MINDHUNTERS

Seven aspiring FBI profilers are left on a deserted island to undergo their final exam, which will determine whether they get promoted or not. On the island, a city neighborhood has been recreated, where a hypothetical serial killer, the Puppeteer, operates. The task of the seven profilers is to analyze the meticulously reconstructed crime scenes and compile a psychological profile of the killer. Soon, one by one, the profilers begin to die due to ingenious yet deadly traps, and suspicion arises among them that the Puppeteer might be real and hiding among them. "Mindhunters" (original title) is an intense thriller by the hyperactive Renny Harlin, who attempts to recreate the classic character elimination and clue accumulation formula characteristic of some mysteries, but especially of slasher movies. The starting point is undoubtedly Agatha Christie's famous "Ten Little Indians," with the addition of deadly traps reminiscent of "Saw": we witness the freezing of a body with nitrogen followed by its shattering; the inhalation, via cigarette, of a powerful acid that devours the body from within; a gun exploding directly into someone's face; and so on with imaginative and gruesome deaths. Despite all this, it must be said that the film never delves into pure gore, limiting itself to a simple depiction of macabre details. The entire plot is highly engaging, and the film holds the viewer's interest throughout its duration, although some sequences feel a bit rushed (the film could have easily been ten minutes longer), and many screenplay choices seem excessively illogical and not very credible for a "serious" film. The cast includes some of Hollywood's less accomplished action movie actors: Val Kilmer (the worst Batman in history) and Christian Slater (fresh off the dreadful "Alone in the Dark"), but fortunately their characters have limited screen time. We are less fortunate with LL Cool J ("Deep Blue Sea," "Halloween H20"), as his comedic presence haunts us from start to finish. The direction by the experienced and eclectic Renny Harlin, who has already tackled horror films ("Prison," "Nightmare on Elm Street 4," "Deep Blue Sea," "Exorcist: The Beginning"), is flawless, though it cannot be said to have any particular merits. In conclusion, "Mindhunters," which was originally conceived as the pilot for a TV series, is a smooth thriller, though not always believable, but a valid option for spending an hour and a half of entertainment.