Legacy of Fear

In 1977 Springfield, Mass., police detective Don Joyce is investigating a serial killer known as BPS (Bound, Photographed, Strangled) killer. The killer murders Don's wife in front of their daughter Jeanne. Thirty years later, Jeanne 'JJ' Joyce (Teri Polo) is herself a homicide detective. Don had committed suicide. The killer was never caught but suddenly, the killings are happening again after a 30 years break. Her best friend reporter Kathleen Coyne is pulled into the case.

I am a little surprised by the nudity in this Lifetime movie. Teri Polo is perfectly fine. It does need a better director and production value. With more graphic violence and darker movie moves, this has a chance. Instead, it is never better than its Lifetime construction. That only makes this a sad shadow of an actual film.

Such software has existed for quite some time, believe it or not. That's why we see the same 'suspense' scenes over & over again (a killer attacks, but the hero is just having a DREAM SEQUENCE! the hero chases the killer into a forest but gets struck from behind {you'd think the cameraman would say something} etc.) and hear the same clichéd lines repeated that we've heard before in these tiresome retreads. Matt Damon calls such dialogue 'derivative'.

In LOF, the acting is respectable, especially by our lead, Teri Polo. I confess I tuned in to it since the Canadian Football game I was watching was dreadful and LOF was a better time-waster. However, the premise--that a clever 'serial killer' can outfox detectives while leaving them taunting clues and also read their every move in advance--is only slightly less ridiculous than a film about sharks stalking humans (well, that worked the first time!). It does, however, show how screenplay-software can turn out a barebones script for a TV movie: I can just see the 'writer' flipping through the menus "Flashback Scenes" "Arguments with Police Boss" "Fun Scenes to Flesh out Hero" "Eerie Searches for Clues" etc.

You could produce a decent 'B' suspense flick with a little imagination: a few bizarre characters; some nifty dialogue that moves the plot along, but says things in a new way; or a hero that is complex but compelling (Dr House, Sherlock Holmes, Monk). I'm afraid the Cast here just isn't given too much to work with. Contrast an old sleeper such as 'Plain Clothes'.

6/10 generous rating just for being more fun than a CFL game in which one QB couldn't pass the salt..

***SPOILERS*** Lifetime Network serial murder flick that spans 30 years and includes more then a dozen victims. It all starts in 1977 when this psycho dubbed the PBS Killer went on a rampage murdering some half dozen people that ended with the brutal murder of Mrs. Linda Joyce, Jean Nicola, in what is now called, not back then in 1977, a home invasion. In his haste the BPS killer left alive Linda's 10 year old daughter Jeanne, Teri Polo, whom he promised to finish off in a future date. It was Jeanne's father detective Don Joyce, Stephen Spender, who spent that next few years trying to hunt down his wife's killer only ending up insane and later in frustration blowing his brains out. He's considered by many to have been the BPS 'last victim.

It's now 30 years later and he's at it again the BPS Killer is back and murdering persons the very same way he did back then in 1977. The only difference now is that Jeanne is now all grown up and a hot shot lady detective in the local police force. It's Not only that she's the only hot on his trail but who can also identify him. What Jeanne doesn't quite realize is that his grand plan is to finish her off like he told her he would some 30 years ago. And all his latest killings is to lure her into the trap that he set for her without her knowing about it. And even more surprising is that the killer has planned that for years getting close to Jeanne before she suspects who he is.

The BPS Killer is not at all that difficult to spot even if he changed his appearance over the years when he went from a person in his 20's or 30's to someone eligible,or so it seems, to collect a social security check. It's just that he got a lot more brazen and stupider over the years making him far more identifiable and ineffective because of it. He does make an attempt to murder Jeanne at the end of the movie but he's so full of himself in how indestructible he is as well as smart that he screwed himself up instead. Just when he had Jeanne where he wanted her his big mouth , in bragging how smart and clever he is, betrayed him by giving Jeanne the chance , by dropping his guard, to finally finish him off before he could put his evil and crazy plans for her into effect!

I wish they didn't make the killer so obvious, it took the suspense out of the film. Also, the ending was rushed. Was way too easy to take him down. I give it a 4 for effort.

i liked this movie.i think Teri Polo is a good dramatic actress,at least judging by this movie.many people probably know her from the comedy "Meet the Parents"and its sequel"Meet the Fockers".she was good in those movies and she is equally talented in the dramatic arena.i won't say too much about the plot except it involves a serial killer.only 3 people have commented in total so far,and 2 of them clearly did not like it.everybody has their own opinions and ideas on what they consider a good movie.in my mind,this is a good movie.there's mystery,suspense and good acting.as for originality,most movies made today are not completely original so i don't think that should go against this movie.if you are looking to be entertained,this movie might work for you.or not.either way,as i said, liked it.i also have noticed Teri Polo's name in a few other dramatic movies and i think i will try some of them based on her performance in this movie.i think"Legacy of Fear" is a strong 7/10