Caffeinated Clint
By Ashley Hillard
Remember when Val Kilmer was on his A game, starring in ”The Doors”, ”Batman” and ”Heat”? He’s an amazing, talented actor so it leaves me wondering why his career is where it is. He’s working, but on films that basically go straight to DVD. Is it because he’s older? Heavier? He carries this film, proving that he’s still got it, so I wonder when he’ll pull a Mickey Rourke and get cast in his comeback film (there’s got to be something you can put him in, Quentin)?
”Double Identity” (aka “Fake Identity”) follows Kilmer as Dr. Nicholas Pinter, a doctor involved with Doctors Without Borders. He helps to save a spy named Katrine (Izabella Miko – soon to be seen in ”Clash of the Titans”) who is involved with the Eastern European diamond cartel. Things aren’t what they seem as people work under different aliases and for different sides of the dirty diamond business. Out of the chaos, Katrine and Dr. Pinter form a bond, continually helping each other out of binds. Their relationship seems to be the only thing genuine in the film, but nothing is definite as it’s unclear who Katrine is actually working for.
This film doesn’t push any storyline boundaries, it’s a decent spy thriller with pretty good acting. Writer / director Dennis Dimster (”Cold Heart”) seems to have sat down with a stack of his favorite spy / espionage DVDs and took bits and pieces of each, spitting this film out at the end of his movie marathon. There isn’t enough character development to really care about what happens to either of the leads and the story goes from being fairly unpredictable (in a good way) to being too predictable and saccharine in the love story department.
There are enough good spy films out there to skip this one, and here’s to hoping Kilmer finds his way back to the theater soon (He has! Look out for him in…. “MacGruber”!)
Extras :
How does “5.1 Surround Sound” grab ya?
