sankhan99 As the fan of modern noirs which are often called Neo-Noirs I must say John Dahl knows how to make one. He is master of this genre. Good thing about him is that he focuses more on making movie entertaining rather than other aspects. Title in review is one of the example but IMDb users again have not done justice with another Neo-noir and rated it very low as usual.Movie is a wholesome entertainment. Look and feel of the movie is fantastically dark. Putting the highway in the movie even made it best. Characters are well constructed and they all mean business and also are desperate. Some great twists and turns but if you see lot of suspense thrillers then probably you will guess them beforehand. But still that doesn't mean you will not enjoy the movie. This is sort of movie which will glue to your seat for whole time. Pace of movie is good and you will Not find a single boring moment in it.I strongly recommend this movie to neo-noir lovers and also highway thriller lovers will equally enjoy it. So watch it.

Scott LeBrun Co-writer and director John Dahl updates the film noir genre for the late 1980s with this entertaining, if fairly standard plot wise, bit of crime fiction. He would also show with subsequent efforts such as "Red Rock West" and "Joy Ride" his ability to capture on film the beauty and desolation of various rural locations. The movie is certainly well cast: Val Kilmer plays Jack Andrews, a Reno private eye who's *really* fallen on hard times. He owes the mob a fair chunk of change, and what at first appears to be his salvation arrives in the form of super sexy Fay Forrester (Joanne Whalley, married to Kilmer at the time), who we already know is a bad, bad girl having seen her double cross her partner in crime, Vince Miller (Michael Madsen, in full blown psycho / thug mode). Fay's idea is that to avoid Vince, she'll hire Jack to fake her death. As one can imagine, things go more and more wrong for Jack, a definite patsy who is drawn to this femme fatale even when all common sense is telling him to stay away. There are no real surprises here, but then Dahl isn't actually out to reinvent the wheel, just put a modern - sometimes comic - spin on a classic and well regarded genre, with archetypal roles, a serious tone, and occasional bursts of violence. The movie is good fun for any fan of film noir, sort of taking its time at first but picking up in intensity as it goes along. Good supporting performances by Jon Gries, as Jack's loyal friend, Michael Greene, as a surly police detective, and Bibi Besch (too briefly seen), as Jack's secretary, are all assets, but the biggest thrill comes from watching the sultry Whalley sizzle and scam her way through the story. As femme fatales go, she's a very watchable one. The movie's not particularly memorable, but is still fine viewing while it lasts. Seven out of 10.

moviestar26 Prior to 'Red rock west', John Dahl made 'Kill me again'. This movie was his first attempt at the noir genre. In fact this seemed to be the template for 'The last seduction' as the theme is very similar. His inspiration is clearly evident in the plot itself. There is a feeling of 50s noir cinema in the movie. Every element from the detective to the cheating femme fa tale is present. Dahl writes and directs his own movies. He is obviously talented in the in the writing field, so this is what he should have continued doing. However in terms of direction the certain edge is lacking. As it became frequent to direct in television style, maybe his movie making career did not sustain. Though many scenes have clever camera angles and close up shots that enhance intrigue factor and suspense. But this becomes irrelevant as the movie progresses with a interesting moment to a next.As I stated the movie contains all the ingredients of the typical noir movie. The disloyal characters, double crosses and money are at the core of the plot. John Dahl has incorporated all these elements intelligently. Everybody who is a fan of noir cinema will immediately find this theme very familiar. It has been a routine concept in the 50s. The deceiving woman requiring assistance from the innocent man, however is later betrayed is noticeable territory. For many this movie will bring back memories of 'Body Heat' and 'Double Indemnity' to mind instantly. The plot is highly similar. The main character is the female character. Everything that happens revolves around her. Therefore this does not complicate the movie at any level. Those searching for a simple and short movie will be happy with this feature. One element which is devoid however is adultery. The theme is not existent at any point. But this does not mean that there would be no scope for intimate scenes.SPOILERS AHEAD The plot begins with the conning pair of Madsen and Whalley Kilmer who steal $875000 from the mob in the Nevada state. However Whalley Kilmer does not intended to keep acquaintance with Madsen for much longer and leaves for Vegas after leaving him unconscious in a restroom. She is aware that he will attempt to trace her down for the money so she has a plan. We are then introduced to Jack (Val Kilmer) who is a private detective who happens to be in dept to some bad guys and has a troubled past. Whalley Kilmer approaches him with a faking a death plan. He agrees in return for a good payment. They set the scenario up at a motel room. Upon leaving the scene Whalley Kilmer intentionally leaves a piece of paper with Jacks name on it. Later he is questioned by the authorities and given a cautionary warning. Meanwhile Madsen notices news of Whalley Kilmer's murder in the press and goes to Jacks office to find a lead. Jake later discovers that Whalley Kilmer has left him and headed to Reno. He locates her though the mob too are searching for the stolen cash and notice it at a casino. The pair hitch up again and flee from the hotel room after killing some of the mob's men. Madsen is hot on their tails after Jake's friend gives information on Jacks whereabouts. Who gets possession of the money forms most of the part of the climax. END OF SPOILERSThe unique point of the movie is obviously the plot. Dahl has written the script with maturity. It is totally flawless. However to this date I have never seen a movie with not one but two men attempting to hitching back on to a woman after being betrayed. This was one element in the movie that I was scratching my head over. Many moments in the movie seemed like a Jim Thompson novel. But what sets this movie apart the the typical noir ending is that the innocent man escapes. The movie contains many double crosses. This is actually the highlight of the plot and will raise eyebrows constantly. Secondly Micheal Madsen's performance. Unfortunately he does not get much scope. But when he appears on screen he steals the scene. Every scene is integral to the movie and there are no side tracks. Plot wise the movie is very reminiscent of 'Pink Cadillac' and 'The Getaway'. In fact one could say that this is a clever combination of both movies. Madsen played the same role in 'The Getaway' too. However Dahl has avoided plagiarism and has managed to think of his own ideas. Background music appears very old fashioned. But is suitable to the tone of the movie. It has been implemented at a minimum level, however only at important moments when required. Initially many viewers will misinterpret this for a Cohen brothers movie. The look and atmosphere is highly reminiscent of 'Blood Simple'. Maybe Dahl's career with noir movies would have continued but they were overshadowed by the Coen Brothers. Performance wise Jaoanne Whalley Kilmer gives a reasonable effort. Her facial expressions are on the mark. Val Kilmer disappoints with a look of uninterested. Overall if you like your noir movies to be short and simple this would be recommended. But I could not say that one would feel the urge to watch it more than three times.

preppy-3 Two crooks (Joanne Whalley-Kilmer and Michael Madsen) kill a man and steal a briefcase full of money. Then Whalley-Kilmer knocks Madsen out and runs off to Las Vegas with all of it. When there she hires a private investigator (Val Kilmer) to fake her death to get Madsen off her trail. Naturally everything goes wrong.Laid back film noir. It's well done with an intricate plot and plenty of double crosses. It's beautifully shot too. Still I wasn't too crazy about it. The movie is just TOO laid back. Everything unfolds in such a quiet easy-going way that it lacks the tension that a really good noir gives you. It's not the fault of the cast. Kilmer is good and his then wife Whalley-Kilmer is excellent but the direction and editing is done in such a leisurely fashion that it mutes their acting. Even the violence is done in a casual laid-back way! It's not a total disaster and is worth catching but I couldn't stop thinking of how really good this could have been. A 7.