Plot: What’s it about?
Tyler Pearce (Michael Madsen) is a convicted felon on his way to a long vacation in prison, but he has plans to leave that path and engage himself in a manhunt. You see, Tyler has just learned that his daughter was murdered by a venomous serial killer, so no matter what it takes, he is determined to escape his shackles and track down the killer. And as fate would have it, Tyler manages to break free and return to the land of the free, though right on his trail is an FBI agent (Bokeem Woodbine), who plans to make sure Tyler is taken back to serve his time. As the police have had minimal leads and have no real clues as to the killer’s identity, Tyler is forced to work in dangerous ways, which sometimes pull him right inside the eye of this murderous hurricane. With the help of a gorgeous ex-prostitute (Jamie Luner), Tyler seeks to piece together who his daughter’s killer is, all while avoiding the police, who want to lock him back up. Can Tyler get close enough to avenge his daughter’s death, or will he simply become the next victim in this sordid chain of events?
I like Michael Madsen and I like serial killer flicks, so I figured I would give Sacrifice a spin and see how it was. I had not read much about it, but still, based on the cast (which also includes Jamie Luner and Bokeem Woodbine), I wanted to check it out for myself. The serial killer thriller genre is loaded with entries, most of which don’t even warrant a look, but Sacrifice turns out to be a very solid effort in all respects. Now I am not saying this is a genre classic by any means, but it is better than most of the others, though not good enough to rank with the upper tier pictures. As it turns out, this one was made for the television market, which makes me a little more impressed, as it doesn’t suffer from the usual flaws that plague direct to cable flicks. This one has violence, strong language, and even some sexual situations, so don’t expect a clean film just because it was made for television. I do like this movie in the end, but I think some will balk at some unbelievable moments, though I consider them to be vital to the plot, so I looked the other direction and went with the flow. If you’re in the market for a new serial killer flick, then by all means, give Sacrifice a rental and see what you think.
Although he isn’t part of the upper levels of box office stars, I’ve always liked the work of Michael Madsen and in truth, his presence is what made me see this flick. He is always at his best when he takes on a role with an edge, which is how his character is here and Madsen works well within the part. Even though he isn’t given a lot of depth to work with, Madsen comes through well and turns in yet another solid performance. Other films with Madsen include Donnie Brasco, Iguana, The Natural, Thelma & Louise, Supreme Sanction, Mulholland Falls, and Reservoir Dogs. The rest of the cast here includes Diane Farr (Tv’s Roswell), Deborah Shelton (Body Double, Nemesis), Bokeem Woodbine (The Big Hit, Dead Presidents), former Miss Kansas Michelle Lintel, Joshua Leonard (The Blair Witch Project, Men of Honor), and the stunning Jamie Luner (Confessions of Sorority Girls, Tv’s Melrose Place). At the helm of Sacrifice is Mark L. Lester, who also directed such motion pictures as Gold of the Amazon Women, Roller Boogie, Commando, Firestarter, Blowback, Armed and Dangerous, and The Base.
Video: How does it look?
Sacrifice is presented in a full frame transfer, which is the same way it was shown on television. This transfer lacks the shine of most feature film presentations, but given the nature of this title, I think this is an adequate visual effort. There is some shimmering and edge enhancement at times, but aside from those, no compression errors surface here. The colors seem natural, but bright at times, while flesh tones appear normal as well. I do think the contrast is a little dark, but since no detail loss is evident, no real harm done there. This might not be the finest visual transfer, but in any event, it looks sharper than it would on television.
Audio: How does it sound?
Not much to talk about here, the included 2.0 surround track is solid, but never impresses too much. The music and sound effects sound decent in this mix, but again, lack the substance and punch I would have liked. Not all scenes need that extra kick of course, but it would be nice to have it there when it is needed. But the range isn’t missed that much in the end, so I won’t knock the score too much. The vocals are clean also, very crisp and always balanced well within the scope of the mix. No real complaints with this track, but not much praise either, I’d say this one is a draw. This disc also includes Spanish subtitles, in case you’ll need them.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s trailer, some talent files, and an audio commentary track with director Mark L. Lester. I’ve heard a couple of Lester’s tracks now and on the whole, he passes along a lot of information, even if frequent pauses are present. But even with the gaps, this track is well worth a spin, if you liked the flick enough to want to know more about it.
