Angel Eyes (2001)
The deeper you look, the more you will find
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, James Caviezel, Jeremy Sisto, Terrence Dashon Howard, Sonia Braga, Victor Argo, Monet Mazur, Shirley Knight, Daniel Magder, Guylaine St-Onge, Connor McAuley, Jeremy Ratchford, Peter MacNeill, Elridge Hyndman, Kari Matchett
Director: Luis Mandoki
Running Time: 102 minutes
US MPAA rating: N/AUK BBFC rating: 15
Drama, Romance
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 you've reached the end and realised the whole thing's been pointless, it's 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, she's far from the only recipient of his helpful ways - he's also seen turning a stranger's car lights off, telling a neighbour that her key's 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 movie's title - suggests angelic forces at work. Surely this guy's more than just an over-zealous do-gooder? He even claims to be 'dead' at one point! That's GOT to only point to one thing! But don't let yourself be fooled. This isn't a psychological thriller, and it's certainly not a Shyamalan-like delve into the paranormal. It's 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.
DVD Extras: Feature-length commentary with director Luis Mandoki. Riveting. Honestly.
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 doesn't claim the movie inside is 'a taut thriller'. It's not.
Alternatives: The Good Girl, Enough, Vanilla Sky
Summary: A well-acted and tense movie, ruined by its massive anti-climax and pretence of being something it's not.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 6th October 2003
External Links
Official Web Site
Angel Eyes at the IMDB
