Glad I didn't pay to see this

Rating: Null/10 (16 October 2000)

This film had a lot going for it. I got to see it for free, and, even better, the director was there to be pestered with questions. As for the film itself, it had an interesting premise and a good lead actor.
The opening credits started alarm bells ringing. By the time blood was running up the walls, people were being un-shot and brought back to life, I had the uneasy sense that the 'interesting premise' was a gimmick in disguise. Essentially, this is a high concept film with an independent gloss. It reminds me of nothing more than 'The Limey,' with its messed-up chronology and ambivalent ending.
The movie is solidly put together: evocative, effective cinematography and set design, good acting. The story's events are very easy to follow, no mean feat when they are ordered from last to first, repeating themselves occasionally.
Despite being well-crafted, the film has no emotional core. It's clever, interesting, but is ultimately cold. The protagonist is never frustrated or upset enough to elicit some kind of audience response: he is intriguing, but doesn't provoke any sympathy. Without this, watching the film becomes an unsatisfying experience that was endurable once, but would be gruelling a second time around.