‘To Catch A Killer’ Review- Oof

This film was released in 2023.

To Catch A Killer is a crime thriller directed by Damián Szifron, who also co-wrote it with Jonathan Wakeham. It is Szifron’s first English-language film.

Baltimore police officer Eleanor (Shailene Woodley) is on patrol on an uneventful New Year’s Eve, but when the fireworks go off, a sniper targets and kills over two dozen victims. FBI Agent Lammark (Ben Mendelsohn) observes her detective skills and invites her to be part of his team with Agent Jack Mackenzie (Jovan Adepo) to track the perpetrator. A few days later, the same attacker opens fire on mall security, prompting backlash from city politicians and the media. However, the threat of another attack looms.

Oof. I can tell this was written and directed by a European. I have expressed my ire about Euro-cinema, especially when it comes to thrillers. They trade a good plot for cheap jump scares and shallow characters. This is not different.

I cannot fault the actors. They all desperately try to keep this movie together and make it work for them. Woodley definitely has range, and she shows it here. Same for Mendelsohn. He puts his best foot forward. Unfortunately, they could not save it.

The movie was written about crime in America by someone who has spent very little time here or has never visited at all. Either way, it has these forced conversations criticizing American society. Gun culture, meat, the environment, and even how our holidays are celebrated get critiqued in the most pandering way possible. It was old and trite. Spare me the grandiose moralizing from a wealthy movie director who sits on his high horse.

It becomes even more transparent with the confrontation with the killer. He is given a long, boring scene where he gets to dialogue about his sad, pathetic life. Never mind that this man has killed over two dozen innocent people. He does not get to deliver an exposition on how life is hard. Give me a break.

I am so tired of the film industry thinking it can lecture the audience on morals. The same industry that propped up predators like Harvey Weinstein, criminals like Roman Polanski, and smear merchants like Jane Fonda does not get to wag their finger at the audience about society. It was a laughable and elitist attempt. Spare me.

Bottom line, To Catch A Killer is a serious misfire. Not even the cast’s attempts to save it could rescue it from a shallow attempt at using a serial killer story to criticize American society.

PARENTAL CONCERNS: Strong foul language, Strong violence

FAVORITE QUOTE: They used you as the rope. You’re not the hangman.

Check out the trailer below:

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Tell me if there is a comic book, movie, or anime you would like me to review.