Review of Die

Die (II) (2010)
6/10
Unlucky 6.
23 January 2011
Billionaire Robert moretti: Does fund raisers for the needy. Drugs and prostitutes as well.

Mark Murdoch: Self-loathing, tired, alcoholic cop, under investigation for a killing.

Lisa Meridan: After the birth of her son, disappears from home periodically, chronic gambler.

Dr. Diane Robinson: A woman of faith who has never gotten over the sickness and death of her child.

Dr. Zach Emmet: Battling depression for accidentally over prescribing medication and under investigation.

Melody chambers: Drug-addicted prostitute, issues of rejection; being unloved.

The 6 people above have tried to commit suicide and are held captive and forced to play a game of chance or fate using a die as it's instrument. The game is called "The Trials" wherein the captives are forced to use the method by which they tried to kill themselves against their fellow captives along with a roll of a die to decide the severity of the method and the probability of survival. For example, if you tried to kill yourself with a gun then you are forced by your captor to roll the die to decide how many bullets should be loaded; after which time you would point it at your fellow captive and fire.

There is a diversity of captives since the people are randomly selected based on opportunity. In other words, whoever tries to off themselves unsuccessfully and are in the awareness of this madman are selected; imprisoned below in glass cages to experience The Trials wherein they are offered --according to the madman-- "a chance to be reborn". I have to concede, reluctantly, that there was a certain logic to his madness. These people, after all, wanted to --and attempted to-- kill themselves. So with his help they either had the opportunity to get it right this time, or live and "want to live" after being brought very close to death.

One by one the principals are introduced at the top of the movie. They go missing. Detective Valenti (very attractive woman and accent) is suspicious of the circumstances when these people start turning up with "dots" on their wrists; some lucky to be alive, some not. Along with the missing is her friend and mentor Mark Murdoch. The police chief keeps trying to dissuade her, telling her to go home. In essence, that there's nothing to these incidents and she's wasting her time and the department's. She has strong instincts and doggedly pursues.

This movie is not about elaborate ways to kill and torture anyone. The villain may be a nut of some variety but he's not a sadist. Indeed he even comes across as sympathetic and understanding sometimes. So the methods used here are the everyday conventional methods that are used by people everyday against themselves and others. Pointedly: the very methods these unfortunate 6 used against themselves. Rather, this movie is about irony, choices, life and death. You must now use the method by which you tried to kill yourself against someone else. You now have a second chance to die or live --what do you want? Will you cooperate with your captor, or not? What choice do you have? Can you live with the responsibility of being the instrument of another's death? These are some examples of these people's dilemma. The drama of the movie, tension of it, is all about this. The performances are so good by everyone in this movie that you are definitely drawn in and absorbed. Well worth your time, I believe. Love Boloxxxi.
23 out of 31 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed