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Cast: Sam Worthington, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jessica Chastain, Chloe Grace Moretz
Inspired by true events, this tense and haunting thriller follows Detective Souder (Sam Worthington), a homicide detective in a small Texan town, and his partner, transplanted New York City cop Detective Heigh (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) as they track a sadistic serial killer dumping his victims' mutilated bodies in a nearby marsh locals call ''The Killing Fields.''
Though the swampland crime scenes are outside their jurisdiction, Detective Heigh is unable to turn his back on solving the gruesome murders. Despite his partner's warnings, he sets out to investigate the crimes. Before long, the killer changes the game and begins hunting the detectives, teasing them with possible clues at the crime scenes while always remaining one step ahead. When familiar local girl Anne (Chloë Grace Moretz) goes missing, the detectives find themselves racing against time to catch the killer and save the young girl's life.
Loosely inspired by actual events, I was curious to see what the true story was really about so I went ahead and did a little searching and found that over many decades, there has been a series of unsolved murders on a large piece of swampland, located between Houston, Texas and the Gulf Coast. The killings were never solved and it seems a lack of communication between Police departments is part of the reason. The fictional story told here gives us a few scenarios that may shed a little light on some of the disappearances. If I was to go into anymore details here I would end up causing spoilers so I am not going to go any further.
This is a well-written crime drama that keeps you engaged the entire time, waiting and wanting to know more. Some of the characters could of been a little more developed but for the most part their all well-written which allows the audience to have some sort of attachment to them. The drama is excellent and there are some very shocking action scenes in the film as well. On the down side the film could of used a few more twists in it but the story still remains engaging enough till the very end.
The cast here is one of the film's strengths, Sam Worthington and Jeffrey Dean Morgan are both fantastic as the Detectives on the case and Chloe Grace Moretz proves once again why she is one of Hollywood's brightest young stars as the troubled teen who goes missing. The film is not without it's flaws but over-all this is a well-written story that not only entertains but it gets you thinking as well. As far as crime films go this is one of the better ones to come along in some time.
It's no wonder the story was Produced by Michael Mann and directed by Ami Canaan Mann (director Michael Mann's daughter) because it certainly has the feel of something he would make.
Available on DVD and Blu-ray, both come with Special Features that include:
Audio Commentary featuring Director Ami Cannon Mann and Writer Donald F. Ferrarone
You can order the DVD HERE and the Blu-ray HERE.
Released by Anchor Bay Entertainment
If you like a good crime story you need to pick this one up, you are sure to find it as entertaining as I did.
**** Out Of *****