For those that think "Perfect Prey" was better cinema than "Witness" this movie is the "perfect fare" for them. Well acted, the grizzled Kelly McGillis does take her role seriously, and for that we thank her. D.W. Moffett gives a splendid performance, but the true star of the show is David Keith. Never have I seen an actor take such demented delight in smearing red lipstick all over his characters sick, depraved lips. The storyline is decent, with an ending that borrows liberally from "Silence of the Lambs." Great cinema for that Saturday evening when Mom has to wait up for the teen that is out for the night with the family car. "Perfect Prey" is intriguing enough to keep the mind off worry, yet mindless enough that a viewer doesn't have to think as the clock nears one in the morning. For those that love a good storyline that offers a little more bang for the buck, try "Witness." Definitely Kelly McGillis at her finest, if only for the classic scene with a younger and sturdier Harrison Ford where they dance alone in an Amish country barn, a scene where McGillis truly sizzles and smolders with implied sexuality and Amish girl heat.
10 Reviews
Yet Another Serial Killer With a Theme
rmax30482328 July 2003
Warning: Spoilers
This one, David Keith, is an antiques vendor and schlepper who for some reason is killing 30-ish successful women by plastic-bagging them, then dressing them, grooming them, and posing them in the position of antique dolls. Kelly McGillis is an ex-medical student, a graduate in fact, who was Keith's first victim but managed to escape his clutches before being turned into a dead doll. She has an MD from Texas but, after spending some time recovering from her trauma, she is now an ordinary homicide cop in Houston. (Sure.)
The plot. Well, you already pretty much know it by now, I presume. A number of women turn up dead in peculiar ways. The police have to figure out if there is a link between the killings. There is. Then they have to figure out the particular theme this serial killer is using. Usually phrased as, "What do these women have in common?" In other movies of this genre -- and it IS a genre unto itself -- the killings are based on puzzles from Alice in Wonderland, or replications of previous high-profile serial murderers, or a drawing of a pentagram on a map, or -- I think there's one based on a game of tic tac toe. Or was it hopscotch? One forgets after viewing a dozen or so examples.
McGillis does alright by her role, although she hasn't much in the way of range. (It's hard to imagine her getting stoned and enjoying herself.) And she has one of those cases of asthma or whatever it is that disable her at critical moments, a momento of her earlier abuse. She is intense enough, though, and that's about all that's required of her. Moffet, or whoever plays her partner Detective Cirillo, seems to have only one key on his instrument. It would have been a more interesting movie if he'd been the heavy. David Keith has the juiciest part, an outwardly charming, inwardly explosive, sadistic madman. What a scuzzball he is, trying to spoon feed pecan pie to one of his victims before offing her. He gets a bit of exercise because he's required to change personae from time to time. Bruce Dern, gone gray and losing his hair under his cowboy hat, has played numerous psychotic heavies and if he'd been a few years younger would have done fine as the heavy in this movie as well. He's hardly on screen, though.
There's nothing original in this flick. I'm beginning to yawn when the finale begins with the lone female investigator breaking into the murderer's darkened house and creeping around with a flashlight whose beam reveals spooky objects and ominously closed doors. It worked okay for a while but has now become redundant, after "Silence of the Lambs" and any number of other examples. Other boilerplate scenes include the fight between the investigator and the maniac. The investigator is armed but has the gun knocked out of his or her hand. A shot of the pistol skidding along the floor. A shot of somebody's hand grasping for the weapon just out of reach. To my knowledge, this sequence was first used in a motion picture in the year 1798.
You know something, though? It's bad enough that these plots always involve the murders of young women, but this film has a drawn-out and especially execrable scene in which the murderer, Keith, teases one of his tied-up, terrified victims. The victim knows she's going to die and so do we, but we must sit there and watch David Keith try to pamper her and then throw a fit of pique when she refuses to eat his goddamn home-made pie and then plastic bag her while she screams and wiggles. At whom is this scene aimed? What I mean is, who will enjoy seeing something so brutal and disgusting? It's not necessary to our understanding of either the plot or the character. Casting decisions must have been given about 5 seconds of thought. The first killer we see, being sentenced in a Texas court, is a big, hulking, ugly, sneering brute who spits at Inspector Kelly McGillis. How much more interesting if he'd been a little mouse. David Keith, the killer-in-chief, has always been cast as a weak, perennial loser. The uncooperative sexist detective on the Houston PD is a fat guy with a mustache and no neck who could have won the blue ribbon as prize hog at the Texas State Fair.
Well, looking at the donut instead of the hole, the formula wouldn't have been reused so often if there weren't something workable about it. And there IS one well-written, if overacted, scene at an outdoor flea market in which Keith almost, but not quite, lures a beautiful blond customer into his web. If it's late at night and you find you can't sleep, you might give this a try. Either it will act as a distraction from your distress or as a soporific. Both ways, you win something.
The plot. Well, you already pretty much know it by now, I presume. A number of women turn up dead in peculiar ways. The police have to figure out if there is a link between the killings. There is. Then they have to figure out the particular theme this serial killer is using. Usually phrased as, "What do these women have in common?" In other movies of this genre -- and it IS a genre unto itself -- the killings are based on puzzles from Alice in Wonderland, or replications of previous high-profile serial murderers, or a drawing of a pentagram on a map, or -- I think there's one based on a game of tic tac toe. Or was it hopscotch? One forgets after viewing a dozen or so examples.
McGillis does alright by her role, although she hasn't much in the way of range. (It's hard to imagine her getting stoned and enjoying herself.) And she has one of those cases of asthma or whatever it is that disable her at critical moments, a momento of her earlier abuse. She is intense enough, though, and that's about all that's required of her. Moffet, or whoever plays her partner Detective Cirillo, seems to have only one key on his instrument. It would have been a more interesting movie if he'd been the heavy. David Keith has the juiciest part, an outwardly charming, inwardly explosive, sadistic madman. What a scuzzball he is, trying to spoon feed pecan pie to one of his victims before offing her. He gets a bit of exercise because he's required to change personae from time to time. Bruce Dern, gone gray and losing his hair under his cowboy hat, has played numerous psychotic heavies and if he'd been a few years younger would have done fine as the heavy in this movie as well. He's hardly on screen, though.
There's nothing original in this flick. I'm beginning to yawn when the finale begins with the lone female investigator breaking into the murderer's darkened house and creeping around with a flashlight whose beam reveals spooky objects and ominously closed doors. It worked okay for a while but has now become redundant, after "Silence of the Lambs" and any number of other examples. Other boilerplate scenes include the fight between the investigator and the maniac. The investigator is armed but has the gun knocked out of his or her hand. A shot of the pistol skidding along the floor. A shot of somebody's hand grasping for the weapon just out of reach. To my knowledge, this sequence was first used in a motion picture in the year 1798.
You know something, though? It's bad enough that these plots always involve the murders of young women, but this film has a drawn-out and especially execrable scene in which the murderer, Keith, teases one of his tied-up, terrified victims. The victim knows she's going to die and so do we, but we must sit there and watch David Keith try to pamper her and then throw a fit of pique when she refuses to eat his goddamn home-made pie and then plastic bag her while she screams and wiggles. At whom is this scene aimed? What I mean is, who will enjoy seeing something so brutal and disgusting? It's not necessary to our understanding of either the plot or the character. Casting decisions must have been given about 5 seconds of thought. The first killer we see, being sentenced in a Texas court, is a big, hulking, ugly, sneering brute who spits at Inspector Kelly McGillis. How much more interesting if he'd been a little mouse. David Keith, the killer-in-chief, has always been cast as a weak, perennial loser. The uncooperative sexist detective on the Houston PD is a fat guy with a mustache and no neck who could have won the blue ribbon as prize hog at the Texas State Fair.
Well, looking at the donut instead of the hole, the formula wouldn't have been reused so often if there weren't something workable about it. And there IS one well-written, if overacted, scene at an outdoor flea market in which Keith almost, but not quite, lures a beautiful blond customer into his web. If it's late at night and you find you can't sleep, you might give this a try. Either it will act as a distraction from your distress or as a soporific. Both ways, you win something.
A Doll's House
sol-kay18 December 2006
Warning: Spoilers
(There are Spoilers) Having been kidnapped and abused some ten years ago when she attended Texas State University Texas Ranger criminal behavior expert Audrey MacLean, Kelly McGillis, had become the top state authority in what makes serial killers and kidnappers tick. Called to instigate a series of kidnap/murders in and around the Huston area Audery is spooked by how the killer, or killers, abducted and murdered his or their victims. It was very much like what happened to her some ten years ago when she was a med student at Texas U.
The movie "Perfect Pray" has the psycho serial/killer painting his lips in ruby red lipstick after he kidnaps and torture his victims and then suffocates them with a plastic bag tied around their heads. Were not kept from knowing who this nut-case is since we're exposed to him almost as soon as the movie starts so there's no suspenses that he's the creepy and beady eyed antique dealer Daniel T. Wallace, David Keith. Wallace is a real sicko in his actions even for a serial killer with him torturing his terrified victims to the point were death is almost a relief and blessing to them.
There's also a sub-plot in the movie involving convicted serial killer Harlan Evens, Clyton Murray, who is supposed to be he person who kidnapped Audery some ten years ago and even confessed to the crime. When It soon becomes obvious that Evens was not the person who kidnapped Audery, the weird psycho just took credit for it, it become a central part of the story why she didn't bring that out on his trial. Evens in fact did murder six other women and at the same time allowed the real kidnapper and serial killer to be free and eventually murder some half dozen people.
Wallace, who later turned to out be former Texas U student Dwayne Alan Clay, seems to be at war with women who are well educated and successful in their field of employment like Audery is and takes out his frustrations on them. H does that by kidnapping torturing and brutally murdering them. The fact that Audery, his first victim, got away from him makes it more important in him kidnapping and killing her tying all the loose ends together in his insane war against humanity.
We also get an insight into what is driving the crazed Clay and that has to do with his treatment as a little boy, the fact of his obsession with lipstick is a good clue, by his abusive and drug addict mother. Clay murdered her when he was just ten years old by burning her and the house down. Clay was also obsessed with his late grandma's doll collection. Murdereing woman who resembled the dolls laying them out after he murdered them like a doll on display like at his antique stand at the county fair. Audrey seem to be so traumatized by her abduction and treatment by Clay ten years ago that later when she came face to face with the deranged lunatic she didn't at all, even though he did, recognize him.
The ending was a bit overdone with the emotionally crippled Audery turning into a female "Dirty Harry", or "Dirty Harriet". Taking on the crazed and homicidal Clay one on on on his home turf, his late grandma's doll house, and blasting him to pieces before the calvary,in the form of the Huston PD, came to her rescue.
The movie "Perfect Pray" has the psycho serial/killer painting his lips in ruby red lipstick after he kidnaps and torture his victims and then suffocates them with a plastic bag tied around their heads. Were not kept from knowing who this nut-case is since we're exposed to him almost as soon as the movie starts so there's no suspenses that he's the creepy and beady eyed antique dealer Daniel T. Wallace, David Keith. Wallace is a real sicko in his actions even for a serial killer with him torturing his terrified victims to the point were death is almost a relief and blessing to them.
There's also a sub-plot in the movie involving convicted serial killer Harlan Evens, Clyton Murray, who is supposed to be he person who kidnapped Audery some ten years ago and even confessed to the crime. When It soon becomes obvious that Evens was not the person who kidnapped Audery, the weird psycho just took credit for it, it become a central part of the story why she didn't bring that out on his trial. Evens in fact did murder six other women and at the same time allowed the real kidnapper and serial killer to be free and eventually murder some half dozen people.
Wallace, who later turned to out be former Texas U student Dwayne Alan Clay, seems to be at war with women who are well educated and successful in their field of employment like Audery is and takes out his frustrations on them. H does that by kidnapping torturing and brutally murdering them. The fact that Audery, his first victim, got away from him makes it more important in him kidnapping and killing her tying all the loose ends together in his insane war against humanity.
We also get an insight into what is driving the crazed Clay and that has to do with his treatment as a little boy, the fact of his obsession with lipstick is a good clue, by his abusive and drug addict mother. Clay murdered her when he was just ten years old by burning her and the house down. Clay was also obsessed with his late grandma's doll collection. Murdereing woman who resembled the dolls laying them out after he murdered them like a doll on display like at his antique stand at the county fair. Audrey seem to be so traumatized by her abduction and treatment by Clay ten years ago that later when she came face to face with the deranged lunatic she didn't at all, even though he did, recognize him.
The ending was a bit overdone with the emotionally crippled Audery turning into a female "Dirty Harry", or "Dirty Harriet". Taking on the crazed and homicidal Clay one on on on his home turf, his late grandma's doll house, and blasting him to pieces before the calvary,in the form of the Huston PD, came to her rescue.
David Keith's movie
guilfisher-113 November 2008
For surly he walks away with this and his portrait of a demented serial killer. This is unusual as Keith is always the victim, ala OFFICER AND GENTLEMEN. He was excellent. Kelly McGillis I usually like but felt there was a monotone level of work in this. Her face never showed any emotion except fear. Does she ever enjoy anything? I liked her in WITNESS and TOP GUN where she at least had interesting moments. But wasted in this. I guess we're supposed to see she's a tough detective and determined to catch her prey. Aging Bruce Dern plays a small role of a detective. Dern would have been more interesting if he had ended up the killer as he plays strange roles better. D W Moffett (what does the D stand for?) played another detective and love interest to Kelly. I remember him in AN EARLY FROST as the love interest to Aiden Quinn. A good looking guy too. But give the laurels to Keith for a wonderful job. And to all those lovely ladies he managed to charm into his den. Maybe sometime we could see a serial killer who takes all the beautiful boys and torments them. It would be different as most of the time it's always the women that get chosen.
If you liked the first one, AVOID THIS SEQUEL!
vnssyndrome8923 September 2022
If you liked, 'When the Bough Breaks,' starring Martin Sheen, and Ally Walker, then avoid this like the plague! Martin Sheen and Ally Walker have been replaced by Bruce Dern and Kelly McGillis, and the characters are lost on them. I don't believe either of them have ever even seen the first movie this SEQUEL is based on. Kelly McGillis constantly has these mini breakdowns throughout the movie, and they are totally NOT BELIEVABLE, I would go as far as saying they are laughable. The saddest part of this drek is David Keith, a quality actor who is wasted here. They actually have him talking to porcelain dolls! How original! I saw that on 'Miami Vice,' in 1984.
It's not half bad
sludgehound16 October 2002
As prior detailed review puts it, this is a bit of a sleeper. Admit that catching it on cable now with the ongoing serial sniper in D.C. area in mind. Well, yuck, this has a bunch of connections! White big box truck (not an Astro van but there were early D.C. reports of a while box truck). Film baddie works a circle route of victims. Snatcher not shooter. But same patterns even the film mention of God complex and increase in frequency of attacks. This baddie does key on a 'type' tho. Less random than D.C. Very creepy but yes this film does hold one's interest with the well played sense of everydayness. Good performances. Bad guy is always such a tricky role to cast and play. This one does it. Not the over the top thing of Hannibal so even more icky for real. Give this a try if comes your way and it's your thing. Helps if you enjoy CSI, Law and Order type shows. Gets a little overheated but the soul of film is intact.
Not bad. Worth a couple of hours of anyone's time.
blue hermit12 May 2001
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.
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.
Pretty good thriller
iorillac7 August 2002
I have to say I didn't expect too much when I decided to watch this movie. Well it turned out to be a pretty good thriller. It makes you think a little, so I would say the plot's got something good too. I gave 7/10 stars.
I kinda liked it!
onceasalways20 December 2000
Not sure why this movie got such mediocre ratings - it was well acted, well written, and well casted - - and most importantly, suspenseful!
It's downfall is only that it is totally reminiscent of Silence of the Lambs.. If you liked Silence, you'll probably like this movie too.
It had everything from the serial killer on the loose to the interview with the psychopathic killer in jail (sniffing the air, even!).. But, I loved Silence - and though I didn't realize the similarities until the end, this held my attention up until the last suspenseful minute.
Well worth my two hours! Bruce Dern and Kelly McGillis stood out in their roles - good casting.. good movie..
It's downfall is only that it is totally reminiscent of Silence of the Lambs.. If you liked Silence, you'll probably like this movie too.
It had everything from the serial killer on the loose to the interview with the psychopathic killer in jail (sniffing the air, even!).. But, I loved Silence - and though I didn't realize the similarities until the end, this held my attention up until the last suspenseful minute.
Well worth my two hours! Bruce Dern and Kelly McGillis stood out in their roles - good casting.. good movie..
A good movie to watch.Recommended even for the family.
chrisazu5015 March 2012
I love the confrontation of the female detective with the male detectives formerly on the case but got no clue.They tried to discourage her but she was determined to succeed. I love her style. she decided to take the bull by the horn when there was no help forth coming from detectives who were earlier on the case. From what may be considered by the ordinary eye as an insignificant piece of evidence in one of the last crime scene,she was able to make an in road into a case that was for other detectives an impenetrable virgin forest.A piece of doll became the master key that opened that blind alley that other detectives could not see.Who says persistence does not pay.It is interesting to note that the moment she had that close shave with the suspect, her sharp instincts told her that was her man. She maintained her cool and showed no excitement. The female dick for me was the star in the movie.The criminal thought he was a perfect criminal but he met a perfect Detective whose eyes were sharper than an eagle's. Sumary: A good crime series movie,that succeeded in exposing some of the very bad lukewarm attitude of the police in times when they should rise up to the challenges of duty calls.It is also informative in the sense that people should try and look beyond what they see and people they want to tag along with.The female folk should heed this warning as they are more vulnerable.
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