Perfect Prey (1998) (TV)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Howard McCain

Writer (WGA):

Robert McDonnell (written by)

Release Date:

26 September 2003 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A former Texas Ranger (McGillis) is recruited by a Houston police captain (Dern) to assist a homicide detective (Moffett) in the search for an elusive serial killer (David) who collects antique dolls.

Plot Keywords:

Serial Killer | Psychologist | Antique | Doll | Texas Ranger

Cast

Kelly McGillis	...	Audrey Macleah
Bruce Dern	...	Capt. Swaggert
D.W. Moffett	...	Detective Jimmy Cerullo
David Keith	...	Dwayne Alan Clay
Joely Fisher	...	Elizabeth Crane
Richard Riehle	...	Detective Bevlan
Gregg Daniel	...	Detective Footman
Mike Kennedy	...	Captain Feagler
Tichina Arnold	...	Susie
Marklen Kennedy	...	Investigator Lyons
C.C. Pulitzer	...	Janette Leary
Nicole Forester	...	Patricia Atkins
Judith Drake	...	Waitress
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Maree Cheatham	...	Mrs. Leary
Thomas Crawford	...	Deputy #2
Dan Desmond	...	Mr. Leary
Javier Grajeda	...	Deputy #1
Michael Dean Jacobs	...	Doug Purcell
Steven Jang	...	Houston Cop
Judy Kain	...	Marianne
Shareen Mitchell	...	Lady #1 (as Shareen J. Mitchell)
Senta Moses	...	Lady #3
Clayton Murray	...	Harlan Evans 10
Miguel Nájera	...	Morgue Attendant
Skip O'Brien	...	Guard
Eric Poppick	...	Antique Shop owner
Stacy Sullivan	...	Lady #2

Also Known As:

When the Bough Breaks II: Perfect Prey (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

Brazil:99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:12

Company:

Meeker/Greene Entertainment Inc.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: The Texas flag in the Ranger Captain's office is upside down.

Movie Connections:

Remake of When the Bough Breaks (1993)

Not bad. Worth a couple of hours of anyone's time.

Described as a TV movie, I don't know whether "Perfect Prey" was planned as a TV pilot. Far worse have been deemed suitable for series production. I don't think this watchable piece of work got the exposure it deserved when it first appeared. This is a better than average serial killer thriller. The main characters are certainly well cast.

Kelly McGillis is a natural as the troubled but intelligent and determined investigator, Audrey Maclean. David Keith's performance as the handsome, persuasive killer is chilling. Watching him, you can truly believe that evil is abroad and relishing the suffering of its victims. Bruce Dern does well with the part of Captain Swaggert, with murders on his hands he knows are beyond the abilities of his team to solve without the fresh eye of outside help. Interested viewers will, I'm sure, enjoy the contrast in characterization between Dern's lawman in this movie and his marvellously venal sheriff in "Last man Standing". Last but by no means least, D W Moffett shows real style with his Detective Jimmy Cerullo.

There's a pleasing professionalism about the rest of the cast, who aren't well known. Their work helps to ensure an enjoyable movie. Particularly worth a mention is the young actress given the thankless role of the murder victim in the pink dress. With her body propped up against a nodding donkey, her frozen eyes allow a peek into hell for the imaginative movie watcher. The feeling of brooding sadness in the scene surfaces at various times during the duration of the film, and adds considerable atmosphere.

The movie is effectively directed by Howard McCain and nicely scripted by Robert McDonnell. There's some neat editing by Hanneh Rudkilde. The rest of the crew weren't asleep on the job either. What really damages "Perfect Prey" is the marked resemblance of the plot to that of "The Silence of the Lambs", which many of its potential audience will have seen. In my opinion Kelly McGillis is a more believable investigator than the otherwise admirable Jodie Foster, but that, as they say, is neither here nor there.

It's worth a look, seek it out next time you intend making the sofa look untidy for a couple of hours.