RELENTLESS IV: ASHES TO ASHES A Film Review Copyright Dragan Antulov 2000
Serial killers seem to think of Los Angeles as their most popular hunting ground. LAPD detective Sam Dietz (played by Leo Rossi), protagonist of the RELENTLESS series of films, however, does everything in his power to stop them and through the years he gained enough experience to solve even the most complicated cases. In RELENTLESS IV: ASHES TO ASHES, fourth and final sequel, directed by Olley Sassone in 1994, Dietz would again be subjected to difficult ordeal when L.A. women become prey of vicious serial killer. Dietz's investigation is hampered by problems on the personal front -rows with his rebellious teenager son Cory (played by Christopher Pettiet), and the fact that he is simultaneously attracted to two beautiful women - his inexperienced partner Jessy Paretti (played by Colleen Coffey) and Doctor Sara Lee Jaffee (played by Famke Janssen), psychotherapist that might be linked to the case.
RELENTLESS IV: ASHES TO ASHES doesn't bring anything particularly new or exciting to the genre of serial killer movies. However, the script by Mark Sevi, although not spared of some cliches (including romantic and "killer preying on detective's family" subplots), looks refreshingly dark compared to similar movies. Director Sassone keeps all those confusing and complicated subplots nicely wrapped within 91 minutes limit, and the acting is more than fine. Leo Rossi can play the role of Dietz in his sleep and Janssen is quite believable psychotherapist, not allowing her good looks to overshadow complexity of her role. All in all, RELENTLESS IV: ASHES TO ASHES looks like a fine piece of film, which is surprisingly rare achievement for the fourth sequel in the B movie franchise, at least in 1990s Hollywood.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
Review written on October 3rd 2000
Dragan Antulov a.k.a. Drax Fido: 2:381/100 E-mail: dragan.antulov@st.tel.hr E-mail: drax@purger.com E-mail: dragan.antulov@altbbs.fido.hr
Filmske recenzije na hrvatskom/Movie Reviews in Croatian http://film.purger.com
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