This film is based on a book titled “Choice Cuts” written by French authors Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac. These are the same writers that penned the novels that Hicthcock’s Vertigo and both versions of Diabolique are based upon. They are also responsible for the adaptation of Eyes Without a Face. That’s damned impressive and we haven’t even gotten to the pedigree of the film itself. Then we have the co-writer and director, Eric Red, who is responsible for 1986’s The Hitcher as well as partly responsible for it’s 2003 sequel and the 2007 remake. He also co-wrote Near Dark and Blue Steel with Kathryn Bigelow. He wrote the screenplay and directed 1996’s werewolf film Bad Moon as well as 2008’s 100 Feet. This guy is pretty accomplished. All of this should add up to something pretty great one would think. That’s why it’s so disappointing that this film is so uneven. That’s not to say it isn’t a decent movie though.
When we first meet Bill Chrushank, Jeff Fahey (Psycho 3, Impulse, The Lawnmower Man, Serpent’s Lair, Darkman 3: Die Darkman Die, Planet Terror, Lost), he is interviewing a convict. He is relatively mild mannered and this is why the convict doesn’t seem to feel he can relate to him, thus negating any chance he has of helping him correct his behaviors. Soon he heads home and we meet his nice, average nuclear family. His wife, Karen, Kim Delaney (Darkman 2: The Return of Durant, CSI: Miami, NYPD Blue, Nightmares and Dreamscapes), seems attractive and capable. There really isn’t much talk of her as a character. It seems as though she is a stay at home Mom. They have two young children, a boy and a girl. Everything seems to be going right for them.
All that changes when, on his way to work one day, Bill is in a major car accident that leaves him needing to have his arm amputated. Enter Dr. Agatha Webb, Lindsay Duncan (Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, Rome, Alice in Wonderland ’10, Alice Through the Looking Glass, The Leftovers), a cold and matter of fact woman that informs Karen that there is a donor arm that can be grafted onto her husband but she must decide immediately if that’s what he would want done. Of course, she signs the papers and the surgery goes forward.
Upon waking up, the arm seems to be functioning properly. We start to get glimpses of side effects early on in Bill’s physical therapy. The arm , it seems, has a mind of it’s own sometimes. This includes pushing down too hard while Bill is shaving. It all seems a bit innocuous at first, until the nightmares start. They are strange and violent images he can’t seem to shake. After a session with his convict patient goes awry due to a tattoo his new arm has, he decides to find out more about his donor. This leads him to the revelation that his arm belonged to a serial killer of sorts.
He begins to track down the other recipients of the killer’s limbs, which include the other arm and both legs. The other arm went to an artist named Remo Lacey, Brad Dourif (Chucky franchise, Graveyard Shift, Critters 4). Remo isn’t concerned because his art is better and in more demand than ever before. We also meet former paraplegic Mark Draper, Peter Murnik (Justified), who is just happy to be back on the basketball court. He’s all too willing to ignore the legs and their attempt to get him into a car crash.
Not only is the arm acting of it’s own accord, Bill seems to be taking on traits of it’s former owner’s personality. He is short with his wife and kids, ends up punching his son after a round of rough housing, and even ends up trying to strangle his wife in her sleep. He decides it’s time to leave for everyone’s safety.
Before long the other recipients are murdered with the very limbs that were grafted on, ripped form their bodies. Bill knows he is next and enlists the help of Detective Sawchuck, Zakes Mokae (The Serpent and the Rainbow, Vampire in Brooklyn, Outbreak), who knows all too well how dangerous the donor was. One of the best scenes in the film takes place around this point. It involves some handcuffs and two cars in a side by side chase. It really is pretty cool.
We soon realize there’s more to the story and that the doctor isn’t telling him everything but to be honest, the revelation that comes is pretty convoluted. The movie tries to build tension but is far too slow for its own good. When we finally get to the preposterous climax, we’re not totally sold and that makes it feel like we were cheated out of a more satisfying resolution. This isn’t a bad film, but it certainly doesn’t live up to the possibilities it sets forth. It spends so much time trying to pose philosophical questions that it fails to answer the most important one of all. Is this all worth the price of admission? Judge for yourself.
The Savage Cinephile 