Eye Of The Storm (1991) - Thin dialogues, a stupid plot and many stolen ideas - 4/10 (01/06/11)

Honestly said, this movie is a rather mediocre and even quite boring thriller with the usual scenario. There is not much tension or action in the movie and there are many lengths. Many people talk about twists and surprises but anyone that has already seen a couple of movies of the same genre won't be surprised at all. I was stunned reading about a twist in the film on this site and looked up on the internet if I had missed a detail but in fact the so called surprise was a clear fact for me right on from the beginning so that I didn't even realize it could have been a surprising element of the movie. Don't expect anything outstanding, memorable or intense in this flick.

This movie steals many elements from some classic suspense flicks like "Psycho" or "Blue Velvet" without reaching the intensity of those original masterpieces. A part of the human and tragic story of the two brothers, this movie adds nothing interesting to the genre at all. The plot is very thin, the dialogues are sometimes very artificial, the filming is rather old fashioned and some elements like the desert storm are completely unnecessary and add nothing to the main plot. The whole thing truly gets ridiculous in the end when the final showdown almost fails to find an end. I'm a little bit surprised that actors like Hopper and Boyle who have worked with the "crème de la crème" of Hollywood writers and directors have accepted acting in this weak flick.

What keeps me away from giving an even lower rating to this movie can be resumed in a couple of points. First of all, the opening scene is rather heavy to digest and a good way to kick this movie off. We have the true highlight right in the beginning. Another good point is the acting of some of the characters. The blind brother is well and emotionally played and the weird villain is a signature role for a great actor like Dennis Hopper. The other two main characters do a rather weak job in here though and the interactions between them are poor. I was negatively surprised by Lara Flynn Boyle that did a great job at almost the same time in the "Twin Peaks" series. Another good aspect is the emotional background story of the two brothers and their tragic fate.

I really can't suggest this film to fans of psycho thrillers or suspense flicks. This movie isn't even worth to be bought at a low price or rented at your local gas station. I am happy I only saw it on television and had at least some more or less entertaining hours in a relaxed atmosphere. Go for any other suspense movie I have mentioned in my reviews if your looking for a better genre flick.