I’ve said previously that films with Dennis Quaid are not usually on my top list of favourites – I don’t really know why that is because I can’t really pin-point a movie that I hated him in. I think he can act, I think a lot of his films have been very successful but there’s just something about his movies which don’t completely pull me in. With that said, I’m very pleased to tell you that Horsemen (of the Apocalypse) is actually a really great movie.
While I was watching it I kept thinking that it was a cross between Saw and an episode of The X-Files. The storyline is a bit of an odd one so bear with me. Dennis Quaid is a father of two boys, one who is growing up fast and is fighting with the problems of losing his mother. He’s also been left to look after his younger brother, both of whom are craving more attention from their father but work always comes first. Quaid’s character, Aidan Breslin is a detective who finds himself caught up in an investigation of brutal serial murders rooted in the Biblical prophecy of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. He takes it upon himself to fight to figure out clues which might lead him to stopping these murders.
The story sounds a bit crazy but it actually works really well. I’m not sure I’d put this movie down as a horror genre but more a thriller but it’s probably on the borderline of becoming a horror. Quaid holds the story together with a great supporting cast who also perform their roles perfectly.
If you’re sqeemish, this movie is going to be a very hard watch for you. One scene especially where Eric Balfour’s character is subjected to a pretty horrific act but it’s all directed very cleverly. The way it’s shot isn’t about gore and violence but is about getting a good story across and it’s the acting, the music and the sound design that pulls it all together nicely into a great movie. Ziyi Zhang’s part is actually quite small compared to Quaid who get’s 90% of the screen time but the scenes she’s in are all powerful and gripping.
If you’re a fan of X-Files or Saw then this movie is definitely one for you as it pulls in all the best elements to create a great story making a great movie. Most of the way through, you’re kept on the edge of your seat wondering how Brelin (Quaid) is going to solve these awful crimes, but I’ll leave you to watch the movie to find out what happens!
I’ve posted the trailer previously here if you want to find out more about it. Horsemen is directed by Jonas Ã…kerlund and is out on DVD and Blu Ray on on 19th October.
