Mindhunters

May 15, 2005

Rated: R Runtime: 106 min Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

It is really hit or miss when it comes to a topic as overdone and played out as serial killer stalks group of unsuspecting victim movies, right? Of course I am. This one started out as 5 stars all the way, I was digging it big time. Then, a plot shift dragged it down to 4 stars. Mindhunters held strong at 4 until the final act when it just fell apart and got labeled with the dreaded 3 stars you see above. Which to me was extremely disappointing because I liked it, I really did.

Mindhunters The story takes place on a deserted military installation in the middle of the ocean on a forgotten island. This is to be the location of the final exam for 7 would be serial killer psy profilers for the FBI. Led by Special Agent JD Reston (Slater) the students along with a last minute arrival from Philadelphia homicide, Det. Gabe Jensen (LL) have 72 hours to follow clues planted by Instructor Jake Harris (Kilmer) and find the ‘imaginary’ unsub (unknown subject for the layman), called ‘The Puppeteer’.

Harris drops the group off on the island and expects them to profile and find this killer and be ready to lift off with all answers by Monday morning… This was very predictable from the get go but it had promise. So, the group of misfits… the leader, the cop, a cripple, gambling fanatic, tech junkie, the Brit, the addict and the coward, get to solve the crime. Please take note each one of them has a specific idiosyncrasy… this will make for a decent plot twist later. The movie kicks off the ‘real’ coolness with a very creative death scene for one of our 8 above, and from there they got a bit less creative and cool but still quite predictable. In fact at times it reminded me of Final Destination, in the sense that whenever you know a death is coming you start looking to see the how before the story lets you see it. This movie is all about the why and the who, so the how is just eye candy to most viewers. I personally thought the why and who were stupid and if it hadn’t been for the cool how’s I would have walked out.

The big plot surrounds watches and time. The killer (yet unknown) leaves watches and clocks as clues as to the time and nature he is going to strike. The Puppeteer expects the best and brightest of the FBI to figure it out and stop him before the clock strikes and the traps are sprung. Ho-Hum, that about sums it up and if you have nothing better to do then sit through this partial POS, then by all means go. But, if you have friends and a life to speak of wait for Netflix and go see something else.

5 to 4 to 3… sheesh. Renny what has happened to you?

Posted by J.C. Edwards | Filed Under 3 Stars, Action, Christian Slater, Horror, Kathryn Morris, LL Cool J, R, Theatrical, Thriller, Val Kilmer