2:13

A police profiler with psychiatric issues, leading an unhealthy lifestyle returns to duty only to be caught up in a serial killer's spree, with the murderer having a personal fixation with his pursuer.

Although feeling like a moodier, more edgy and graphic crime show episode 2:13 is a run of the mill little thriller reminiscent of Silence of the Lambs and Saw with some great grisly special makeup effects. Nevertheless, Thompson's story unravels in the closing act, thankfully it picks itself back up briefly prior to the closing credits.

Subtle, casual Mark Thompson is on form as alcoholic Russell Spivey. Talented actress Teri Polo (Beyond 2012) has a meaty role with Kevin Kevin Pollak having an effective extended cameo. Notable is Jere Burns in a supporting role even if somewhat underutilised.

While well directed by Charles Adelman it's derivative of the genre and it will probably come as no surprise that Thompson also wrote/produced 2:13 as he gives an effort injected performance.

Logic flaws aside, worth watching if only for the Pollack's cameo, Thompson's hard work and Jodie Foster-like Polo's central role.

Nothing adds up, no logic, bad acting. Somebody had a very bad day when they decided to release this crap.

Actually quite an original well done movie - Not! The acting was poor, on a level way beneath poor actually, in occasions. It was advertised as being stomach churning but I'm afraid that it was far from it, at times it was more like a comedy than a thriller.... The plot was so bad and had no logic at all, the personal relations between leading parts began but was left with an uncertainty as if the writer got bored with them and then decided just to get rid of one of them by another murder, which left the other one completely indifferent - "funny" love-story. The killers reason (or motive) was quite far-fetched - exaggerated is an understatement. And for Gods sake; how could the killer who was much younger than Spivey have been a grown-up at the time he met the young Spivey at an age of 10? So many of these little oversights made the total impression of a great muck-up.

2:13 is your usual run-of-the-mill style serial killer thriller that looks like it was made and shot in the mid-'90s. Even the way the cast includes supporting roles for various seasoned players like Kevin Pollak and Dwight Yoakam reminded me of the old days of film-making.

Although the DVD cover makes this look like a horror movie, it really isn't. It's just a thriller with a handful of gory moments. I find films like this fail or succeed due to the nature of the killer and how memorable he or she is. Unfortunately, 2:13's killer is entirely forgettable. The rest of the film is a muddle of flashbacks and convoluted scenes, with token blonde Teri Polo shining her flashlight around and getting herself into danger. It's not very interesting.

2:13 is a dark, thoughtful thriller that would have fit right in during the big trend of such films during the early to late 1990's. It's bleak with plenty of cold atmosphere.

It's also a tense police procedural along the lines of WIRE IN THE BLOOD.

Although there are the usual plot contrivances and obvious red herrings, the story line and strong main characters more than make up for these drawbacks...

RELEASED IN 2009 and directed by Charles Adelman, "2:13" was written by and stars Mark Thompson as a troubled L.A. detective chasing down an obviously sick serial killer who has a fetish for theater masks and mutilating his victims. Teri Polo and Jere Burns play his cop associates while Mark Pellegrino appears as a distraught victim of the murderer. Deborah Carson is also on hand.

This is a grim psychological crime thriller with grisly elements, bordering on horror, similar to "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991) and, in some ways, "The Glimmer Man" (1996). The movie is low-budget, but competent enough with a palpably grey, austere tone. Teri is thoroughly stunning throughout, nice & curvy. I enjoyed her character's relationship with the disturbed (alcoholic) protagonist; you could sense the warmth between them and it's kinda moving.

There's a focus on psychotherapy, which is reminiscent of "Equus" (1977). If that's your thang, you might be interested. Also consider checking out the micro-budgeted "Sheltered" (2010), which shares some similarities, but with an altogether different plot (see my review).

THE MOVIE RUNS 96 minutes and was shot in Los Angeles.

GRADE: C+ (5.5/10)