THE LIMBIC REGION
(TV Movie 1996)
BASIC PLOT:
Jon Lucca (
Edward James Olmos) is an ex-cop on the edge. His obsessions have robbed him of everything, his job, his family, and they will soon rob him of his life. He's been diagnosed with cancer, and he's got nothing left to lose. Lucca's been chasing a serial killer, called "The Scorekeeper," for years. Ages ago, the killer began shooting teenagers on lover's lanes, and sending letters to the cops. Lucca is sure it's a man named Lloyd Warden (
George Dzundza). No one else believes this, and Lucca is forced into retirement. But after his cancer diagnosis, he doesn't care what anyone thinks anymore. He's determined to get Warden, one way or the other. Is he strong enough for the final confrontation, or will his demons consume him, once and for all?
WHAT WORKS:
*QUALITY PERFORMANCES FROM THE TWO LEADS
The performances of
Edward James Olmos, and
George Dzundza as Jon Lucca and Lloyd Warden, are first rate. They make the movie worth watching, and elevate it above the standard made-for-tv movie faire.
*IT MAKES A FUN DRINKING GAME
The ancillary characters are mainly actors and actress that appeared on
The X-Files (1993). Since they only used quality talent on
The X-Files (1993), you get that same quality from the side characters here. It also makes for a fun drinking game, everytime you see an actor from
The X-Files (1993), take a drink!
Roger Cross,
Gwynyth Walsh,
Tom McBeath,
Brent Stait,
Stephen E. Miller,
Carly McKillip,
Don MacKay,
Campbell Lane,
Mikal Dughi,
Larry Musser,
William B. Davis,
Doug Abrahams,
Andrew Airlie,
Mitchell Kosterman,
Jonathan Palis,
Pat Bermel,
Matt Hill,
Alf Humphreys,
Don Thompson,
Jason Griffith, and
Cameron K. Smith all appeared on
The X-Files (1993).
WHAT DOESN'T WORK:
*THE ENDING SUCKS!
The last three minutes of this movie is terrible, and not very realistic. It should have ended at the bridge, not the police station. If it had ended on a lonely bridge, in the rain, that would have been a perfect noir ending. But it doesn't, and it taints the whole movie. The last three minutes cost it a whole star.
TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION:
*If you like fatalistic, dark, slow burns, you'll probably like this.
Edward James Olmos and
George Dzundza's performances make this worth a watch. Even if you're not a fan of any of those things, you've still got the
The X-Files (1993) drinking game.
CLOSING NOTES:
*This is a made-for-tv movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.
*I have no connection to the film, or production in ANY way. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews. Hope I helped you out.
