While the title seems to have nothing to do with the storyline, it augurs the film's likely duration at the boxoffice.
Admittedly, it's hard to knock a film that includes Michael J. Pollard as a rat catcher, but this convoluted eco-actioner is so numbingly formulaic and mindlessly violent that even the usual forbidding presence of Rutger Hauer in the lead role can't rescue it.
Set in London, 2008, when the ozone layer has eroded to such an extent that all of Europe is plagued by apocalyptic weather patterns, "Split Second'' begins impressively. Torrential rains have waterlogged the city, engulfing the subways, overrunning the streets. Vicious water rats terrorize the citizenry and, in this scummy maelstrom, a darker form of evil rises up from the sloughs. A serial killer, with the strength of a beast, is ripping the hearts out of the good people of London town.
The police force is overwhelmed, out of its depth. Only a wacko cop named Harley Stone (Hauer), suspended for violence, drinking and every imaginable professional transgression, seems to have a bead on the killer. The bright bobbies have no choice. They reinstate Harley and hope he doesn't run amok again.
To keep him somewhat on target, they assign him a partner, Dick Durkin (Neil Duncan), who's some sort of high-and-dry psychoanalyst specializing in serial killers. Not surprisingly, Harley doesn't take to Dick, rarely acknowledging him except when loudly barking out his first name, Dick. Such is the blend of dialogue and humor.
While screenwriter Gary Scott Thompson has imaginatively wound a torrent of subtext into this narrative, including hunks of astrology and parapsychology, the narrative continually misconnects, ultimately shorting out in one noisy, charged climax.
On the plus side, the film's visual components under director Tony Maylam's kinetic hand are impressively realized. Cinematographer Clive Tickner's vivid etching of this dark, washed-out future world is powerful. Similarly, Chris Edwards' harsh, minimalist production design is appropriately unnerving.
In addition, a cup of tea and a warm fire to rat and pigeon wrangler David Corke who, obviously, had his hands full on this one.
SPLIT SECOND
Muse Prods. B.V. and Chris Hanley Presents
A Challenge Film
Producer Laura Gregory
Director Tony Maylam
Screenwriter Gary Scott Thompson
Executive producer Keith Cavele
Director of photography Clive Tickner
Executive in charge of production USA
Susan Nicoletti
Music Stephen Parons, Francis Haines
Editor Dan Rae
Production designer Chris Edwards
Costume designer Antoinette Gregory
Rat and pigeon wrangler David Corke
Color/Stereo
Cast:
Stone Rutger Hauer
Michelle Kim Cattrall
Durkin Neil Duncan
The Rat Catcher Michael J. Pollard
Thrasher Alun Armstrong
Paulsen Pete Postlethwaite
The Killer Stewart Harvey-Wilson, Paul Grayson
Running time -- 90 minutes
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
Admittedly, it's hard to knock a film that includes Michael J. Pollard as a rat catcher, but this convoluted eco-actioner is so numbingly formulaic and mindlessly violent that even the usual forbidding presence of Rutger Hauer in the lead role can't rescue it.
Set in London, 2008, when the ozone layer has eroded to such an extent that all of Europe is plagued by apocalyptic weather patterns, "Split Second'' begins impressively. Torrential rains have waterlogged the city, engulfing the subways, overrunning the streets. Vicious water rats terrorize the citizenry and, in this scummy maelstrom, a darker form of evil rises up from the sloughs. A serial killer, with the strength of a beast, is ripping the hearts out of the good people of London town.
The police force is overwhelmed, out of its depth. Only a wacko cop named Harley Stone (Hauer), suspended for violence, drinking and every imaginable professional transgression, seems to have a bead on the killer. The bright bobbies have no choice. They reinstate Harley and hope he doesn't run amok again.
To keep him somewhat on target, they assign him a partner, Dick Durkin (Neil Duncan), who's some sort of high-and-dry psychoanalyst specializing in serial killers. Not surprisingly, Harley doesn't take to Dick, rarely acknowledging him except when loudly barking out his first name, Dick. Such is the blend of dialogue and humor.
While screenwriter Gary Scott Thompson has imaginatively wound a torrent of subtext into this narrative, including hunks of astrology and parapsychology, the narrative continually misconnects, ultimately shorting out in one noisy, charged climax.
On the plus side, the film's visual components under director Tony Maylam's kinetic hand are impressively realized. Cinematographer Clive Tickner's vivid etching of this dark, washed-out future world is powerful. Similarly, Chris Edwards' harsh, minimalist production design is appropriately unnerving.
In addition, a cup of tea and a warm fire to rat and pigeon wrangler David Corke who, obviously, had his hands full on this one.
SPLIT SECOND
Muse Prods. B.V. and Chris Hanley Presents
A Challenge Film
Producer Laura Gregory
Director Tony Maylam
Screenwriter Gary Scott Thompson
Executive producer Keith Cavele
Director of photography Clive Tickner
Executive in charge of production USA
Susan Nicoletti
Music Stephen Parons, Francis Haines
Editor Dan Rae
Production designer Chris Edwards
Costume designer Antoinette Gregory
Rat and pigeon wrangler David Corke
Color/Stereo
Cast:
Stone Rutger Hauer
Michelle Kim Cattrall
Durkin Neil Duncan
The Rat Catcher Michael J. Pollard
Thrasher Alun Armstrong
Paulsen Pete Postlethwaite
The Killer Stewart Harvey-Wilson, Paul Grayson
Running time -- 90 minutes
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
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