Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
Texas Killing Fields
Collapse
-
- Published: 04-03-2012, 08:40 AM
- 0 comments
X
Collapse
-
Texas Killing Fields
Released By: Anchor Bay
Released On: 01/31/2012
Director: Ami Canaan Mann
Cast: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Sam Worthington, Sheryl Lee, Steven Graham, Chloe Grace Moretz
Purchase From Amazon
The Film:
It seems to me that if you've got a desolate highway-side stretch of land known as “The Killing Fieldsâ€, it might be a good idea to build a well-lit parking lot with a whole lot of security cameras to stop folks from dumping bodies there. But no such parking lot (or lighting, or cameras) exists along Interstate 45 between Houston and Galveston, Texas, the real-life crime scene involving over 30 victims...the area that inspired Federal Agent Don Ferrarone to write the screenplay for Ami Canaan Mann's new film, Texas Killing Fields.
Brian Heigh (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is an out-of-town detective, transferred to Texas City just in time to find himself in the middle of a series of grotesque murders. Paired up with the hot-headed Mike Souder (Sam Worthington), Brian seems more content to make sure that the kids from broken homes are off the street before dark. But when one of the teenaged girls he has chosen to look out for goes missing, more than likely a victim of the man who has been dropping teenaged girls off in the Killing Fields with their hands missing, Brian goes outside of his jurisdiction and teams up with Pam, another cop who just happens to be his partner's ex-wife. In a proverbial race against time, Brian and Mike find themselves in a town with too many suspects; is the killer the gangsta pimp who turns out girls from the local orphanage, or his Pontiac-driving buddy with the swastika tattoo on his neck? Is it one of the workers from the nearby refinery, or somebody closer to the victims?
Texas Killing Fields has a lot going for it. The two leads are pretty awesome together, with Morgan playing the spiritual truth seeker against Worthington's skull-cracking truth seeker. A good cast of supporting characters doesn't hurt either; Stephen Graham (Boardwalk Empire, This Is England) needs more screen time, but chews it up while he's there, Chloe Grace Moretz (Let Me In, Kick-Ass) holds her own plenty well, and hey, it's always nice to see Sheryl Lee (Twin Peaks, Backbeat). Ami Canaan Mann (daughter of some guy named Michael) shows off some solid directing chops, most notably during the more violent scenes (go figure), getting the camera right into the action in a way that makes you cringe just a bit in anticipation, and pulling off the rest of the shots in a tasteful, conventional manner.
But beneath all of these pros, one glaring con remains…at its base, Texas Killing Fields is little more than your average sort-of-based-on-a-true-story crime thriller. Nothing really notable to see, no surprise endings, no real depth; it's just a film about some stuff that happens, told in a not necessarily compelling manner. So, even though you may find yourself saying “Well, that was not bad†when the end credits roll, there's very little if anything about the film that will stand out in your mind 10 minutes later.
Video/Audio/Extras:
Anchor Bay brings Texas Killing Fields to blu-ray in a 2.40:1 transfer that looks sharp and clear, especially considering the number of dark night scenes present. Black levels are solid, and the colours during the daytime scenes pop without saturating the picture. Artifacts are non-existent, and the browns and yellows present throughout make it a warm, pleasant viewing experience. The Dolby TrueHD 7.1 soundtrack is more than adequate for the film, with great use of the surrounds and low frequencies. Dialogue is front, centre, and crystal clear, with good dynamic range and no noticeable flaws.
The Theatrical Trailer is included on the disc, as well as a feature-length commentary by Director Ami Canaan Mann and Writer Don Ferrarone. The most interesting reveal in the commentary is that New Orleans and Los Angeles stood in for Texas, though Mann does get into some of the shooting techniques she used. Ferrarone comments on some of the character motivations, but mostly talks about the time he spent following detectives around to capture “authenticity†for the story.
The Final Word:
A mediocre story with whipped cream on top, Texas Killing Fields is worth checking out just for the performances and directing; but don't expect it to change your life.
Tags: blu-ray review, DVD And Blu-ray Reviews T-Z, blu-ray, review, anchor bay entertainment, true crime, new orleans, starz, film, movie, jeffrey dean morgan, sam worthington, sheryl lee, steven graham, chloe grace moretz, ami canaan mann, texas killing fields, texas city, baton rouge, louisiana, donald ferrarone
Posting comments is disabled.
Categories
Collapse
article_tags
Collapse
- album review (218)
- album reviews (274)
- arrow video (271)
- blu-ray (3225)
- blu-ray review (4162)
- comic books (1392)
- comic reviews (872)
- comics (988)
- dark horse comics (484)
- dvd and blu-ray reviews a-f (1969)
- DVD And Blu-ray Reviews G-M (1711)
- DVD And Blu-ray Reviews N-S (1757)
- DVD And Blu-ray Reviews T-Z (878)
- dvd review (2512)
- idw publishing (216)
- image comics (207)
- kino lorber (391)
- movie news (260)
- review (318)
- scream factory (279)
- severin films (298)
- shout! factory (537)
- twilight time (269)
- twilight time releasing (231)
- vinegar syndrome (497)
Latest Articles
Collapse
-
Released by: Film Masters
Released on: April 23rd, 2024.
Director: Bert I. Gordon
Cast: Richard Carlson, Juli Reding, Lugene Sanders, Susan Gordon
Year: 1963
Purchase From Amazon
Tormented – Movie Review:
The late Bert I. Gordon’s 1963 horror film, ‘Tormented,’ is an effectively spooky ghost story made with an obviously low budget but no less effective for it.
The story revolves around a professional piano player...-
Channel: Movies
04-17-2024, 10:19 AM -
-
Released by: Grindhouse Releasing
Released on: March 12th, 2024.
Director: William Grefé
Cast: William Shatner, Jennifer Bishop, Ruth Roman, Harold Sakata
Year: 1974
Purchase From Amazon
Impulse – Movie Review:
Directed by the one and only William Grefé, 1974’s Impulse is one of those rare films that allows you to witness what it would be like if a really sweaty William Shatner got mad at a lady carrying balloons. Before that...-
Channel: Movies
04-15-2024, 01:20 PM -
-
Released by: Severin Films
Released on: April 30th, 2024.
Director: Andrew Legge
Cast: Emma Appleton, Stefanie Martini, Rory Fleck Byrne
Year: 2022
Purchase From Amazon
Lola – Movie Review:
Irish filmmakers Andrew Legge’s 2022 movie, ‘Lola’, which was made during Covid-19 lockdowns, is a wildly creative movie made in the found footage style that defies expectations, provides plenty of food for thought and manages to make...-
Channel: Movies
04-10-2024, 04:09 PM -
-
Released by: Vinegar Syndrome
Released on: March 26th, 2024.
Director: Jess Franco, Jorge Grau, Pedro L. Ramírez
Cast: Alberto Dalbés, Evelyne Scott, Fernando Rey, Marisa Mell, Wal Davis, Norma Kastel
Year: 1974
Purchase From Amazon
Spanish Blood Bath – Movie Review:
Vinegar Syndrome brings a triple feature of Spanish horror films of the in this new three-disc Blu-ray boxed set. Here’s what lies inside…
Night Of The...-
Channel: Movies
04-10-2024, 04:02 PM -
-
Released by: Universal Studios
Released on: April 9th, 2024.
Director: Zelda Williams
Cast: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Carla Gugino, Joe Chrest, Henry Eikenberry
Year: 2024
Purchase From Amazon
Lisa Frankenstein – Movie Review:
The feature-length directorial debut of Zelda Williams, 20214’s Lisa Frankenstein takes place in 1989 and follows a teenaged girl named Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) who, two years ago, lost her mother...-
Channel: Movies
04-03-2024, 03:40 PM -
-
Released by: Severin Films
Released on: April 30th, 2024.
Director: Gianfranco Giagni
Cast: Roland Wybenga, William Berger, Stéphane Audran
Year: 1988
Purchase From Amazon
Spider Labyrinth – Movie Review:
Professor Alan Whitmore (Roland Wybenga) is an American who works as a Professor of languages studies and has a fascination bordering on obsession with translating pre-Christian religious texts. He was also locked in a closet...-
Channel: Movies
04-03-2024, 03:37 PM -