Buck(Judd Nelson, who is superb)was not successful in his attempt to become a police officer and this failure impacts him in devastating fashion..reported as psychologically unfit, Buck lashes out by choosing random names the same as his in the phone book, killing victims at sunset..he leaves a torn page from the phone book, the victims' names underlined as a calling card, often writing in red as a taunting method to provoke those after him. Recently promoted detective(..from New York), Sam Dietz(Leo Rossi)joins an aging veteran, Bill Malloy(Robert Loggia) drawing the sunset killer murders case. Both detectives will become future targets of Buck, with Dietz's own family in possible danger.
While the plot is rather conventional and familiar in regards to serial killer detective thrillers, what rescues this one from the doldrums is the top notch cast and solid performances. Nelson has a career defining performance as a pitiable nutcase, a tragic victim of a tough upbringing whose hardened cop father was a difficult man, demanding too much. Leo Rossi landed his career character, Detective Dietz, for which he'd portray several more times in other RELENTLESS sequels, squaring off against other lunatic psychos. Dietz is a confident, impatient detective who doesn't like idle waiting, determined to pursue every lead, no matter how unimportant such details might be to others in his field. Loggia is reliable and enjoyable as always, portraying the crusty "old-timer" who at first clashes with his rookie partner, his laid back manner an annoyance to Dietz whose work ethic is completely different. The murders themselves are really disturbing in how Buck methodically(..in a slow, cold-blooded approach, taking his time)eliminates his victims, watching each one slowly die painfully, talking to them as their life slips away. Meg Foster co-stars as Rossi's wife, Carol, making the most of a small role. It's kind of odd seeing a film shot in LA by William Lustig whose films are most often set within the gritty confines of New York City.
While the plot is rather conventional and familiar in regards to serial killer detective thrillers, what rescues this one from the doldrums is the top notch cast and solid performances. Nelson has a career defining performance as a pitiable nutcase, a tragic victim of a tough upbringing whose hardened cop father was a difficult man, demanding too much. Leo Rossi landed his career character, Detective Dietz, for which he'd portray several more times in other RELENTLESS sequels, squaring off against other lunatic psychos. Dietz is a confident, impatient detective who doesn't like idle waiting, determined to pursue every lead, no matter how unimportant such details might be to others in his field. Loggia is reliable and enjoyable as always, portraying the crusty "old-timer" who at first clashes with his rookie partner, his laid back manner an annoyance to Dietz whose work ethic is completely different. The murders themselves are really disturbing in how Buck methodically(..in a slow, cold-blooded approach, taking his time)eliminates his victims, watching each one slowly die painfully, talking to them as their life slips away. Meg Foster co-stars as Rossi's wife, Carol, making the most of a small role. It's kind of odd seeing a film shot in LA by William Lustig whose films are most often set within the gritty confines of New York City.