Today’s quick review: Black Rose. To catch a serial killer who’s preying on Russian women, Captain Frank Dalano (Robert Davi) of the LAPD brings in Major Vladimir Kazatov (Alexander Nevsky) from Moscow over the objections of Matt Robinson (Adrian Paul), the former lead on the case. Vladimir partners with Emily Smith (Kristanna Loken), a rookie profiler, to search the Russian community for leads and try to catch the elusive killer.
Black Rose is a budget crime thriller that pairs a Russian cop with his American counterpart to hunt down a serial killer. Black Rose aims to be a tense investigation peppered with lighter moments of bonding for its two heroes. The skeleton of the plot works well enough for this goal, but it’s undermined by a bland villain and a thin mystery. Coupled with the film’s flawed execution in other areas, this makes Black Rose an underwhelming pick.
Black Rose never manages to build up the mystery it needs around its killer. There’s no compelling pattern for the crimes, the killer’s motives are flimsy, and the clues that drive the investigation tend to be tacked on as afterthoughts. The movie also has a hard time building up tension. It has a smattering of gore but not much shock value to go with it. Overactive direction and a needlessly grandiose soundtrack further damage the tone.
Its villain problems aside, Black Rose still has issues with the basics. The plot has most of the elements it needs but not the craftsmanship to make them work together. The story ends up feeling generic and predictable, with a weak payoff and no intermediate revelations before the finale. Like the writing, the acting is also lackluster. Alexander Nevsky gives a flat performance as Vladimir, while Kristanna Loken fairs slightly better as Emily.
Ultimately, Black Rose is a crime thriller with a weak hook and significant flaws in its execution. The aspects of its vision the film does get right are outclassed by other films in the genre. The film succeeds in telling a simple story and holds modest value for casual viewers, but the majority of viewers will be able to do better without much effort.
For a more unnerving serial killer investigation, try Se7en or The Bone Collector. For a serial killer drama with better acting and direction, try Zodiac. For a buddy cop comedy with a more fully developed clash of cultures, try Rush Hour.
2.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 3.5 for a decent setup, weak execution, and unsatisfying thrills.