Cynical Cinema

Alliance Films releases The Killing Gene today, September 16th. It’s a horror film in the tradition of Saw and Seven and other movies like them. A killer is stalking the lowlifes in the city, putting them in situations where they have to choose between ending their own life or the life of someone they love. A grizzled old police veteran (Stellan Skarsgard, Ronin) has been assigned to the case, one that brings back memories of an old crime that went unpunished. His new partner, Melissa George (Alias), starts to believe something is amiss. Of course, this is a movie that has been made several times before.

But rarely has it been done this well. The Killing Gene is relentless. And despite the fact that there is an over-reliance on coincidence and red herrings and easily-explained occurrences, there is barely any time to dwell on any of it. The final scene is intense and brutal. Once again, although the final “twist” is very obvious from the beginning. But The Killing Gene is so well-acted (by Skarsgard, George, and Selma Blair), and so well done that it holds you captivated until the very end. This is a horror film well worth picking up.