Loop

Loop is an interesting movie for a number of reasons, the main one being the originality of this low-budget documentary-style crime thriller. It’s basically copying those real-life shows where the camera crew follow the cops about, only without Steven Seagal in a cop uniform. The use of split screen by director Jason Shutt is very effective and gives it a gritty 70’s look. I also liked the “informal” chat with the detectives, when we get to see them at the shooting range or the golf course. It added to the reality with convincing effect.

There has been a murder and our two detectives go to investigate. When they arrive at the scene they find one body in a vehicle and another in a pawn shop right next it. There are a stack of TV’s all playing a looped tape of the murder and now it appears that they have a serial killer on their hands, that likes to film all his kills then play them for the cops to find. The voyeuristic serial killer starts to leave a trail of dead bodies, and so the detectives follow the leads to wherever they lead, talking to suspects, chasing potential witnesses and basically doing cop stuff.

This is not totally unlike End of Watch which seen two cops run around filming as they carry out their duties, but here the film crew perform the same task but this is low budget with no Jake Gyllenhaal to secure extra funding. Now I don’t have much info on this movie but I do know a lot of the actors are new recruits but it all adds to authenticity which is this flicks “piece de resistance.” The acting was quite brilliant and natural which carried this movie, but the story itself was also good and told in an original but well known format that, in this day and age of the “real life” televisual nonsense the whole world seems to be addicted too, it may just guarantee this movie a modicum of success which it deserves.

Johnny’s Grade: C+

Review by Johnny Thomas