To Catch a Killer

I have to say that the pace of the film and the way the whole first half literally moved forward had me hooked from the start. It simply seemed to have that energy of similar crime thrillers that I've been missing for the last few years, and it engulfed me right from the start. Well, add to that the excellent Ben Mendelsohn and Shailene Woodley, both of whom are spot on, but on top of that a lot of previously unseen and acting that was a breath of fresh air to cinema, I'm actually satisfied. The whole investigation, the chemistry between the detectives, the opening gunfight where a dude mows down 30 people with a sniper rifle during a midnight New Year's Eve and the direction of the investigation was just fun and had its own charm. The only thing that bothers me a bit to give it four stars is the last 25 minutes, when I was getting a little bit crazy in my seat with the length and I could have imagined it to be more brisk or shorter, but all in all this is a very good (and for me unknown why) and very novel film that should make fans of the genre happy. (05/21/2023)

More of a statement about the state of contemporary society than a pure crime story. The main quality of To Catch a Killer lies in its very skillful portrayal of contemporary America. It's about the two perspectives presented and getting out of the reality of two jobs, a shitty rental and debts into the world of swingers, signatures and pats on the back. The investigative line is bleak and plainspoken with a great Ben Mendelsohn and a make-up free Shailene Woodley, whose ordinariness as a smart girl who had bad luck in her childhood and less than ideal living conditions fits beautifully into the setting. The hunt for the killer is thrilling and the strange ending makes you think, something you don't see often these days. Szifrón's direction is precise and with a slightly better script this would have been an excellent film. Great cinematography, good music. A very pleasant surprise. (05/22/2023)

The movie started so well that I let my guard down and eagerly anticipated a genuine thriller experience. However, my excitement soon turned to disappointment as the plot unfolded. It became evident that the film was yet another platform for supposedly socially conscious activism, sidelining the action-packed suspense in favor of spotlighting various agendas. I was genuinely irked by how the atmosphere shifted for the worse after the gripping introduction, leaving behind quality suspense. It just wasn't the same anymore, and I'm certain Shailene Woodley wasn't to blame. No, it was the screenplay that began accumulating logical inconsistencies. As a result, my rating didn't go over three stars, which is sad considering the movie's fantastic beginning. (11/10/2023)

An honest, bleak, chilling and awesome crime drama/thriller with a touch of the 80s from the director of Wild Tales. Awesome acting! Shailene Woodley plays a likeable, determined and intelligent policewoman recruited by FBI Commander Ben Mendelsohn, who literally shines! He steals all the scenes for himself with his acting and great dialogue and is a joy to watch and listen to. From the opening minutes, the film won me over to its side. It takes place during New Year's Eve in Baltimore, where the main villain starts killing random people with a sniper rifle and starts a decent chaos in the streets, followed by a pretty intense and atmospherically dense FBI manhunt, that made me feel that this is what honest police work is supposed to look like. We follow the two protagonists as they try to catch the main scumbag, practically never leaving the screen, and I liked that. No unnecessary side characters, no extra filler and plot lines, just honest investigative work by smart cops who step by step build a profile of the main enemy. The killer also has an interesting background from his childhood (anyone who has peeked at serial killers knows that most are driven by some sort of childhood trauma), and he has army skills, so this is no Dahmer, but more like a deranged Breivik chasing a body-count! The film also has a decent pace, it holds the audience's attention well, it's atmospherically dense and has some action (a shootout in a mall!), people scream a lot and I have very positive feelings about it. I haven't seen a better crime film in a while. 8/10. (05/17/2023)

Wild Tales by Szifron is ranked quite high on my favorites list. So, I was looking forward to his latest detective film. Honestly, I didn’t expect such high quality. The acting is exceptional, especially Ben Mendelsohn, who is a delight. The snowy Baltimore setting also adds a bit of extra charm to the film, considering the central theme is tracking down a serial killer. But for me, the standout is definitely the dialogue. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such smartly written lines in the crime genre. Szifron put major effort into this, and hats off to him... Sure, the final third is somewhat predictable, but given the script, the gripping plot, and the perfect soundtrack (Carter Burwell didn’t disappoint), I couldn’t rate it any lower; my conscience wouldn’t allow it :D. I give it 8/10 and sincerely hope that the genre of solid old-school detective stories isn’t extinct yet. It still has a lot to offer to viewers (this film is a shining example). (06/08/2023)