highly predictable, decent, suspense film

Rating: 5/10 (28 June 2003)

A decent suspense film take on Agatha Christie's 10 little Indians that is good for the first two acts, but ends disappointingly muddled in the third . Yes, you'll have the lingering suspicion you've see this all before and you probably have in films like April Fools and about a dozen others. The "surprise" ending in this film is to put it bluntly, horrid. First, it's not a much of a surprise, since I figured it out in the first 5 minutes of the movie. Second, its VERY disappointing and seems more like a trick to get the screenwriters out of several plotholes they'd dug themselves into rather than attempt at making a good script. Third, the surprise happens 20 minutes from the end so it pretty much ruins the suspense, then the film drags on. In all fairness, this movie is well-acted and has great atmosphere. Unfortunately, the scriptwriters apparently ran out of ideas (ie: lost their Cliff Notes of 10 Little Indians)at the end. A very disappointing finish to what starts as a quite good movie. Despite the cheap trick ending to wrap things up, by the end of the film one is left with more plotholes than answers and a lingering sense of disappointment. Plot completely derails to the point enjoyment is easily cut in half. Predictable film and an awfully scripted ending make this film not recommended.