Temptation (1994/I)

User Rating:

4.2/10   

Director:

Strathford Hamilton

Writers (WGA):

Ian Seeberg (written by) and
Douglas Barr (written by)

Genre:

Thriller

Tagline:

Between Seduction and Deception lies . . . TEMPTATION (Video Australia)

Plot:

After five years in prison for insurance fraud the sailor Lanarsky is released. Together with his buddy...

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Cast

Jeff Fahey	...	Eddie Lanarsky
Alison Doody	...	Lee Reddick
Philip Casnoff	...	Michael Reddick
Patricia Durham	...	Nikki Dufour
David Keith	...	Bone Babancourt
Galyn Görg	...	Toonie Wells
W. Paul Bodie	...	Constable Coombs
Jack G. Spirtos	...	Paul Martel
Douglas Barr	...	Captain Thomas
John Archie	...	Coombs' Assistant
Robert Paisley	...	Uniformed Constable
Antonio Desman	...	Policeman
Kevin McLaughlin	...	Party Guest
Elvis Sjostrom	...	Party Guest
Julia Verdin	...	Party Guest

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

UK:18 | Australia:M (video rating) | Philippines:R-18 | Germany:18 | South Korea:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Miami, Florida, USA

Company:

Tricoast Film Partners

A Slipshod Script Is Fatal.

When Eddie Lanarski (Jeff Fahey) becomes hopelessly in arrears to the I.R.S., he and co-conspirator Michael Reddick (Philip Casnoff) arrange to destroy their ship by explosion to collect insurance monies on its appraisal value; however, Reddick double crosses Eddie and the latter, following his sentence of five years served in prison, is seeking vengeance. An opportunity to achieve his sombre goal occurs when fate places him in position as the captain of a yacht owned by Reddick's wife Lee (Allison Doody), and when his former partner in crime, whom Lanarsky had not incriminated during his trial for arson, becomes aware of Eddie's presence, it is after the vessel has embarked, leading to a troubled voyage for all. The film is fairly engrossing during its opening moments, but an ever increasing number of mind numbing flaws of logic and continuity sinks the piece as it tumbles into a sea of stupidity, exemplified during a scene when, after Eddie and Lee have swum from mid-ocean to an unoccupied beach upon which they flounder, Lee asks "Why don't we start a fire?". Additionally, this same pair, after being clubbed and bloodied nearly to death, promptly spring back into vigorous action, their wounds healed. The movie becomes one garish act of violence following upon another, although time is taken for erotic coupling amid all of this physical jeopardy. There is precious little of worth within this low budget piece shot in the Miami region, except for an excellent score contributed by Conrad Pope, the quality of which is too finished for such a blear-witted scenario.