.

Black River is a very strange movie to try and convey my feelings on. It becomes clear we are dealing with a TV movie within seconds, and I always feel like these deserve a bit of a break. These aren't made with huge budgets or great resources, and in all honesty most involved probably never really imagined it would be getting viewed after the initial broadcast, let alone over 20 years later.

Mohr is an actor I know I've seen in several movies, and while I can't name any of them, I feel like he's usually cast as the protagonist's rival for the affections of the female lead, or a jock. Here as a lead...he's a mixed bag. I mean he is working with less than spectacular material, but I'm not convinced we missed out on a great star here. Interestingly, his best moments are the couple of comedy spots which he's a lot more natural at, and even impressive with the timing and facial expressions on.

The rest of the cast? Well, they're tv actors. I don't mean that inherently as an insult, but don't expect anything memorable. Passable, but don't expect to come out looking these guys up for further viewing.

The plot is...I mean if you've watched any sci fi, horror or fantasy tv show in the last 30 years, you've seen an episode with this premise, give or take the antagonist. This doesn't reinvent the wheel, and is silly in places - when Bo tries to leave on foot where do those things that stop him come from? But it's all a rather tired trope. I found it passable, but nothing gripped me, and I feel like in a week's time I'll have forgotten almost all of it.

Still, it's not bad. Had I came across it on tv at original broadcast date I daresay I'd have enjoyed it a bit more. I couldn't honestly recommend seeking it out, but as far as tv movies go? It's a passable waste of time.