Fulvue Drive-In.com
Current Reviews
In Stores Soon
 
In Stores Now
 
DVD Reviews, SACD Reviews Essays Interviews Contact Us Meet the Staff
An Explanation of Our Rating System Search  
Category:    Home > Reviews > Thriller > Angel Of Death (MGM)

Angel Of Death (2002)

 

Picture: B-     Sound: B     Extras: C-     Film: C

 

 

Having viewed many films in the Cinema Latino cannon from Fox and other companies, there is something instantly fake about Pepe Danquart’s Angel Of Death (2002) beyond Mira Sorvino mildly convincing as Hispanic detective Maria Delgado and the underrated Oliver Martinez as her disagreeable partner.  But before you think this is some formula cop/buddy film with opposite sexes, know it is more

interested in being some kind of thriller set during the Holy Week Easter celebrations.

 

There are those who look like red versions of the Klu Klux Klan and are supposed to be scary.  However, the film never knows how to build suspense and its flashback storytelling does not add to any believability.  That’s a shame, because Roy Mitchell’s screenplay, based on the David Hewsen book, misses the opportunity for the leads to come up with some unique chemistry spent on a better situation.  He mystery presented is lame and the strange homophobia in the film quickly becomes a sort of spoof of itself.  As it stands, the film is too scattered and suffers a “death” of interest very quickly.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image has detail limits problems, though some of this comes from flashback footage and other stylized shooting.  The shots that are supposed to be the current, naturalistic shots also have some detail issues.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes, whether English or Spanish, have more activity than usual, making this one of the better Dolby 5.1 mixes lately by default.  Much of it is sweetened due to this being a thriller, but we have encountered many thrillers that were not as good in the sound department.  The only extras are trailers for this, four other MGM titles and a promo for their Horror catalog on DVD.  Too bad the film was not better, but if you are curious, it’s not a bad sound demo.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo


Marketplace


 
 Copyright © MMIII through MMX fulvuedrive-in.com