Synopsis ~ Inspired by true events, this tense and haunting thriller follows Detective Souder (Sam Worthington), a homicide detective in a small Texan town, and his partner, transplanted New York City cop Detective Heigh (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) as they track a sadistic serial killer dumping his victims’ mutilated bodies in a nearby marsh locals call “The Killing Fields.”
Though the swampland crime scenes are outside their jurisdiction, Detective Heigh is unable to turn his back on solving the gruesome murders. Despite his partner’s warnings, he sets out to investigate the crimes.
Before long, the killer changes the game and begins hunting the detectives, teasing them with possible clues at the crime scenes while always remaining one step ahead. When familiar local girl Anne (Chloë Grace Moretz) goes missing, the detectives find themselves racing against time to catch the killer and save the young girl’s life.
Rating: R
Number of Disks: 1
Special Features:
- Audio commentary with Director Ami Canaan Mann and Writer Donald F. Ferrarone
- Theatrical Trailer
Taking a haunting place next to unsolved cases such as the Zodiac killings, the killing fields are notorious to this day and though the killer has eluded police since the 1970’s, federal agent Don Ferrarone - who incidentally is also the screenwriter for the film – still holds out hope that this masterful bit of suspense will bring to light new information.
Led by authoritative performances by both Worthington and Morgan, Killing Fields seems to mimic a more true to life approach than typical crime dramas, in that everything seems a bit more disjointed and chaotic…perhaps just like a baffling case. People come and go, leads are quickly exhausted and nothing is ever lingered over too long, except of course for the burning whodunit question that looms ominously over the film.
Like the killers clues, the extras seem far too few, including a thoroughly enjoyable and informative commentary by Mann and federal agent Ferrarone discussing both the details of the case and of the film and the film’s theatrical trailer. I know for a fact that 48 Hours ran an expose on the killings, which would have made for a great feature, but maybe it was simply a matter of the legal issues involved.
So with a marvelously trained cinematic style, but a telling that may leave viewers confused for a while, Texas Killing Fields brings a chilling light to these unsettling, unsolved cases.
Cast: Sam Worthington | Jeffrey Dean Morgan | Chloë Grace Moretz | Jessica Chastain
Director: Ami Canaan Mann
Central Writers: Don Ferrarone
Theatrical Release: October 14, 2011 (Ireland)
Blu-Ray/DVD Release: January 31, 2012
Genre: Crime | Drama | History
Supporting Cast and more Writers found HERE
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