Dead End (1999)
Deja-vu, as an ex-detective turned best selling true crime author is confronted by the copycat unsolved serial killings he investigated as a cop ten years ago. And now, all fingers are pointed in his direction. This, compounded by Todd's severe, mysterious headaches and his untimely discovery that he's been adopted, turn his life into his own worst nightmare.
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Strong and Moving!
Absolutely Fantastic
The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.
The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.
In Melbourne, the former detective Todd Russell (William Snow) quitted the police force after an unsolved serial-killer case that has deeply affected him. Ten years later, Todd has become a successful writer, writing best-sellers about his cases. He lives with Lori Peterson (Victoria Hill) and has an assistant, Ben Sykes (Matthew Dyktynski). Todd has strong headaches and discovers that he was adopted after the death of his biological mother. When a copycat killer is investigated by Detective Inspector Wolcott (Peter Hardy) and Special Agent Seaver (Michael Edward-Stevens), they seek-out Todd that refuses to collaborate claiming that he was traumatized by the case ten years ago. Now Todd becomes the prime suspect of the police. "Dead End" is an effective thriller with a good story. The screenplay builds the tension but there are few characters probably due to the restrained budget and it is not difficult to disclose who might be the serial-killer. Despite the fake reviews in IMDb, it is worthwhile watching this movie. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "A Décima Vítima" ("The Tenth Victim")
What a great surprise to see such an exciting thriller from Australia! William Snow's performance was wonderful, as were the rest of the casts' performances. The story's twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat! It is rare these days to not know who the villain is until the very end of the film. It was like being back in the days of Alfred Hitchcock. Though the violence was somewhat graphic at times, as was the sexual content, it was appropriately done for the progression of the story line. And, what a bonus to have such beautiful scenery from Australia. Plus, a pleasant soundtrack. Applause needs to go to the writer/director for a job well done. I hope to see more great films from him in the future.
I've been an acting coach in Los Angeles for over 25 years and had some students that went on to greatness. With that said, Dead End has a fine ensemble cast. Key word here is: Believable! This film although not a big budget picture fulfills all the aspects of one. The production value, locations, music are first rate. The Director keeps the story moving and has you guessing through to the very end. I believe that the only reason for good acting and good story is because of the written word. The Screenplay. Considering the thrillers that are current like Stephan King's Secret Window to the classics from Hitchcock, Dead End is comparable. A special mention that the sex scenes are steamy and the violence tame compared to some of the slasher movies. William Snow is star material, I hope someone finds him.
Well made film with excellent performances from all the Australian actors. The locations are especially unique and I'm looking forward to going to Australia now. This film kept me thinking all the way through the ending. I recommend it highly. The lead actor, William Snow should be a major star.