Review of Revenge

Revenge (I) (2000)
4/10
A mediocre serial killer drama
24 September 2000
Fallen Angel tries to be a "serial killer thriller" but it just ends up being as flat and limp as a wet noodle. Michelle Johnson plays Vicky Mayerson, a serial killer who's determined to kill every man who picked on and assaulted her one fateful night long time ago, when she was still in high school. Former Baywatch babe, Alexandra Paul, plays Laura Underwood, a detective who's out to bring Vicky to justice. This film's plot has the general outlines of a potentially good crime drama but where it goes wrong is in the specifics of execution, namely, in writing, directing, and acting. The dialogs of this film are incredibly cheesy and at times borders on camp. For example, in one scene a detective says concerning a victim who died while having sex, "I guess he was coming while he was going." Ah...yeah. Whatever. Another example: In a ten year high school reunion a woman says to a fellow graduate, "Like, it's been ten years!" Exactly. That's why they call those things ten year reunions. Also, the acting in Fallen Angel is either way over done (i.e. egregious overacting, e.g. Alexandra Paul, Michelle Johnson), or just plain flat and without any emotion (e.g. Anthony Michael Hall--who appears to be under heavy sedation throughout this film). I didn't care about any of the (poorly developed) characters in this film and I really didn't care whether they lived or died. The serial killer is dumb and her victims are even dumber. As I see it, this film would have worked if it had taken a "no-holds-barred-campy" approach. Instead, this is a dull and languid film that is self- deluded into thinking that it is exemplifying fine cinematic art. The killer in this film offers advice to her victims just before she finishes them off: "Never trust a man after midnight."
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