Horsemen (2009)

Every now and then, I see a film either on film or DVD that starts off on an interesting premise, builds up well and then the more that is revealed the more the filmmakers treat the audience like a bunch of idiots. Then the final twist sneaks in, and the filmmakers pat themselves on the back, thinking they are so clever, when all that final reveal does is contradict everything that has just been seen. Horsemen is one of those films. It also makes it really difficult to discuss the rest of the story that came before the twist, but let’s just say the motivations of those characters does not make any sense.
If the mastermind of the crimes and his ‘horsemen’ didn’t act out on the crimes in rapid motion, then the primary reason for the crimes taking place, at least as far as the leader of the ‘Horsemen’ is concerned, should have never have taken place. In addition, it is predictable as it is evolves into the more preposterous. The premise of the film revolves around recently widowed detective Aidan Breslin, who also has some knowledge of dental forensics. The ‘Horsemen’, a small four unit cult, claims responsibility for a series of murders involving the underground subculture of suspension. The cult, who leave the calling card of ‘Come And See’, have modeled themselves after The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse – War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death. One of the members comes forward to basically taunt Breslin, even to the point of being sexually aroused by being in the same room with him, after confessing to her role and handing over a crucial piece of evidence. It is at this point where I started to lose interest in the film, because that bit of casting made no point whatsover unless her character was involved. I also didn’t buy the femme fatale act, but I’m mixed on if it due to the character’s about face or it was the way Ziyi Zhang played her. There was some good acting by Lou Taylor Pucci as Alex, but when Alex is put in jeopardy, I didn’t quite buy that either. So I’m going to side with the actors on this and believe that they did the best they could do with a troublesome movie and poorly written characters. Maybe that also explained the movie’s crazy ending and the killer’s implausible motives as well. It doesn’t. It only attempts to do so and put a little bow on it. Don’t unwrap that bow, or the whole thing snaps like a rubber band.

Since the film is more of a dark procedural crime thriller, it draws the viewer in early, and there are hints that this very well could have ‘Omen’ like qualities to it. Like everything else, that angle becomes a letdown as well.

*******
Horsemen
Directed By: Jonas Åkerlund
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Ziyi Zhang, Clifton Collins Jr. and Lou Taylor Pucci

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