wonderdawg "You should see this place I'm going to. It's one in a million," Professor Adam Durrell (Eli Gabay) tells his passenger (Tom Berenger). The prof doesn't know it yet but he is never going to see his favorite getaway. You see, the hitch-hiker he picked up is a serial killer who assumes the identities of his victims. Posing as the now deceased Durrell the charming psycho pulls into a little coastal community in search of fresh prey. He targets lonely vulnerable Kate (Rachel Hayward) and her troubled kid brother Mike (Tygh Runyon) for a violent death. However, this time he may have met his match. Although the cast delivers competent performances the picturesque Cowichan Valley locations (doubling for Oregon) are the real stars in an otherwise routine entry in the tired 'erotic thriller' genre.

mycatslyone I like Berenger but he was frightening in this. In the beginning of the film, we see him laying in bed with long hair (obviously a wig) & a 'long woman'. And that's it for her part. She's a goner. He preys next on a man he picks up on the road w/car problems. He assumes his identity & that's it for him, too. He's a goner. What he does next to a young guy at a lighthouse he stays at is just brutal. He also lets himself be the object of the kids' sisters' affection & those scenes I hate. But they give us a glimpse into his past of why he seems so distant at times. A violent, unfeeling switch goes off in his head at unusual moments. It all has to do with his upbringing & I think he needs to be committed. Because he's not, he gets into trouble, hurting people along the way. No, I don't like this one. I don't know why this film had All Along the Watchtower as it's title & then it became Cruel & Unusual. Or maybe I do...

Jakealope The movie had a good concept, about a serial killer on the move. It avoids excessive bloodshed and sensational mastermind manuevers and honks which plagues most serial killer flicks. This killer adopts the identity of the last victim, who is a prof on sabbatical going to man a lonely lighthouse and write a book. So our killer, Berenger ends up in a lonely fishing village with a troubled youth on parole and his independent fisher-woman sister. There is some interesting tension and not so innocent honks while he is there. He controls and influences the impressionable and weak youth while putting the make on his sister. But it fizzled out, like they established a good mood and couldn't figure out a way to end it. Also, the feedback acid guitar soundtrack, based on the kids guitar playing, was pointless and annoying. It had potential, but let me down.

mm-39 This film is one of those direct to video movie. They get a middle weight name like Tom, and try to sell it using his name. Well this isn't that bad like most direct of video movie, actual it's ok. Tom is a good actor, and the script is ok. It's not a high budget, and they got a scene that looks like one of those West Coast Canadian Rock video's. (ie Chalk Circle) Well, rent it, it won't kill you. 6/10