2013 American Thriller based on the real-life 1980s Alaskan hunt for serial killer Robert Hansen (played hauntingly terrific by Cusack). Alaska State Trooper Cage (based on retired Alaska State Police Detective Glenn Flothe) partners with sole-survivor Hudgens to take down the serial killer. Curtis James Jackson III (going by his rap-name 50 Center again) is a nice little touch at first, but quickly becomes just a cheap plot-device. The film suffers from typical thriller nonsense; Cage is just blah, Hudgens might be a little in-over-her-head, and director Scott Walker definitely lets the viewer know this is his debut film what with the unnecessary aggressive cinematography of a COPS segment at the beginning that slowly transitions into an effortless Lifetime Movie by the end. The ambitious 26 day shooting schedule (on location in the intended autumn season, no less) can't save the film from its flaws. Walker does an excellent job letting the detective, the killer and the victim all share the plot, but the quality of the story comes first, dude. You'll get some brownie points for seeing a chilling psycho in Cusack, but you wasted such talents as Dean Norris. Fun and satisfying if you're in the mood for thriller, but not a must-see and has little (if any) replay value.
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