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Apr 08, 2024 By Scott Howard Web Exclusive

Catching a serial killer goes international in some interesting ways in this by-the-numbers thriller directed by Terry McDonough.

Damaged begins in the windy city of Chicago with our immediate establishing shots of the Willis Tower and a brutal murder scene overseen by Detective Dan Lawson (Samuel Jackson). Lawson is a jaded detective known for his alcoholism as much as his investigative skills. Upon the discovery of murders in Scotland similar to a serial killer that Lawson and his ex-partner Bravo (Vincent Cassel) failed to catch five years prior, Lawson is quickly sent over the pond to assist Scotland-based Detective Glen Boyd (Gianni Capaldi). Boyd’s marriage is strained after the recent loss of his young child which adds a complicated past for him to wrestle with for the duration of the investigation. As the case grows more convoluted, Lawson brings in Bravo to partner up once more adding new experienced insight into the mind of the suspected serial killer our heroes must catch with haste as the bodies begin to pile up.

Damaged initially appears on the surface as a hunt for the stereotypical serial killer with a religious dogma, but somehow throughout its runtime, it transitions into an interesting whodunit. Any initial worry about figuring out the film’s plot too fast was quickly assuaged as the case took a few twists and turns to throw viewers off the scent of the killer. Nearly all of the movie’s main cast has a past in playing villainous characters, and that serves the film well to keep viewers likely guessing until the end.

The plot moves swiftly enough over its 97-minute runtime which is an unfortunate cause for a less-than-necessary amount of exposition from the main characters of the film in lieu of scenes to further develop their story arcs. For the most part, this can be to the detriment of its flow as the dialogue can get hokey, and several characters, including Boyd and his wife, could use more time for exploration and to breathe as they wrestle with their grief. The complicated relationships and rushed partnerships take a backseat to the heavy subject matter often without giving the audience time to embrace the stakes our detectives face. Boyd’s connection and closeness with Lawson comes almost too speedily and with minimal conflict between the two even as Lawson openly drinks on the scene. The flick generally feels like a swing at a much larger story and sparing 15 more minutes to open up the characterization of our detectives would have benefited its ultimate vision. A film like this has the potential to be a poignant character study but instead feels like a missed opportunity.

Our main cast delivers performances ranging from serviceable to stilted when discussing the unfolding events. Samuel L. Jackson has what appears to be a fun time portraying a haunted Lawson as he flits from being an expert in crime scene investigation one moment to slurring drunkard the next. While there isn’t much of the usual Nick Fury-style bravado on display during its runtime, Jackson is allowed to display a fair amount of range for a straight-to-VOD performance. Make no mistake this is Capaldi’s movie as Boyd is the main focus here. Capaldi toes the line between haunted, exhausted, and rageful in equal parts by the third act, but there could have been more nuance to his internal struggles with his wife and his budding connection between himself and Lawson. Cassel’s delivery as the smooth-talking insightful Bravo is reminiscent of his other roles like Westworld and Black Swan. Cassel of the entire cast is probably the most typecast, which surprisingly plays to this film’s strengths when his swagger and questionable nature come to the forefront. Cassel does what he can with his smaller role in the plot, but his delivery is ultimately satisfactory in his contributions to the case. John Hannah delivers an effort similar to his take as Quintus in Spartacus with frequent clashes with the main characters. His efforts to infuse his actions with a sense of foreboding and amateurish attempts to thwart law enforcement make his character interesting, if run-of-the-mill for a suspect in a thriller. Unfortunately, he’s not given much range outside of being the bad guy.

The direction by McDonough is functional within the parameters of the movie. While the vistas of Scotland are large with open fields, a significant portion of the movie is depicted in tight spaces and streets with some questionable decisions in wide-screen CGI. Overall, the aesthetic of the film is pleasing to look at with some obvious hints at the lower budget. There are some interesting choices in music during the film’s inevitable chase sequences that remind one of the mid-‘00s rock which can pull you out of the moment as it feels misplaced with the film’s general atmosphere. Speaking of atmosphere, one can feel the film would have benefitted from embracing a weirder vibe when depicting the scenes of the seemingly ritualistic murder scenes more in line with NBC’s take on Hannibal or HBO’s True Detective. McDonough seems to have largely left it up to the seasoned actors to depict their characters with learned experience which is simultaneously to the film’s benefit and occasional detriment. Considering his extensive background in television-based direction, this is ultimately a middling attempt at a feature that harkens back to a more direct-to-video feel you’d get finding a random movie at the video store based on the cover alone.

This would be best recommended as a decent enough film to fill the time on an open Thursday night. The action is satisfactory, the cinematography is passable, and the overall film is ultimately all right with some surprisingly decent misdirects. While not regrettable to watch, it most certainly could have taken some bigger swings in subject matter to make it stand out among the consistent content stream we are given these days. The decision to utilize a green screen at the conclusion of the film is largely symbolic of the film’s sizable aspirations on a clearly lower budget. Most of the story will land, but given a bit more time to cook, it could have been that much sweeter. (www.lionsgate.com)

Author rating: 5.5/10