Plot: What’s it about?
Race Darnell (Patrick Swayze) has spent some serious on Death Row, for a crime he didn’t commit. While in prison, he passed the time by writing love letters to several women on the outside, each thinking they were the only girl for Darnell. As his execution day nears, some new evidence emerge, a retrial is called, and Darnell is found innocent. Now a free man, Darnell has the chance to start over again, and live a relaxing life, right? Wrong! Remember those love letters I told you about? Well, one batch of the letters got mixed up, and the wrong girl got the wrong letter, exposing the fact that she wasn’t the only one getting love letters from Darnell. This drives the woman over the edge, and she lets Darnell know how pissed she is, and that she’s pretty much gonna make his life a living hell. Darnell tries to figure out which of the girls is the psycho one, but as he visits people to obtain information, they end up dead! And all the evidence points to Race, who doesn’t have the most pristine of reputations as it is. Race must put together this puzzle before the police send him back to jail again, for another crime he didn’t commit.
Letters From A Killer turned out to be one the better thrillers I’ve seen of late, and that’s impressive, since Double Jeopardy and The Bone Collector were on my viewing list. The storyline is well written, and while it has some places where common sense vanishes, it manages to cover those spots well. The story is fairly unique, which helps to set this apart from other thrillers as well. The usual thriller aspects are present as well, with great chases, near misses, and several possible killers. But the total package here is what makes this a good movie. This film takes those usual elements, throws them into some great atmospheric film-making, and fills the movie with good performers. Fans of suspense/thrillers will not want to miss this movie, and others will want to give it a shot as well. I recommend a rental for non fans of the genre, and a purchase for people who love thrillers, as Sterling has issued a top notch disc for this thriller.
When I first saw that Patrick Swayze played the lead in this movie, I had my doubts. But once the credits rolled, I found myself very pleased with his performance. Swayze (Dirty Dancing, The Outsiders) gives a solid dramatic turn here, his best since Ghost, without a doubt. But then again, he doesn’t done much since then, either. Without a doubt, Swayze is called upon to carry the movie, and he does a very nice job of doing just that. The supporting cast features some decent acting turns, including those of Gia Carides (Strictly Ballroom, Brilliant Lies), Kim Myers (Hellraiser: Bloodlines, White Palace), and Roger E. Mosley (A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, Unlawful Entry).
Video: How does it look?
Letters from a Killer is presented in a 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, which is easily the best visual transfer from Sterling to date. The colors, especially the more natural tones, come across very well, but never bleed or run into other trouble areas. The greens also look particularly good here. The contrast levels are also good, with excellent shadow depth and no detail loss is visible either. I looked hard, but no compression errors were visible here, what a great transfer!
Audio: How does it sound?
The movie features a DDS 5.1 track for the audio, which is a wise choice, in my opinion. While you won’t hear high impact audio all the time, this track gives the film a nice atmosphere, which really sets the mood for the movie. Subtle audio is the key here, and it sounds wonderful. Dialogue is the most important element, and it comes through well, with consistent volume and no separation issues to speak of.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This is the next installment in Sterling’s Millennium Series, so you know it’s gonna be packed with goodies. A well done, but brief behind the scenes montage is included, with some nice interviews to go along with it, as is a still photo gallery. Talent files, the theatrical trailer, bonus trailers for other Sterling releases, and DVD ROM content is also packed on the disc. The main supplement here though, is a running commentary with director David Carson. Carson turns in a decent commentary, free of long pauses, and containing some nice info on the making of the film as well. If you enjoyed the flick, you’ll want to check this out as well.
