What’s It About
Follows Dan Lawson, a Chicago detective, who travels to Scotland to link up with Scottish Det. Glen Boyd, following the resurgence of a serial killer whose crimes match an unsolved case that he looked into five years previous in Chicago.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
At first glance, Damaged appears to be a Se7en rip-off, but it becomes clear that it cannot measure up to the classic film. While the movie is set in Scotland, it is a routine cop movie with a convoluted plot and extensive use of cliches. Samuel L. Jackson plays Dan Lawson, a Chicago detective sent to Scotland to assist in a case involving a series of murders similar to those he failed to solve years earlier. These murders involve dismemberment and various parts of the victims’ bodies being rearranged into the shape of a cross, accompanied by markings indicating satanic rituals. Chief Inspector Boyd (Peter Capaldi) and his partner, Kessler, require Lawson’s expertise. Lawson and Boyd deal with personal demons, and their struggles add to the film’s plot. The movie’s strengths lie in the cast’s strong performances, particularly Jackson and Capaldi. John Hannah also delivers an excellent supporting role. However, the film’s primary motivation appears to be tricking the audience, and it relies heavily on cliches and conventions of low-rent serial killer flicks. The clues do not make sense, and the final twist ending is unsatisfying. The long-winded explanation that attempts to tie up loose ends creates more confusion. The film’s title refers to the characters’ shared state of being damaged, and in that sense, the movie is a metaphor for itself. Director Terry McDonough, known for his work on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, does his best to put over the material, but the film’s execution falls short. The movie’s most egregious element is the ridiculous outcome that reveals the killer’s identity. Jackson’s performance is entertaining but not enough to compensate for the tedious ninety minutes preceding it. To summarize, Damaged is a forgettable movie that relies heavily on cliches and conventions of serial killer flicks. While the cast delivers strong performances, the film’s plot is convoluted, and the twist ending is unsatisfying.
OUR RATING – A RAZZIE WINNING 2
MEDIA
- Genre – Drama
- Street date
- Digital – April 12, 2024
- DVD/Blu-Ray – May 28, 2024
- Video – 1080p
- Screen size – 2.40:1
- Sound –English 5.1 Dolby Digital
- Subtitles – English SDH
Extras
- none