Visions of Death

The now somewhat hackneyed theme was very elegantly fitted into a fairly good script. Unfortunately, the directorial execution somehow missed the mark both in impact and in conveying the idea. The detective's abilities, which were meant to elevate the film into the mystery genre and originally intended as its main asset, ultimately turned out to be its main problem. In the plot concept, they are acceptable, but their use raises a lot of questions. Sacrificing some logic for the sake of impact (preferably intriguing plot twists) doesn't always pay off. The somewhat hastily executed ending raises further questions and, although it manages to cast doubt on the fact that the gardener is the murderer, it fails to "resolve" it properly. Paradoxically, the director managed to captivate the most in the actual conduct of the investigation, where there’s plenty of tension, and Kiefer Sutherland's pleasantly understated performance once again delights. Moreover, when considering the plot, which is not to be discarded and yet was carelessly mishandled in the end, the overall result comes to a solid three stars, which could have formed a much larger constellation. (25.08.2005)