Horsemen

Plot synopsis:
The movie opens with an older man and his dog out on a winter morning hunt, when a strange sight catches his eye. A serving tray on a stand in the middle of a frozen lake. He steps up to investigate, but notices the phrases "Come and See" on several trees surrounding the tray. When he lifts the lid, his eyes widen, but his fate is not shown.Detective Aidan Breslin (Dennis Quaid) is an emotionally detached widower whose life with his two sons have been devoid of personal contact since the death of his beloved wife. He receives a call of a possible murder. He arrives at the lake and is instead asked to identify a man's teeth, due to his former dental forensics expertise it is as yet undetermined if the man is in fact dead. Using the evidence on the teeth, he is able to determine the sex, race, diet and approximate age of the victim which matches that of a man who had earlier been reported as missing, but they have no evidence to what happened to him, and the only clue were that trees surrounding him reading "Come and See" on the north, south, east and west banks. The bizarre murder of a beloved wife and mother of three (including an adopted Asian daughter Kristin) displays prominent features of a ritualistic killing. She had been strung up on a series of hooks, the bedroom painted red and according to an autopsy report, she had been drowned by her own blood due to a precise stabbing through the lung and heart walls, as well as a bizarre twist that she had been pregnant and the fetus was removed. On the walls of the rooms "Come and See" is displayed prominently on all four walls. Using physical evidence, Breslin is able to determine that there were four attackers, and they used a tripod for a camera to record the murder. Breslin attempts to console the grieving daughters, but is interrupted by the arrival of their father.Meanwhile, Breslin's home life finds that though he attempts, his work continually interrupts his chances of attaching emotionally with his sons Alex and Sean. Another murder occurs, with the same M.O. through a man who is hanging in a living room surrounded by black colors. This leads Breslin to a tattoo parlor and finds the builder of the hook rigs who confirms he had constructed four in total. Another murder occurs, but this time in a hotel room with no hook rigging and only three notices of "Come and See" on the walls. Sean's insights point Breslin to the Bible and he discovers that these killings are much like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the colors of the room corresponding to the colors of the horsemen. "Come and See" goading them toward the lifting of the veil and the coming of the Apocalypse. Kristin contacts him unexpectedly and he goes to meet with her, and console her in her mourning. However during the conversation, she shocks Breslin by presenting her sibling's fetus and revealing she was involved in the murders. After her arrest, her interrogations make her appear unhinged, almost wanting for death. Breslin assumes that she is the one representing the Horseman of Death, as she approached each of the victims and delivered the killing blow to them.Alex, growing more and more distant from his father after Breslin insisted not to continue to celebrate their late mother's birthday every year slowly starts to open himself up to his father. Breslin returns the feelings to his children and attempts to make plans with them, however further reports pull him away. A failed attempt to catch the Horsemen at their home base grants further clues. A website, which Breslin noticed the homepage of before the computer was destroyed, and a partial hard drive recovery which leads them to that website in which a future date is displayed. One boy, Cory, who had come out as gay to his family confronts his homophobic brother Taylor, and turns out to be one of the Horsemen. After stabbing a man, but leaving him alive to provide his description to police and takes Taylor. Taylor awakens to find that he is hooked up into a rack with his eyes fixed open in the middle of a green lit room, as his brother comes out of the darkness and while wielding a bone saw he proceeds to cut himself in the chest and kill himself before Taylor's eyes while trying to cut his own heart out. The following morning, a traumatized Taylor is questioned by Breslin, who goes over to Kristin's house and he and his partner Stingray discover the video recordings of her mother's murder, he then learns that she had been sexually abused by her father, and has him arrested. Breslin's boss tries to get him onto another case, but he becomes convinced that there is still another pending victim as four rigs had been constructed and only 3 had been used in the 4 recent murders. He approaches Kristin that the third victim was the Horseman Pestilence. The third Horseman identified, she refuses to relinquish who their leader is. He comes to the conclusion that due to the nature of the first murder, he was meant to be assigned to the case all along, and becomes concerned that his family will be targeted next.Stingray is attacked when investigating the Breslin home at his request, and when Aidan arrives he searches the house, entering his son's room for the first time since his wife's passing, only to discover to his horror that everything in the room, floor, ceiling, computer, bed spread are white in color; the color of the Horsemen leader. The clues point him to a theater called the Metropolitan, which had earlier been confirmed to be where Aidan first met his wife. When he arrives, he is knocked unconscious by an unseen assailant, when he comes round he finds himself handcuffed to the stadium seating as he finds his son dangling over the stage on the final of the four rigs. Watching, terrified as Alex starts bleeding to death, gives him a speech regarding to his own emotional detachment after being the only one present when his mother died. As Alex succumbs to his injuries, Breslin rips his handcuffs off the seating and fires his gun to detatch the rigging from the ceiling. Alex awakens weakly as his father holds him, but it is undetermined if he survives. In the final scene, Sean wakes up from a bad dream as his father comforts him quietly. When he asks where Alex is, Breslin replies: "Don't you worry about Alex. Alex is going to be okay." In the director's commentary, however, Jonas Akerlund stated," There is no happy ending, however you twist and turn it. There is no happy ending so, to me, Alex had to die in this movie."

Tags: revenge, murder, violence, flashback

Review:
A recently widowed detective (Dennis Quaid) still grieving over his wife's death discovers a shocking connection between a serial killing spree and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.The film starts out strong, with a great atmosphere and some nice gore effects with things like extracted teeth and whatnot.
By-the-numbers gore flick isn't especially bad, but sterile acting and disjointed direction hinder it entirely.Dennis Quaid (gloriously miscast) is Aidan Breslin, a detective specialising in some teeth identification discipline.
This isn't helped by the fact that every role is miscast, from the 'doing it for the money' Quaid as troubled Breslin, Ziyi Zhang as troubled Kristen, and Lou Taylor Pucci as troubled Alex.Every character appears to have personal demons apart from Stingray and Tuck, who both look like actors in the wrong movie.These foibles aside the horror effects are rather inconsistent - the first body looks plainly like a dummy, and no amount of garish red lighting hides that fact - thereafter they do pick up a bit, but it's a bad start.And the characterisation, as mentioned, is really poor - the viewer isn't moved to care about anyone, and certain character introductions are clunky and badly handled.
Tell me that Dennis Quaid, the actor starring in one of my favorite films, The Big Easy, is starring this one, and I am definitely interested.A combination like that should mean that I am in for a treat of some kind.Barry Shabaka Henley is always a welcome addition, and he was no disappointment here.
My curiosity was jump started in the first scene, and the somber, introspective mood of the story line, spiked with horrific scenarios and sickening plot twists, was exactly what I hoped.The final twist was too easily guessed, of course, but it didn't take away from the finale - a powerfully emotional scene portrayed very convincingly by Dennis Quaid, who brought his usual energy and charisma to the role.If you're looking for a quality horror flick or suspense thriller, this one is well worth your while!.
Considering there were very few interesting movies at the video store last night, I decided to go with one that I hadn't heard about, Horsemen A Dennis Quaid film that flew under the radar?
The movie stars an aging Dennis Quaid who is an Indianapolis homicide detective who falls into a brutal case involving many different homicides all linked by the words "Come and See" written all over the walls surrounding the bodies.
The ending is about as satisfying as sucking liquid feces through a straw, but I won't spoil it since I'll let viewers take it all in for themselves.After the film was over, the person I watched the movie with turned to me and stated that it was truly the absolute worst movie he had ever seen in his life.
However, despite the great premise Horsemen of the Apocalypse never lives up to it.The acting is unfortunately not very good, Dennis Quaid I do like and I thought he was ideal for the role, but he doesn't have much to work with and sadly with a disconnected performance he lets that fact show.
Waaaa-heey back in the hazy shades of time, it seems, by the looks of things, because it appears the producers made this one for eleven year olds, who don't watch movies made in the previous century because they're outdated, way back in 1995, David Fincher made "Seven", which, while filled with flashy gore , even if displayed creatively, had a more elevated meaning to whom was willing to see it.
Co-Produced by Michael Bay and starring Dennis Quaid in this dark, serial killer styled whodunit, you could be easily fooled into thinking this is the new "Se7en", especially after the trailer begs people to 'come and see'.
Add to that below average performances from top actors in supporting roles, corny dialogues, loose editing, and what you get is a wannabe horror-thriller that has all the potential to have been an astounding and thought provoking film.Once again, Dennis Quaid plays a workaholic yet hardened detective having presided over one too many gruesome crime scenes.
In fact, the film opens to a CSI like crime scene where Quaid's Aidan Breslin is called to the site of what looks to be a bizarre and torturous murder.
Resulting in a cat and mouse chase with a major plot twist, Breslin and his family are directly linked to the motive behind these killings including potential for a million more deaths.Besides the loosely bound script, the main problem is the cliché of having to endure another torture-porn flick hot on the heels of self righteous proclaiming others like "Saw" and "Untraceable".
But the worse part of Horsemen is how badly does nearly every thing, from lazy actors, a script so inconsistent on what it is telling that I cannot understand how anyone approved this (characters coming out of nothing at half of the movie, others disappearing, blatant incongruence in the investigation...), and a direction that does very little to hide the weakness of the story.
It basically followed a distant father/ detective who heads up a serial investigation into murders that revolve around the four horsemen.Okay so I'll be honest I wanted to see this movie for two reasons, one it had a serial killer and two I like Dennis Quaid's work.That being said I'm not sure what Dennis read that made him want to do this particular film.
I maybe got a good 30 minutes into the movie and realized quickly where they were going with it and who they were going to say was the "white horsemen." The ending was...lacking I didn't feel connected to the characters or emotional for what was happening.
I've always liked serial killer movies, and this had some really good scenes and kills and characters and twists.
The ending was almost predictable, but only because of good foreshadowing...the clues were there if you watched for them I think it was a pretty intelligent flick, with people being expected to figure things out for themselves, I think some of the low ratings probably come from people who need lots of "flashback" scenes to understand the plot of a movie.
In what is the lowest low point of Dennis Quaid's career and probably career suicide by director Jonas Åkerlund, Horsemen starts out not exactly well, but watchable - but when Ziyi Zhang randomly hands Quaid an aborted fetus, the film becomes a jaw dropping series of hilariously awful scenes of torture, bad parenting and violently bratty teenagers.
Dennis Quaid plays the emotionally distant father and detective, Aidan Breslin, who is on the trail of a serial killer who seems to use the Four Horsemen of the apocalypse as inspiration for a series of grizzly murders.
The Dennis Quaid, straight upstanding stone faced detective thing was actually pretty good in comparison and relation to Ziyi Zhang's shockingly honest, evil, bad girl.
"The Horsemen" might teach us just how not to do this.The cast of this movie consists of quite a few well-thought about actors, starting with a brief appearance of Peter Stormage(Once a girl from Sweden told me he's the best), Denis Quaid, Clifton Collins Jr. and one Ziyi Zhang.
If I had to sum this movie up in one word, that one word would be "wat".The plot is a good enough plot, similar to the amazing movie 'se7en' but the story just falls apart mid way through and turns into a film about a grumpy teen on internet forums, simply put it is a shoddy piece of dumbed-down cinema and isn't worth the time taken to view it.I'm greatly disappointed here and I do not recommend you waste your time on this drudge of a film, honestly, go watch Se7en, it's a similar premise and much, much better.The only thing going for this film is the acting from Dennis Quaid, not his best work but definitely carries the whole movie..
On top of this, the direction is also pretty bad, with music director Jonas Akerlund contributing to the confusion by shoddy editing with lots of jump cuts and the like.Dennis Quaid plays the same tired old character he does in all of his movies these days, and the film is crying out for some experience in terms of the supporting cast.
And I should probably check that one out because this movie was really uninvolving, moved too fast and performances are uninspiring and boring.Dennis Quaid plays a frustrated single father of two kids, who is out to investigate a series of killings which resemble a link to the four horsemen from the apocalypse.
Her attempt to play a psychopath was not convincing at all and she really wasted her time doing this movie.The murders in this film go from one to the next, with no real dramatic effect and simply to speed up the story.
And as the trailers would have pretty much revealed, the serial killer victims are all tortured with meat hooks of sorts, and he's faced with more than 1 killer who model themselves after the biblical Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.Sounds like your average detective movie right?
Breslin is convinced more bodies will turn up & when they do the case gets even more complicated with all sorts of revelations, meanings & possible motives behind the killings...Known elsewhere as Horsemen of the Apocalypse this dark horror thriller was directed by Jonas Åkerlund & had a troubled production with extensive re-shoots, one character had to be recast because the original actor was unavailable & a running time that ended up twenty minutes less than it originally was was reeks of massive changes but having said that & all things considered I quite liked Horsemen.
At about 90 odd minutes long Horsemen starts off very well with a rich & suspenseful murder mystery but then it tends to focus on Breslin's family life which in the context of the twist ending is important but it slow's things down & I started to lose a bit of interest as the focus moved further & further from the killing's.The film tries to have a relevant message about society, abuse & neglect in particular I suppose which does come across reasonably well.
When things start to come together, it becomes less so.The story revolves around Breslin (Dennis Quaid) brought onto a case due to his forensic dental expertise about a series of murders that eventually involve the four horsemen of the apocalypse in the book of Revelations.
While the premise is nice and the acting is solid (most of the times, especially the ever reliable Dennis Quaid and considering the genre we're watching here), the whole movie is based on a "surprise" that actually isn't one.Well it shouldn't be one, although some actually really didn't see the ending coming.
The second time around,Åkerlund seems to understand that less is more and with the help of only one big star,the absence of flashy cinematography and a script that might be a bit predictable,but in the end is very unsettling and disturbing,he has created a horror thriller that(though in the serial killer genre its pretty impossible to avoid All cliché's.)chocks,chills and very much stands on its own two feet.The Horsemen is no masterpiece,though.Its just 90 minutes intense,brutal and honest entertaining.The story evolves around detective Aidan Breslin(For once Dennis Quaid is not on auto-pilot and delivers a solid performance.He also looks 12 years younger than in Vantage Point.Can someone say Plastic Surgery...?),who ever since his wife's death has been consumed by his job and doesn't spend much quality time with his two sons,Alex and Sean.(ALL mentioned happens in the first 25 minutes,really not spoiling so much.)One day he gets called to a crime scene where he sees the words "Come And See" written in white paint on four trees and in the middle there's a plate with human teeth.Teeth thats been pulled out while the victim was still alive and conscious.Soon enough,Breslin and his partner Stingray(Clifton Collins Jr. from Traffic looking bored out of his mind.And what's with that seventies porn mustache on his lip?You kidding me?)arrive to the scene of what seems to been an unusual sadistic and organized ritual murder.The victim was a mother of two biological children and one adopted daughter named Kristen(cute 30-year old Ziyi Zhang from "Crouching tiger..."who looks 18 tops.And it's disturbing that a girl adopted by American parents talks like Kim Jong-Il from Team America.Herro,Arec Bardwin...).During a walk with Breslin,Kristen reveals a horrible secret that is presented in such a way,that it really gets the hearts pumping,both the audiences and Breslins.Soon,by cheer coincidence,he finds out that the brutal murder just was the first of many.The unidentified suspects have studied the Bible a little too hard and see themselves as The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse;War,Pestilence,Famin and Death.So it looks like it's one down and three to go.But whom?And from the viewers point of view more intriguing;Why....?
But its when the movie is over and you take a breather and you think about what you just saw....That's when you realize this film wasn't so much about the physical torment and pain we humans cause each other(in this movie it's a lot!),as much as it tells us what can happen when we get mentally damaged.When we get abandoned.When we get manipulated,get misunderstood,get lost.And no one cares or takes time to see the desperate and obvious cry for help and attention.That's how i interpreted it,I could be wrong(that's a joke,I'm never wrong).In The end,The Horsemen isn't that complicated.It makes it's point very clear and very effective,much thanks to Åkerlunds uncomplicated and unsettling storytelling.Collins Jr.'s acting however,for some reason brings The Bold And The Beautiful to mind.but the rest of the cast does a really good job(Young"thumb-sucker"Lou Taylor Pucci is going places...)so you almost(only almost)forget his dead,soulless eyes and blank expression.
Well, I don't want to give any real spoilers (heck, it practically spoils itself) but 'Horsemen' sadly is an unfinished movie, like an exciting auto chase in the middle of a film and without warning the good guy swerves off an unseen cliff and the film's over.Speaking of spoilers, all the way through this, about four scenes before something happens, I kept thinking, "Oh, he's this" or "He'll discover this" or "The killer is" Despite the fact I thought the movie was well shot, the locales made the most of the depressing city it portrays and Quaid did an above-average job, as he almost always does, the movie was very flat, (again) predictable and too clichéd.We have a recently single parent who's putting his job (law enforcement) in front of his two boys.
Dennis Quaid stars as a widowed detective facing an investigation the likes of which he has never seen: Four murders modeled after the themes of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
However, on the negative side, the script is quite lacking and maintains too steady of a course, feeling more like a collection of scenes than a coherent film; Ziyi Zhang puts forth one of the most annoying performances I've seen in a long time; and the extremely rushed and thoughtless final moments leave a very bitter taste in the audience's collective mind.Similar to the Al Pacino vehicle '88 Minutes' (2008), 'The Horsemen' simply came along too late for its audience (not to mention had a below-average script) to be as enjoyable as it could've been.Final Verdict: A low 6/10.-AP3-.
I find it hard to understand the motivation for the people committing the murders, and you never really get to hear their reasons other than them feeling abandoned by their parents.If the motivation for the killers had been scripted better and had they avoided the shitty twist with Quaids son this film could have turned out much better.
We never see the killer, in fact, there isn't one killer, we gradually get to understand that there is a whole bunch of killers, a sort of complicated conspiracy of killers who use the text of the bible book Apocalyps to give clues to the investigators, but why they do that and to what purpose is beyond me, it gets more and more cloudy with every new discovery that our hero does.The acting is overall good, and I really liked Dennis Quaid, he gives a fine performance as a scrupulous detective and as an affectionate but awkward single father who doesn't know how he can combine his work with the care for his two somewhat estranged teenage sons.
Although it seems like a copy cat of many other movies, I was totally enticed from the get go, starting with Denis Quaid(who plays Detective Aidan Breslin), who is called to the crime scene where he finds a bag of teeth and the message "COME AND SEE" written on 4 trees surrounding.
Having now watched it again, there's a good reason WHY I hardly remembered it from the first time and why I won't be watching it again.This is a pretty slow going film for the most part which isn't a bad thing if the story keeps your attention and entertains you.
Well, there were still some decent parts scattered throughout, it was a very dark & moody thriller (which I like), and the twist at the end wasn't too bad (at least on paper anyway as the execution of it wasn't the best).Overall, The Horsemen isn't a horrible film, but there is more things wrong with it than there are right ones..
But yea...it was one of the major gripes i have with this film.Having said these, I really found that both Dennis Quaid and Zhang Ziyi was able to draw me in as a viewer interested in their stories.
At least this is what Chicago police detective Aidan Breslin, Dennis Quaid, feels will happen when the final horseman-the one riding the either gray or black horse-shows up in town.Something like the movie "Se7en" with four, not seven, headaches to worry about we have some religious lunatic running around town murdering people in order to create the perfect conditions for the Four Horsemen to fulfill the biblical prophecy of their coming.