Review of Texas Killing Fields (2011) by Mike H — 17 Oct 2011

Curiously un-engaging but stylish police thriller starring Sam Worthington, who was very good in The Debt and is okay in this. Worthington's Texan detective, Mike Souder, is partnered by Jeffrey Dean Morgan's displaced religious New York cop. No stereotypes, these, but there is a certain lack of chemistry.

The third point of the investigating triangle (the what?) is Jessica Chastain, a detective in the neighbouring jurisdiction who just happens to be the former Mrs Souter.

Plenty of rather hackneyed no-nonsense cop stuff on display with a hint of poverty-porn tourism.

Ami Canaan Mann, daughter of producer and occasionally accomplished director Michael, shows promise in her first feature film. Lots of very pretty shots but the movie would really have benefited from far more concentration on story development. The action on screen rarely draws the viewer in and even the presence of the often accomplished Chloe Grace Moretz as the young girl who walks around with an arrow labelled "Potential Victim" pointing at her fails to really create much sympathy.

An interesting debut, but little else.