Review of Angel Heart (1987) by Josh S — 01 Nov 2009

When a movie is described as an unsettling masterpiece, I truly expect to be impacted by said film. I was not disappointed. This shocking and brutal detective story-turned voodoo whodunit is a fine example of dark thriller cinema.

Set in the 1950s, Harry Angel, a New York private eye is hired by the tastelessly-named Louis Cypher to find a missing person. Louis' reasons are that said person hasn't paid what he owes and he wants Harry to find him to see if the subject is still breathing or if he is six feet under. At first routine, the people Harry visits on his gumshoe quest start dying in horribly brutal ways. The case leads Harry to New Orleans where the plot thickens and unsettling truths are revealed under the scorching sun of Louisiana. As long as there are no chickens involved, he will be fine...or will he?

The plot is great. The only problem I had, really, was the character names. Not very subtle and too symbolic. I mean, Louis Cypher? Come on! Other than that, this was a gripping thriller. Much like Jacob's Ladder (1990), it presents some questions and provides some cruel twists as the protagonists' sanity is put to the test. I found this better than Jacob's Ladder in a way, as it was more effective with its final result and less of an open ending. This attitude is needed for films like these.

The cast is extremely well-picked. I originally balked at the idea of Robert De Niro playing the devil, but his calm demeanor and respectful stance on certain things (like being in a church) provide an eerie air to the whole persona of the devil manifested in a man's body. Mickey Rourke delivers a fine performance as Harry. His descent into utter madness is believable and horrific. The only other big name in this film is stylish Lenny Kravitz spouse Lisa Bonet, who plays a 17-year-old voodoo priestess who does some pretty weird stuff with chickens.

If you want a great horror-thriller much in the vein of Se7en or even Saw, you should definitely check this one out. It is for sure an influence on the above mentioned films.