DorsiaRes
this movie was supposed to be suspenseful? it was more like a comedy to me!! ice-t's performance was laughable, and so was the director's/editor's. there were tons of problems with scenes: when daniel and susanne are in his car and she's topless, the next second we see her with her top again and him trying to get it off (even though he already did it!); after they've had sex in the basement and daniel is putting his shirt on, the next shot it's off again and directly after that it's back on. how could they miss that?! also, almost every angle when cutting from character to character is off. it doesn't match at all and it's really obvious.whoever wrote this script is really awful too. what was the deal with ice-t's lines? "shut up stupi'! you foo!" the only good part of this movie was justin theroux (daniel), who didn't even make it on the cover box yet he has more of a major role than ice-t. he really deserves better movies than this, he's a wonderful actor and it's sad that he had to stoop this low. check out american psycho if you want to see him in a really GOOD movie!
kenandraf
Most smart people will wince at the terrible screenplay and directing.The only thing going for this movie is the beauty of Alyssa Milano and she also delivers a good performance.Ice-T does his usual reliable routine but it is sad to see him desperately taking worse and worse B movie offers lately.He should try to learn more from Ice Cube who seems to be getting great movies.Ice-T is just as talented,maybe even more versatile than Cube!Watch this movie only if you are a big fan of Milano and do not expect too much.Some Ice-T fans may be disappointed......
WritnGuy-2
What a horror story it was getting a chance to see this movie! The first time I rented it, it got stuck in the VCR and busted the thing up, and I had to dissect the machine to free the tape. Then I rented it again, and found it was another movie called Body Count and had to go back in and get this one, and finally, I held my breath and watched this, and saw that it was worth all the hassles. (Including buying a new VCR!)Daniel, a young preppy, is coming to his family's enormous mansion in the boonies with his girlfriend Susanne for Thanksgiving dinner. Their are family tensions, and Daniel is excommunicated from the family. In hope for escape, he heads down into the basement with Susanne, and just as they are getting comfortable, three art thieves break in and kill the whole family. The couple listens in terror, and struggles to plan and figure out a way to escape. They soon realize they must kill these three men, and they learn to fight back, all up to the last fifteen minutes, when everything suddenly takes a wild turn, and soon more conflicts than ever before are introduced. And the body count is raised. This really was a great movie. It was very short, so there is little filler, and just a lot of excitement. The acting is surprisingly good, with Ice-T in a typical role, charming Thoreaux, and show-stealing Milano. She played a great role, and is underrated. Despite some exploits during the two unrevealing sex scenes, she is professional and impressive. During the first half-hour, when things are calm, she is obviously uncomfortable, and trying to fit in with this hostile family. She uses voice tones and facial expressions quite well, and when the horror starts, she isn't gun-ho, she's what you would expect: terrified and forced to fight. I commend her on a great role. As for the twist that comes near the end, yes, I realize it was quite obvious, but still, it's good to anticipate. And it didn't deter from the suspense and the excitement, and I held my breath to the very end. I definitely recommend this movie, even if it does mean going through three video store trips and a broken VCR. : )
morpoise
I would not blame you if you did not want to see this movie based on its cast and its plot. Most of the elements just seem likely to add up to a bad movie. I was forced to see it because my boyfriend has an obsession with Alyssa. Should I be embarrassed to be involved with a 25 year old man who works for Congress who owns Alyssa's workout videos entitled "Teen Steam"?? Probably.At any rate, this movie, unlike Teen Steam, is surprisingly good. It seemed well thought out and equally well executed, with strong and believable performances by Alyssa, Ice T, and Justin Theroux. The film was successful in keeping up suspense, and you definitely wanted to watch until the end when you were most likely surprised by the unveiling of the true criminal.This film seems to be replayed late nights on cable with some frequency, so be sure to check it out there.
