
The countless serial killer movies that came in the imitating wake of Se7en three decades ago, even at their weakest have nail biting violence nailed down, however struggle to find tension, mood, and innovation in the storytelling. Such is certainly the case with Damaged, which serves up a considerable number of victims’ severed limbs, yet is likely to leave scant impression on the viewer, scarring or otherwise.
Samuel L. Jackson and Vincent Cassel may pride themselves on their top billing, but in truth it is Gianni Capaldi fully bearing the brunt as the character of a detective from Edinburgh hunting down a crazy psycho who had deeper roots in a Chicago criminal six years ago. The character development follows a similar imbalance, as it often feels like the nonsensical plot has to include certain aspects purely for marketing. Clocks have nothing to do with the directorial job done by Terry McDonough and his experience in making TV episodes surely comes with its bite. Nothing is interesting about this video featuring actors in situations. Dull is the best description, but even there the bar has been set quite low.
Initially, a Scottish woman standing at the door of her house to receive a package from a delivery man is brutally murdered. Her dead body is even more horrific than the previous five murders in Chicago the body missing its entire torso, limbs arranged in a satanic symbol, and other markings all indicating that she was tied up and slaughtered. When the second victim also dies the same way, two L.A. detectives Boyd (Capaldi) and Kessler (Kate Dickie) are joined by Yank officer Lawson (Jackson), because he was investigating similar cases. He also brings in Bravo (Vincent Cassel), who used to be his partner and moved to the UK.
Earlier, Lawson is frustrated with a rude neighbor and fights with the sad lady who died. However, later all people’s gaze shifts to an extremist religious McGregor (John Hannah) who recently left a cult group for being too extreme. Many also stand to be unfavorably perceived by some of the investigators from the very start this is probably the reason why Lawson is an unsophisticated hophead and a weak case which has his wife in the balance as she was the first one to be killed.
Koji Steven Sakai, Capaldi, and Paul Aniello’s script manages to portray such multiethnic homogeneity as a distasteful and forced multitasking model.
Suffice it to say, all tech and design departments have done a great job, and Damaged, while being what it is, works smoothly enough not to be tiresome, or even overtly trashy although viewers may find themselves rolling their eyes quite a bit after some time.
However, the general absence of faith makes all what should be devastating and sinister reducing them to the level of a boring pastime.
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