The deeper you look, the more you will find
Rating: 5/10
Running Time: 102 minutes
UK Certificate: 15
On DVD
Angel Eyes teeters perennially on the verge of greatness. Tellingly, it never quite gets there. Dark and brooding, its 100 minute run-time always appears to be building towards a Sixth Sense-esque twist. Unfortunately, the only way this one catches you out is by giving you nothing at all. The payoff never comes and, by the time youve reached the end and realised the whole things been pointless, its too late.
Jennifer Lopez is in convincing form as Sharon Pogue, a Chicago cop who falls for mysterious stranger Catch (James Caviezel) when he appears from nowhere to save her from a gun-toting madman. And, as it happens, shes far from the only recipient of his helpful ways hes also seen turning a strangers car lights off, telling a neighbour that her keys dangling in the lock, and doing a bit of shopping for a woman in a wheelchair. My hero!
The overall tone not to mention the movies title suggests angelic forces at work. Surely this guys more than just an over-zealous do-gooder? He even claims to be dead at one point! Thats GOT to only point to one thing! But dont let yourself be fooled. This isnt a psychological thriller, and its certainly not a Shyamalan-like delve into the paranormal. Its a straight-forward weepy about broken families, domestic violence and lovey-doveyness, only for some reason it pretends for the duration to be something else entirely.
It's Got: A horribly obtrusive soundtrack. Do we really need bland off-putting soft rock played as a backdrop to practically every scene?
It Needs: A box that doesnt claim the movie inside is a taut thriller. Its not.
DVD Extras Feature-length commentary with director Luis Mandoki. Riveting. Honestly. DVD Extras Rating: 1/10
Summary
A well-acted and tense movie, ruined by its massive anti-climax and pretence of being something its not.