Zig Zag

Unique, in that I can't recall seeing it elsewhere. Once into it, you develop empathy for the main characters. And suspicions arise for peripheral players.

There are hundreds of lesser efforts on tv each week. If you are stuck for an interesting, "who done it," onr rainy night.......give it a try.

The premise is familiar -- guy learns he's going to die, tries to find a way to leave his family provided for -- but it's presented in an interesting manner here, with Kennedy an appealing if unlikely lead. All goes well until the ending, which is so outrageously wrong for the movie that it completely sinks the film. A surprise ending is generally something many thrillers try for, but it has to be a surprise ending that satisfies the audience on some level, not one that throws the whole story back in their faces.

Implausible, unsuspenseful, and just plain boring. If not for George Kennedy's near-nude scenes, This could have been a below average TV movie. Apparently, the producers felt that showing his bare rear end would be incentive to pay to see this in theaters. It really didn't do a thing for me.

This is currently on TCM and I tried hard but could only make it 30 minutes in. The directing and photography are the WORST I've ever seen. Do you enjoy extreme close ups of every single thing imaginable? Then maybe this movie is for you. Yes as several have mentioned You see Kennedy's ass and its totally unneeded. I do enjoy George Kennedy but he's best as a 2nd or 3rd character. He just can't carry a movie as a leading man.

George Kennedy is an unusual actor for me. He is largely forgotten, yet has an Oscar to his name. He's in many of the films everyone remembers well, such as The Dirty Dozen, Airport and The Naked Gun, and yet he rarely catches the limelight as the leading man. He's also supremely talented, without ever appearing to be trying hard.

In this superior thriller, he plays a man who discovers that he has a brain tumour. He arranges his own death, so that his wife can claim the insurance money. However, just as his plan is about to kick into action, he learns that he has been mis-diagnosed and that, in fact, he is not dying at all.

This film stays one step ahead of the audience at all points. It is ingenious and interesting throughout, and has the added benefit of being a touch different to the majority of hard-boiled thrillers from this period. Perhaps it gets over-complex, and the downbeat ending is typical of the time. Nevertheless, this is a good film, and like some of the other user's who have reviewed it I am very baffled as to why it is unavailable on video.