Film Review: Resurrection (1999)

about 1 year ago (Edited)

(source: tmdb.org

Police detective investigating homicides in big city is likely to become accustomed to gruesome scenes and acts that would shock and traumatise an ordinary person. But even detectives who had rough experiences in private lives are sometimes met with cases that would prove challenging to their pysche. That happens to the protagonist of Resurrection, 1999 thriller directed by Russell Mulcahy. For most of his colleagues in Chicago Police Department, Detective John Proudhomme (played by Christopher Lambert) is a dependable investigator that should be given the most difficult cases of murder. One such case started with a discovery of a man having his arm cut off and left to bleed to death. Strange message on the wall appears in two new cases where the victims lost a leg and a head, respectively. Produhomme realises that the perpetrator is a mentally ill man who literally wants to resurrect Jesus Christ through his own twisted reinterpretation of the Bible. However, the madman also happens to be very intelligent and adept and covering his tracks. After a while, he begins to manipulate Produhomme. During the investigation Produhomme must face some personal issues, like failing marriage, unresolved traumas over young son’s accidental death and losing his faith in God.

Shot mostly in Canada, Resurrection is relatively obscure film that originally slipped under the radar despite having notable names in cast and crew. Its main star Christopher Lambert, after initial leap to stardom in 1980s, became familiar face in video stores due to large number of low budget films. Resurrection reunited him with Russell Mulcahy, director with whom he had worked on Highlander, his best known film. The film became box office hit in Lambert’s native France and other markets, but in USA it was distributed direct-to-video. Those critics that saw it where mostly dismissive, seeing it as a cheap copy of Se7en, Fincher’s film with which it shared dark visual style and motive of demented serial killer with deeply religious motives. Further association with Se7en is achieved by casting Leland Orser, character actor who played small but memorable role in Fincher’s film and who here plays Produhomme’s partner Andrew Hollingsworth.

Yet, despite the lack of originality, Resurrection is more than decent film. Script by Brad Mirman (who few years earlier had authored Knight Moves, another serial killer thriller starring Lambert) uses some cliches, but it also takes much more serious and thoughtful approach to issues of religion and Resurrection is one of the rare mainstream films in recent times that uses the motive of Easter and tries to explain some aspects of Christian theology to audience. Film benefits a lot from the diverse and strong cast. Lambert, who has never been known as very talented actor, handles the role of troubled police investigator reasonably well. He is predictably overshadowed by supporting colleagues that include very good Orser as well as Robert Joy (who would later star as medical examiner Sam Hammerback in CSI: NY) in the role of FBI profiler. Famous Canadian director David Cronenberg appears in the camero role of the priest. Resurrection even manages to surprise audience with interesting plot twist near the end. Despite cliches, solid acting and capable direction turn this film into a pleasant surprise to all those viewers whose expectation were built on its (lack of) reputation.

RATING: 6/10 (++)