Chained (2012)

 

 

It is Christmas Eve and I am waiting on the kids to go to sleep; something that always seems to take forever. While waiting, I decided to throw in a movie to pass my time. Now, I could have gone many different ways, but in the end, I decided on the 2012 psychological thriller Chained.

 

 

Plot/ Bob, a cab-driving serial killer who stalks his prey on the city streets alongside his reluctant protégé Tim, who must make a life or death choice between following in Bob's footsteps or breaking free from his captor.

 

 

This was the first time that I ventured into the mind of Jennifer Lynch. For me, as a total fan of her father David Lynch, I had hoped that some of his genius would soak through, and to me, it did just that. This movies it not your typical horror or slasher flick about a serial killer, it is a much more realistic decent into the darkness. More of a psychological thriller than horror, this movie has a lot to like. The atmosphere is heavy and dismal, the acting is top notch, the direction is spot on and storyline is disturbing and genuine. Sure, there is some odd pacing that seems to drag at times, but to me that just built the tension throughout the flick.  In the end, if you are searching for a straightforward slasher, stay away. However, if you are looking for an unsettling journey into the world of a serial killer give this one a shot.