By Elliot Lines September 9, 2024
'Damaged' starring Samuel L. Jackson and French actor Vincent Cassel is the latest straight to streaming attempt at a crime thriller. This is type of film that lures you in by plastering the big famous actor all over the promo, when in fact that actor takes more of a supporting role. 'Damaged' unfortunately doesn't make the most of talents involved, and plods along at a sluggish pace, with the serial killer chase becoming plenty predictable along the way.
Synopsis
When a sadistic murderer surfaces in Scotland, terrified local authorities call on a Chicago detective who investigated a killing spree with the same horrific pattern five years earlier.
Review
'Damaged' overall has an interesting premise, with a truly brutal sadistic serial killer, but due to the direction the film takes, it never really takes full advantage of the horrors at play. The film is most certainly more about the chase, than the crimes itself, which leads this to trundle along, re-hashing the same old plot points over and over again.
'Damaged' feels episodic in its delivery, however little time is spent across each "episode", leaving plenty of questions. The film jumps from murder to murder relatively quickly, not exploring the actual potentially interesting parts of the film. Maybe 'Damaged' may have served better in that TV realm. What makes 'True Detective' so good is the time spent on the individual events, and going on a journey with the characters, here we are just constantly running around Scotland, chasing the same path.
With the likes of Jackson and Cassel involved you might like to think there would be some quality, however, apart from a few moments from the aforementioned the acting isn't exactly engaging. In the lead, Gianni Capaldi takes all of the film on his shoulders, unfortunately, the weight is too much. It's a real struggle to get on board with the character of Glenn, even with an attempt at some character building. There are a few moments with his wife where the character may become relatable, but not enough to grab hold, ultimately forcing the viewer to zone out from his fate.
You won't find much of a thriller with 'Damaged', with the majority quickly becoming predictable and nonsensical. A familiar face like Jackson is unable to save this wannabe 'Seven' , and doesn't take advantage of any potential this story may have.
Star Rating
'Damaged' is streaming now on Prime Video
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