Already Dead (2007)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Joe Otting

Writers (WGA):

Joe Chappelle (screenplay)
Robert Archer Lynn (story) ...

Release Date:

23 July 2008 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

...But Never Too Late For Revenge

Plot:

When Thomas Archer's happy & successful life is all but ruined following a horrific attack he is presented...

Plot Keywords:

Grief | Trauma | Envelope | Nonlinear Timeline | Jail

Cast

Ron Eldard	...	Thomas Archer
Til Schweiger	...	The Man
Patrick Kilpatrick	...	The Detective
Geoffrey Pierson	...	Pierce
Marisa Coughlan	...	Sarah Archer
Christopher Plummer	...	Dr. Heller
Conery Hoffman	...	Van Driver
Victoria Vande Vegte	...	Babysitter
Gregg Berger	...	Voice #1 (as Greg Berger)
Christian Stolte	...	Voice #2 (voice)
Freddie Joe Farnsworth	...	Gunman #1
Sonny Tipton	...	Gunman #2
David Rowden	...	Gunman #3
Bryan Friday	...	Unseen Attacker #1
Paul Lacovara	...	Unseen Attacker #2

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Argentina:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

777 S. Figueroa Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Havenwood Media

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: At one point, Ron Eldar mentions that he has never fired a gun in his life. Later, however, he fires both a pistol and an automatic rifle with the skill of an experienced soldier or police officer.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Thomas Archer: [cell phone rings] Archer...
Voice #1: The north-bound arriving. You get on it.
Thomas Archer: Is he alive?
Voice #1: Just get on the train.

A Superb Action Thriller!

It seems strange to me that we live in an age where scripts for mediocre thrillers such as "Firewall" can draw a big name like Harrison Ford whilst this little gem goes seemingly unnoticed. However, don't let the absence of any A-list Hollywood names stop you from checking out "Already Dead" because Ron Eldard and Til Schweiger are perfectly cast here. Never heard of them? Don't worry - you'll probably recognise them when you see their faces and, if there really is a God, they'll both soon headline much bigger movies.

What's fantastic about "Already Dead" is that it doesn't waste time getting into the story. The movie begins with events set in motion. Our first scene introduces us to Thomas Archer, a man evidently in some degree of emotional turmoil, as he walks through a train station with a large bag. What's in the bag? As he makes his journey towards his destination the audience is given brief flashbacks which bring you up to speed on what has already happened. As the present events unfold, the flashbacks continue until they intersect at a specific point and Thomas Archer is posed with a terrible decision.

I won't mention any more of the storyline because, for me, one of the highlights was the way in which it progressed. Another review on IMDb mentioned the lack of surprises which makes me wonder if we saw the same movie. I was continually wondering about the motivations of certain characters (in particular, Schweiger's character who is simply known as 'The Man') and the ending I predicted never occurred (yet still fully satisfied me). I also have to take issue with another reviewer's comments that the movie was 'slow in the middle'. I didn't find that all.

Despite "Already Dead" being a very polished production, it is deliberately filmed in a very raw way which mainly uses hand-held cameras to make you feel as though you're there with Archer during the movie. Good performances from the two leads as well as the supporting actors (Patrick Kilpatrick and Christopher Plummer) ensure that you're gripped throughout. It also manages to not outstay its welcome; there certainly weren't any moments when I found myself looking at my watch.

If you like smart thrillers with lots of action, I'd definitely recommend checking out "Already Dead". I'd also recommend not reading about the plot beforehand. Watch it without any knowledge of what will be happening and you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised.