Movie Review - Switchback

Switchback

1998

Pacific Western / Paramount Pictures / Rysher Entertainment : Paramount Pictures

9.25 / 10

This is a highly entertaining thriller packed with twists and turns in a good story and brilliantly directed and acted.

When a child is kidnapped and his babysitter is murdered in cold blood this starts a series events that will lead FBI Agent Frank LaCrosse (Dennis Quaid) back to the trail of a serial killer who has resumed his killing spree across America.  The writer and director Jeb Stuart weaves a nice story filled with powerful, strong, and believable characters and it's the characters which help to make this such a substantial movie.  Another plus is the twists which keep the viewer unsure of who the killer is.  Unfortunately, I knew who it was because the add blurb on the TV Guide gave it away - bad guide!

Not only does Stuart write a good story he can also direct a good movie.  Stuart has a good eye and gives the audience quite a few well-composed shots.  I really liked the scene where Lane Dixon (Jared Leto) wakes up in the car alone and feels a rumbling through the dashboard.  When he cleans the windscreen he sees a railway engine speeding towards him.  It's not until he jumps from the car that he learns they're just parked on a curve in the track.  Nicely thought out.  Stuart is also good at keeping the pace of the story and the film at the right speed.  The film does slow down at points, such as in the meetings, though it never gets boring as Stuart keeps these entertaining by adding humour to the characters conversations, especially Sheriff Buck Olmstead (R Lee Ermey) and his first in command Deputy Nate Booker (Ted Levine).  When the climax arrives he does a great job of building up tension nearly to the "on the edge of your seat" type.

As for the acting, this is a very strong cast as you can tell from the roll-call above and also includes William Fichtner and Danny Glover.  Not one of the cast fails to deliver a good performance; though, I would have to say that R Lee Ermey's character is one of the most likeable as the logical and full-of-heart Sheriff.  He also has some of the best lines.

I would recommend this film to everyone who hasn't watched it.  In an age of shaky cameras which can make you feel dizzy and quite sick at times, it's nice to watch a static cam film - I don't miss feeling sick at all.  If you like mystery thrillers with a detective spin then this should be right up your alley.