Slaughter of the Innocents (1993) User Reviews

Enjoyable If You Ignore The Plot holes

[cosmic_quest · 6/10 · 6 January 2005]

This slightly violent thriller revolves around a serial killer who has now kidnapped a little girl. On his trail are the FBI and the twelve-year-old son of the agent leading the investigation. Although the acting is not too bad with the man playing the killer giving a very creepy performance, Scott Glen came off as being too cocky at times. On the whole, the film is quite enjoyable and stylish if you ignore the person making the most headway in the case is a twelve-year-old child!

The film's main downfall certainly has to be this kid, Jesse, who is far too perfect and intelligent to be credible (although he does make a pleasant change from the snotty, rude brats that often pop up in films these days). Also, he brings about plot holes such, as how can a boy of twelve be allowed to buy himself a plane ticket to traverse the continent, what kind of man takes his young son to a murder scene, why does the FBI give a kid access to their mainframe and why on earth is a grown man intimidated by this boy?

I think if you ignore the fact that there are many non-too-credible moments in the film, it does have the capacity to chill you. Certainly, the guy playing the killer is rather frightening. If not, you'll get a good laugh out of seeing the kid playing 'bad cop' as he tries to question a suspect, using fancy computers that are barely available now let alone in 1992/3 (his personal computer resembles something more suited to 'Star Trek') and solving the case while the grown FBI agents flounder around like incompetents.

Slaughter of the audience's intelligence ......

[merklekranz · 5/10 · 18 January 2014]

I think Scott Glenn could have easily handled this serial killer movie by himself, and "Slaughter of the Innocents" would have been better off for it. The nepotism casting of James Glickenhausus's own son, into a script that didn't need him, is the main problem with this seriously flawed film. Everything involving the kid is totally unbelievable and an insult to the audience's intelligence. At times I don't mind suspending realism for sake of a story, but here it's ridiculous. A kid flies to Salt Lake City on his own, intimidates an adult zoo employee into revealing incriminating information, and manages to use his computer to locate the killer's hideout. There is never any clue how this boy wonder travels all over Utah, other than stealing a mountain bike. Sure the flying ark at the end is kind of intriguing, but getting there is a real brain drain of logic. - MERK

Silence of the Lambs meets the Monty Pythons

[petra_ste · 3/10 · 24 May 2007]

When a movie about a serial killer has more belly laughs than your average comedy, you know there is something deeply wrong with it.

Poor Scott Glenn plays a cop hunting for a mysterious killer who abducts children and animals, including giraffes (don't ask); in a truly ludicrous narrative choice, the detective's annoying kid cooperates with the investigation, thanks to a computer with a level of AI which would startle Alan Turing. That's what Silence of the Lambs was sorely missing: a precocious child supporting Clarence Starling!

The climax is the funniest part, as the madman shows his version of Noah's Ark neatly built in a cave next to a canyon, waiting for a second flood. During those last scenes I laughed so hard I almost died. When the killer screamed "I have brought thee even the giraffes!" (or something to that extent), tears were running down my cheeks and I was gasping for breath. Add to this one of the most ridiculous red herrings ever seen: an escaped Nazi general who is still strutting around in full SS uniform a good fifty years after WW2. Yeah, seriously.

Too bad that, while the funny bits are absolutely priceless, there are also long stretches of boredom.

3/10

adventures of the wonder boy???

[jank123 · 20 July 2001]

Stephen Broderick is a special FBI agent who is trying to catch a schizophrenic man who kills and kidnaps small kids. He has a 12-13 years son who probably has an IQ of 250. He has a computer which can recognize voice and it is intelligent (!!!) This computer can find the coordinates of any place on the earth. He has a pretty expensive gps device. His calculator can show verses from the bible. he can fool his mother and tell her that he is gonna spend the night, then he can travel through the whole continent, he can scare 40 years old people just by shouting at them, he can ride a off road motorcyle, he can climb on a mountain without any equipment... can i tell more? you know i could but you should better watch the movie. you will laugh the sh*t out of you. very funny movie. i dont know why its not listed as a comedy. i really liked it.

The worst film I've ever seen, bar none

[xerxes-6 · 1/10 · 15 February 1999]

This film is so bad that it has to be seen to be believed. Basically it involves an incredibly annoying child who somehow tracks down a crazy serial killer before the FBI's finest, including his father, have gotten anywhere with the case. As you can see, realism has no place in this film. There are so many ridiculous things in this film, I don't know where to start. Why must all lunatic serial killers in bad movies recite passages from the Bible to appear mad? The ending to this piece of trash is a classic piece of movie stupidity. At least by watching this rubbish I will see all other bad films (including "Cool as Ice") in a new light as none are even remotely as bad as this piece of crap. Now I don't want to waste my time on this movie ever again.

Awful.

[mr_leggatt · 1/10 · 26 December 2006]

My Dad found this film on video at a sale and raved to me that it was "the most amazing film" he had ever seen. I knew my Dad had bad taste, but ohmygod, this is bad. I could not really find a plot in this movie (even though I was forced to watch it twice). Any massive plot holes are polyfilla-ed by a talking computer. How does the boy find the murderer's location? The talking computer! How does the detective find out where his son is? The talking computer! ...There is only one reason to watch this movie - or rather, fast forward through it - and that is to see a large Noah's Arc roll off the side of a cliff and smash into loads of little pieces. That is THE best bit, and the only bit worth looking up for (if only for amusement). However, even this moment is ruined by a (highly comedic) cry of "Nooooooooooooo!" from the murderer aboard the boat.

This is a highly under-rated and ill-appreciated freaky little thriller.

[FiendishDramaturgy · 7/10 · 5 January 2004]

Okay, before I start, I will be the first to admit that there are a couple of plot holes, an unforgivable contrivance, and that belief does have to be suspended here and there for Jessie the wonder-kid's feats. Okay. There. I've said it.

All in all, this film is a wonderfully entertaining darkling freak of a movie. This is not your typical slasher/serial killer fare. I found this attempt to be downright disturbing and unsettling. This remains one of my favorites for the socially responsible message, the beautiful relationship between Glenn's character and that of his son, and the wonderful element of suspense found here.

Great low budget thriller with a solid, fluid story and some decent performances by Scot Glenn and Jesse Cameron-Glickenhaus. Definitely worth a watch.

It rates a 6.8/10 from...

the Fiend :.

stupid beyond belief

[owens-dt · 1/10 · 18 January 2007]

there is not a single thing about this movie that is believable. More plot holes than you can count. Scott Glenn is somewhat miscast as an FBI agent. Plus, the do-good mentality of the movie is somewhat a put-off. Finally, the female character, Lamar, is very odd. She does not dress like any federal agent has ever dressed, except perhaps at Holloween. Some weird clown-tie and overcoat getup. Whose idea was that? Beyond stupid. This was filmed in 1994. computers of that day could barely turn on, much less do what this movie shows. It is interesting to compare this to Crimminal Minds. Still, it is a one of a kind movie, and so should be seen just for that.

This Movie was Good

[vzonesaangel · 7/10 · 16 December 2005]

This movie was a good one. I loved the plot line. The movie is about a father that works in law enforcement and his son is helping him track a serial killer of kids. The boy in this movie is portrayed as very intelligent. I found this movie to be very entertaining and thrilling. I give it a high rating. I remember when it was on cable years ago my young nephews loved the boy in this movie because he rode a dirt bike. The boy and his father were very close. This is a father and son action thriller. I would recommend this movie to everyone. There are some very thrilling moments. I rate this movie a 7 because it will have you using your mind to find out the killer. If you get the chance rent or buy this movie it was a very good one!

Don't be sucked in by this movie

[jdafoe2 · 1/10 · 27 July 2001]

It's not the worst movie I've ever seen but it's awfully close. Started fairly good but went downhill FAST. Scott Glenn you should be ashamed and he probably is. Did he need a paycheck as bad as this ? I'm beginning to think that video stores have all the worst movies ever made .

Well done, and a little creepy.

[Bosco 55th · 10/10 · 29 December 1999]

I like the way this movie was made, the only bad thing is... they had to use the director's son as a lead. Sure, he didn't do that bad of a job, but it would have been better if they could have used Elijah Wood, or someone else less annoying. Overall this was a decent film that I'd see again. It is creepy to think we have these type of people running around.

Set aside reality, get out a large dose of salt and enjoy.

[JacquiQ · 7/10 · 6 July 2002]

The story has... well... huge holes! But the relationship between father and son made this movie worth watching!!

The young actor, Jesse, has alot of natural talent and is surprisingly believable in his role as this self-assured young man.

So, set aside reality, get out a large dose of salt and enjoy.

Very lousy rip--off

[Cristi_Ciopron · 1/10 · 6 January 2009]

At first I believed this was a SILENT OF THE LAMBS rip—off, and not a very bad one, and I even wondered why it wasn't more famous ,or at least somewhat famous. Then I saw why:--because it's too lousy;--because it's so ridiculous;--because it's extravagant in an over—camped manner. Because that kid is so annoying. These are several causes.

It's a HOWCATCHEM, so over—the—top and bombastic as to be ridiculous.

It plumbs new depths of rubbish. The script is bad and stupid, the kid is annoying.

What's ultra disgusting is Scott Glenn's cult actor prestige.

All in the Family

[DrPhilmreview · 14 March 2007]

This is either a very good home movie or a very bad commercial film.

Writer-director James Glickenhaus makes the tragic mistake of casting his own son, Jessie Cameron-Glickenhaus as the juvenile lead in this one, as the Encyclopedia Brown-like computer wiz who helps his FBI dad (Scott Glenn) with serial murder cases. Only a very talented young actor might be able to pull an idea like that off. Jessie, whose career ended when his father stopped making movies ("Timemaster") does not qualify.

He's one of those bad movie kids that you just want to go away.

The film does have Scott Glenn, Kevin Sorbo and the lovely Darlane Flugel from "Crime Story"(for some reason she always plays the wife of tough law enforcement officers) as well as "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" star Armin Shiverman, but they can't overcome the combined talents (or lack of) by the Glickenhaus family.

For his part, James contributes a script that doesn't work, highlighted by an outrageous ending in which the serial killer (who is of course a religious fantastic) builds an Ark and puts it on rails so it can go flying over a desert cliff. Hey, he's crazy, right? So he does crazy things, right? The big scene with the ark is laughably bad.

A mini-Slaughter of the Lambs

[AdamCamp · 8/10 · 28 August 2000]

A better-than-many serial killer movie. I liked it well enough to see it twice on cable and even to recommend it. I found it dark and brooding. The acting was more than acceptable and, although the genius of the child was, perhaps, not completely credulous, it also wasn't totally unbelievable. The build up to the finale was well planned and the last fifteen minutes kept me on the edge of my seat.

mini-review

[Helen-7 · 29 November 1998]

Do you like mysteries? Me too. Here is a big mystery: why Scott Glenn, who worked with Demmi (thrice), Altman (twice) as well as Kaufman, Figgis, Howard, Frankenheimer, Towne and Coppola, agreed to play in such bull****?! In "Slaughter of the Innocents" (directed by James Glickenhaus) Glenn plays an FBI agent who tracks down a ritual killer. The only person who can help him to solve the case is his little son. As the boy is ten times smarter than all the FBI, he alone can create a special multi-search program on his personal computer and find an evil maniac who builds a new Noah's Ark. By the way, young wunderkind is played by some Jesse Cameron-Glickenhaus - have you got it? Naturally, he is cute and fearless. He plays baseball, rides the motorcycle and easily sneaks through the airport controls as he travels by plane to the place of crime. He even chats with his father about pubic hairs in the victim's mouth. Maybe the script looked like a parody on "The Silence of the Lambs" and Glenn decided to dilute his macho image with a little humour? Maybe Glickenhaus decided to turn his opus to dramatic course when he saw that it doesn't work as comedy? Still a mystery.

wonderfully frightening !!!

[fallenangel-1 · 9 May 2002]

I love this movie i ran across it in the middle of the night at like 2am and omg it is so wonderful very scary and just grabs hold of you and takes you into it i tell everyone about this movie that i think is better then silence of the lambs and more complex and interesting watch it if you dare