Review of Headhunters (2011) by Mark H — 14 Jul 2012

What makes Headhunters so ridiculously engaging is how the narrative develops in a way that you cannot guess the outcome. That's precisely the fun. Like classic suspense of the past, this has the kinds of twists and turns that would make Hitchcock proud.

There's one surprise after another and the developments are innovative in that way. However I can attest, Headhunters is very much an example of modern storytelling that resembles something by Quentin Tarantino or the Coen brothers.

It's bloody and raw. Think Pulp Fiction or Fargo. If you think those are lofty comparisons, you haven't seen this movie. Yet there's a humanism present that sets this apart from those classics and makes this distinctly different.

These are people with insecurities and weaknesses that are altogether apparent. In between the action, there is a declaration of love that's incredibly touching. They still long to be loved. The violence never seems gratuitous, only necessary to emphasize the absolute nightmare of which Roger becomes a part.

It's a drama that starts slowly but as the tale unfolds it seizes the viewer with brute force. It's pretty over the top. There's a depiction of an auto accident where I literally forgot to breathe for 60 seconds.

But that's the standard set piece prevalent here and that's what makes this thriller so exhilarating.