What’s It About
When a ruthless serial killer terrorizes a small Southern town, everyone becomes a suspect — including local authorities. As the body count rises and the dark mystery deepens, the chief detective becomes haunted by the horrors of his past.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
“Crescent City” unfolds in the bustling capital of Little Rock, Arkansas, a city shrouded in mystery and tension. The film kicks off with a gripping TV news broadcast announcing a series of three brutal murders that have shaken the community over two months. As the plot thickens, it’s uncovered that the police believe a single perpetrator is responsible for the gruesome acts, as all the victims have been found beheaded with a mannequin’s head eerily placed beside each lifeless body. The killer’s targets have been men and women aged 20 to 40, chosen seemingly at random. Early in the narrative, one of these heinous murders is depicted in chilling detail. A nameless man in his thirties (portrayed by David Lipper) stands by a swimming pool, appearing dizzy and disoriented, likely under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Without warning, a mysterious woman emerges from the pool’s dark waters. In a swift, horrifying moment, she sneaks up behind the man. She ruthlessly slashes his throat, leaving him to collapse by the water’s edge. The lead investigator on the case is Brian Sutter (played by Terrence Howard), who outwardly projects the image of a respectable family man but harbors unsettling secrets that slowly come to light. Brian’s introduction is in a church, where he sits in a pew beside his wife, Elena (Reema Sampat), and their young daughter, Mila (Madonna Akhtar), who appears to be around five or six years old. However, despite the peaceful setting, Brian is plagued by haunting flashbacks of a drug bust gone awry. These disturbing memories are teased throughout the film until the entire harrowing truth finally unravels. The botched raid involved a notorious local drug addict and dealer named Mrs. Crawford, who was targeted in her trailer park home for possessing meth and cocaine. Adding to the drama is Brian’s partner, Luke Carson (Esai Morales), a hot-headed misogynist with a fierce loyalty to Brian but a dangerous temper that threatens to boil over. Overseeing both men is the stereotypical Captain Howell (Alec Baldwin), whose role is mainly confined to barking orders behind his desk, contributing little more than a tired trope to the plot. “Crescent City” paints a grim portrait of Little Rock as a city overrun by corrupt law enforcement, seedy sex clubs, and shadowy backstreets. The narrative introduces a sordid sex website connected to Brian’s church, along with a distraught abuse victim who takes her own life and a murder victim from a Sex Anonymous group. However, these dark elements are left frustratingly underdeveloped. Instead, the film focuses more on a handful of sultry sex scenes, endless squabbling between Brian and Luke, and a barrage of ominous clues that hint at deeper conspiracies but lead nowhere satisfying.
OUR RATING – A LITTLE ROCKY 3