Cruel and Unusual

i love Tom Berringer and i love serial killer stories but this movie was absolutely terrible. i put down like 3 other DVD's when i rented this, just for the sake of the plot description and Berringer's name. i regret it. it was a waste of time. stay away.

This film is one of those direct to video movie. They get a middle weight name like Tom, and try to sell it using his name. Well this isn't that bad like most direct of video movie, actual it's ok. Tom is a good actor, and the script is ok. It's not a high budget, and they got a scene that looks like one of those West Coast Canadian Rock video's. (ie Chalk Circle) Well, rent it, it won't kill you. 6/10

This Canadian film starts with Art Stone(Tom Berenguer),he's a stranger with a magnetic personality.He results to be a psycho-killer who killed several people from South Carolina till Washington State.The psycho is picked up hitch-hiking on the roadway by a professor(Gabay) going to an Oregon watchtower.Stoner takes his identity and one time in the fishing village, he befriends two brothers, Kate(Rachel Hayward), an attractive spinster and Mike(Tygh Runyan), a troubled young man.

This independent picture packs suspense, thriller, sensational outdoors and stunning performances. However contains some moments little boring and slow movement, furthermore a strong sexual scenes, for that reason is rated ¨R¨ for sexuality and language. Nice acting for starring pair, Tom Berenguer and Rachel Hayward, and enjoyable Tygh Runyan who plays with his guitar on the summit of the lighthouse, because he's actually a singer, playing in a Vancouver experimental band. The film displays a glimmer cinematography by Peter Benison, filmed in locations of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.The motion picture is regularly directed by George Mihalka who had previously directed similar stories( Psychic, Relative fear).He's usually movies television director( Crossbow, Da Vinci's inquest, Windsor protocol) and occasionally motion pictures director (Bullet to Beijing, the return of Harry Palmer). Rating : Average but entertaining for serial-killers genre buffs.

All the performances here are very good, and the eerie tone of this movie, about a serial murderer and his effect on the people he encounters, becomes it's driving force (as opposed to the usual cat-and-mouse, thriller premise). The motivations of the protagonists are subtly explored, and the movie is awash with sexual tension and scenic texture. The chess-game scene is remarkably creepy and effective. This little murder story is highly recommended for discriminating adults.

The movie had a good concept, about a serial killer on the move. It avoids excessive bloodshed and sensational mastermind manuevers and honks which plagues most serial killer flicks. This killer adopts the identity of the last victim, who is a prof on sabbatical going to man a lonely lighthouse and write a book. So our killer, Berenger ends up in a lonely fishing village with a troubled youth on parole and his independent fisher-woman sister. There is some interesting tension and not so innocent honks while he is there. He controls and influences the impressionable and weak youth while putting the make on his sister. But it fizzled out, like they established a good mood and couldn't figure out a way to end it. Also, the feedback acid guitar soundtrack, based on the kids guitar playing, was pointless and annoying. It had potential, but let me down.