Review of Cleaner (2007) by Chad J — 22 Aug 2008

So, I kinda heard little things about this movie for a long time actually. It sounded like an interesting premise, yet I was extremely hesitant due to the fact that it is a Renny Harlin debacle. The Covenant and Exorcist: The Beginning are movies that transcend the label of bad film making and create a whole new catagory of horrible. Then, all of a sudden, this movie was dumped on DVD without having a theatrical release at all...and I gotta say, I don't know why.

It is not great by any means, but it is a good example of a clever premise mixed with a substandard plot and a great cast. The idea of having the protagonist be a crime scene cleaner is pretty cool and the scenes where he is doing his job are fascinating. In fact, as cheesy as some of it was, it kept me interested the whole time. Easily the best Renny Harlin film I've seen...possibly ever.

Samuel L. Jackson plays a single father(!) in this, allowing him to show off his more sentimental side, which is something you don't see much. Imagine him in Black Snake Moan, soften the edges, and imagine him as more compassionate and you get him here. Ed Harris is always good, but I think the biggest surprise is Eva Mendes. She is a horrible actress and even though she isn't the bee's knees in this, she is still lightyears better than most of the bigger things I have seen her in.

Basically, this is a movie that had the bum luck of being uncerimoniously dumped on DVD when it probably could have fared well in theaters. Like I said, it's not amazing, but I have seen far worse things released theatrically lately so this should've had a shot.