Renny Harlin isn't exactly known for making intelligent movies, but at least they're usually quite enjoyable. "Mindhunters", however, is so utterly stupid that it's hard to get any kind of enjoyment out of it, apart from maybe some unintentionally funny bits.
The concept behind Mindhunters (group of people get stuck somewhere with a killer on the loose) is OK, and it has lead to some exciting movies in the past, including Harlin's own "Deep Blue Sea", which, while also very stupid, at least didn't take itself seriously. Unfortunately, "Mindhunters" does. And that's were the problems start.
"Mindhunters" is about a group of supposedly talented FBI trainees getting stuck on an island. Before long, a mysterious killer starts killing them off one by one, using increasingly more elaborate traps (think "Final Destination"). The first problem with this is that the traps that are used are so ridiculously complicated and depend on so much circumstances that in real life, they would have a one in a billion chance of succeeding. They would also take hours to set up, time that simply no character has since they're all together almost all the time.
Next, although the main characters are supposed to be trained professionals, they immediately crack up after the first murder, and start panicking and wildly accusing each other for so reason whatsoever. Yeah right.
The list of implausibilities and plot holes goes on and on, right up to the conclusion that makes no sense whatsoever, and seems to be there only for shock value.
All of this might have worked if the movie hadn't taken itself so seriously, or if there had been any other redeeming qualities. There aren't. The acting is poor, none of the characters are even remotely interesting or even likable, and there's hardly any humor in the entire movie (in spite of LL Cool J's presence). The only small point of light in this mess are some of the murders, which, granted, are fairly spectacular.
"Mindhunters" is a movie that asks of you to completely abstain from using your brain for about over one and a half hours, for only a couple of seconds of gore. If you ask me, that's a pretty poor trade-off. There's nothing wrong with a bit of mindless entertainment, but this goes beyond any reasonable limit.
*1/2 out of *****
The concept behind Mindhunters (group of people get stuck somewhere with a killer on the loose) is OK, and it has lead to some exciting movies in the past, including Harlin's own "Deep Blue Sea", which, while also very stupid, at least didn't take itself seriously. Unfortunately, "Mindhunters" does. And that's were the problems start.
"Mindhunters" is about a group of supposedly talented FBI trainees getting stuck on an island. Before long, a mysterious killer starts killing them off one by one, using increasingly more elaborate traps (think "Final Destination"). The first problem with this is that the traps that are used are so ridiculously complicated and depend on so much circumstances that in real life, they would have a one in a billion chance of succeeding. They would also take hours to set up, time that simply no character has since they're all together almost all the time.
Next, although the main characters are supposed to be trained professionals, they immediately crack up after the first murder, and start panicking and wildly accusing each other for so reason whatsoever. Yeah right.
The list of implausibilities and plot holes goes on and on, right up to the conclusion that makes no sense whatsoever, and seems to be there only for shock value.
All of this might have worked if the movie hadn't taken itself so seriously, or if there had been any other redeeming qualities. There aren't. The acting is poor, none of the characters are even remotely interesting or even likable, and there's hardly any humor in the entire movie (in spite of LL Cool J's presence). The only small point of light in this mess are some of the murders, which, granted, are fairly spectacular.
"Mindhunters" is a movie that asks of you to completely abstain from using your brain for about over one and a half hours, for only a couple of seconds of gore. If you ask me, that's a pretty poor trade-off. There's nothing wrong with a bit of mindless entertainment, but this goes beyond any reasonable limit.
*1/2 out of *****