BONE DADDY (1998)
A Film Review
Copyright Dragan Antulov 2004
Rutger Hauer is one of the most dependable actors in Hollywood
today. He earned that reputation not by steady stream of great films
and great roles but by merely turning bad films into watchable and
mediocre films into good enough. One display of such ability could
be found in BONE DADDY, 1998 thriller directed by Mario
Azzopardi.
In this film Hauer plays Doctor William H. Palmer, former chief
medical examiner in Chicago who uses his experience to write crime
novels. The most important case of his previous career - "Bone
Daddy", the serial killer who mailed bones of his victims to their
families - has served as an inspiration for Palmer's latest book. The
book becomes bestseller, but there is one fatal difference between
fiction and reality - in real life, unlike the book, killer was never
caught. He is apparently displeased with the portrayal of his alter
ego and expresses that by kidnapping Palmer's literary agent and
removing bones from his still living captive. Palmer, who received
the bones, is determined to rescue unfortunate man and joins police
investigation. It soon becomes apparent that the sadistic killer is quite
familiar with forensic pathology techniques.
Although BONE DADDY doesn't stray much from formulaic serial
killer movie cliches it is still somewhat refreshing because of its
greater emphasis on forensic science, so popularised by Patricia
Cornwell books and TV-shows like CSI. The movie is somewhat
darker than its big budget equivalents, partly because of atmospheric
Chicago and Canadian locations and partly because of the killers'
inventive but gruesome modus operandi. One of two major actors is
surprisingly good - Barbara Williams is more convincing as female
detective than most of such characters in similar movies. The ending
is also somewhat unconventional. But this film's greatest asset is
undoubtedly Rutger Hauer. Old enough to play grandfather in this
film, Hauer is quite convincing as the protagonist who uses brains
rather than muscles. Those viewers who don't mind graphic displays
of blood and gore won't be disappointed with BONE DADDY.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
Review written on October 8th 2004
Dragan Antulov a.k.a. Drax
http://film.purger.com - Filmske recenzije na hrvatskom/Movie Reviews in
Croatian
http://www.ofcs.org - Online Film Critics Society
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