Untraceable

Starring: Diane Lane, Colin Hanks, Billy Burke, Joseph Cross
Directed by: Gregory Hoblit
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Thriller
2008

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: In order to stop an untraceable website that shows innocent people being killed (and the more people that visit the site, the faster the victims die), an FBI Agent (Diane Lane) and her partner (Colin Hanks) desperately search for the killer before he kills again.

Review:

Tim: I was surprisingly optimistic going into this movie. I hadn’t seen a good, original serial killer movie in a while, and I liked this film’s technological twist. For most of the movie, I was engaged, enjoying myself, and having fun. However, when the film finally pulls back the curtain for its big reveal, you finally see it for what it is—a deck of cards stacked quickly and carelessly that is always moments away from crashing down. The film’s conclusion is surprisingly boring and mundane. There’s no great revelation here, only a sad disappointment that comes from thinking too small.

Diane Lane is generally enjoyable in the role. This isn’t her best performance, and she’s had some good ones in films like this. I’d say this is mostly just middle-of-the-road. I did like the casting of Colin Hanks, and he brings an energy and uniqueness to the film. He’s not spectacular, but he gives the right performance for this film. The rest of the cast is shockingly forgettable.

Director Gregory Hoblit keeps the pace of the movie quick, so there is very little time to reflect on what is going on. He’s done this many times, but never better than 1998’s Fallen. Sadly, this film doesn’t rank near that at all. Yes, there is good action and suspense, and we truly want to get to the film’s conclusion so the killer’s identity will be revealed. However, this is the moment when everything comes crashing down.

Eventually we do find out the identity of the killer, as well as his motives. And, I have to say, that the motive is so absurd because it is so amazingly boring. The big reveal left me thinking, “That was it? They are going to wrap everything up nicely and put a big bow on top?” It is disappointing because there’s nothing new or exciting about it. I was thoroughly disappointed. I disliked the film’s conclusion so strongly, that it greatly brought down my thoughts on the entire film. While I enjoyed much of it, I was left feeling hollow and cheated.

Untraceable is a film that sought to be better that it actually is, and is harshly brought down to reality at its conclusion. I did not hate this movie by any means, but I have to express my profound disillusionment with it.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 6



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Net, Saw, Murder at 1600