88 Minutes (2007) Movie Review, Trailer and Poster

USA, Germany, Canada 2007
Director: Jon Avnet
Cast: Al Pacino, Alicia Witt, Leelee Sobieski, Amy Brenneman, William Forsythe, Neal McDonough
Rating: R
Release Date: 18 April 2008 (USA)
Running Time: 1 hour 48 minutes

The Movie Review

Al Pacino stars in this thriller film as a prominent Forensic psychiatrist named Dr. Jack Gramm which revolves around the evil-doings of a deranged serial killer, Jon Forster (Neal McDonough). With witnesses all around and backed up by strong deductive statement of Dr. Gramm, Jon Forster is finally sentenced guilty as charged and incarcerated behind the steel bars.

Fast forward 9 years later, another murder takes place mimicking exactly the ones that have been done by Jon Forster or known as Seattle Slayer. Strangely enough that exactly at midnight, Jon Forster himself is slated to die in Walla Walla penitentiary. So who could've done that recent murder, right?


88 MINUTES
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

To make matters worse for Dr. Gramm, one of his close students, Dale Morris (Kristina Copeland), is murdered while uttering desperate words saying that Dr. Gramm had accused the wrong killer. Eventually FBI is brought in to investigate this matter and if Dr. Gramm --who is a womanizer and a commitment-phobe-- was making false accusation.

But the worst part is when Dr. Gramm has got a call from unknown person telling that he only has 88 minutes to live, which is only until 11.45 am. Trying to do his activities the normal way but the threats keep on coming all around him and Dr. Gramm is a bit overwhelmed by the threat techniques of this unknown person. Who is this person actually? Is Jon Forster really is innocent? Will Dr. Gramm live? And why 88 minutes?

88 Minutes may not be the brightest or the best thriller ever and it does have some flaws but the air suspense is dense and the mystery will keep you glued to your seat. The pacing is fast leaving no room for boredom even though it comes with consequences which leave the viewer rather alienated from the true personality of Dr. Gramm. But I'm guess some general moviegoers won't even mind that.

The movie does not present us something heavy on scientific investigation stuff like CSI, it's more like delving more into human personality as what Dr. Gramm is good at. He is profiling people, finding the person even though they hide behind their poker face.

My biggest objection is the visuals or the look of the movie. It's too somber and dark although it reflects the mood but it gets annoying to see it 108 minutes straight. And Al Pacino does look kinda beat with his tired facial expressions. Some of the cast also deliver mixed bag acting capacity. But then again, if thriller like this involving several suspects, twist, and misleading characters is your cup of coffee, you'll have a good time with 88 minutes.

© iwan pranowo of Movielogy.com
posted: Saturday, 11 June 2011 11:20 am