Blyss's Movie Review for:

Main Cast of Characters:

Brad Renfro.........Todd Bowden

Ian McKellan..........Denker/Kirk Dussander

David Schwimmer.........Edward French

Kevin Spirtas..........Paramedic

Josh Jackson...........Todd's friend

Heather McComb...........Becky Trask

1998. Rated: R. Genre: Thriller, Horror; 115 minutes

Evil could be near, even right next door.....

All teenagers are obsessed with something. But Todd Bodin's obsession is very unhealthy. He finds the Nazis in Germany very interesting and the way they tortured Jews even more interesting. He studies the internet and realizes that he recognizes the man down the street from him: Mr. Denker as a German fugitive: Dusander. He brings his paper to his door and forces his way in while threatening to tell someone who he knows he is. Denker knows he is trapped and wants to know what the boy wants. What Todd wants is simple: he wants to hear all of the stories about when Denker was he was in the SS in World War II Germany. A month after he starts telling Todd stories, Todd starts having nightmares. His grades start to slip and he informs Denker that it is as much his problem as it is his own. Denker takes care of the problem but now he is indebted to Denker as well as Denker being indebted to Todd. Denker tried hard to put the Nazi part of his life behind him...but has Todd already pushed him too far?

As always, I enjoyed this Stephen King novel-based film. Ian McKellan was exactly what I pictured Denker to be after reading the novella. I just have to wonder where all of Todd's anger came from. He seemed to be a troubled child even before he met Denker so I am wondering what could have set him off. He had no respect for Denker's privacy and appeared to push the old man into thinking he must have been still in Germany during World War II. There were plenty of stars that I recognized in this film and it made it that more enjoyable for me to watch. The best parts of the movie was when Todd was having nightmares because I could only imagine how scary it would be to be dreaming about such horrible things. The visions seemed so realistic! Another masterpiece from the "King theatre"!

I rate this movie: 9

Blyss