| Reviews & Columns |
|
Reviews DVD TV on DVD Blu-ray 4K UHD International DVDs In Theaters Reviews by Studio Video Games Features Collector Series DVDs Easter Egg Database Interviews DVD Talk Radio Feature Articles Columns Anime Talk DVD Savant Horror DVDs The M.O.D. Squad Art House HD Talk Silent DVD
|
 DVD Talk Forum |
|
|
| Resources |
|
DVD Price Search Customer Service #'s RCE Info Links |
|
Columns
  
 
|
|
|
I Know Who Killed Me
Sony Pictures // R // November 27, 2007
List Price: $26.96 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
It's almost as if we, as film lovers, are being conditioned to think the worst about movies once we see gimmicks laced into their narrative. Take, for instance, the red flags lifted to the sky at the pledge of Lindsay Lohan as a stripper in the psychologically discombobulating mystery, I Know Who Killed Me. Honestly, with a quick glance at the trailer and after a little internal wrestling with these mixed signals, this started to look remotely intriguing to a purveyor of the obscure - even after that entire pole-dancing marketing fluff. Mistaken identities? Okay. Mental fragmentation? Nifty. Lohan in a potentially stark adult role? Alright, we're getting somewhere.
Sadly, I Know Who Killed Me goes nowhere. Fast. It's a testament to trusting your very first instincts.
The Film:
Lindsay Lohan takes the opportunity to strut about as brilliant high-school mystery storwriter, Aubrey Fleming. She excels behind a laptop and behind the ivories as a pianist, though she quickly axes this subsequent interest as her path towards a collegiate life of writing grows more treacherous. Even if she seems remotely bookworm-ish when she plays coy with her obsessive romantic interest, she also flaunts a little attitude by flirting with the family gardener. All around, she's got the perfect life with an even better one to follow through her Ivy League aspirations.
That is, of course, until she's abducted after a football game and tortured by a repeat lunatic assailant terrorizing this little slice of suburbia. Mastering in the art of limb severance and mental anguish, he dumps the bloodied Aubrey into a ditch some time later with more than a few body parts missing. The real kicker here is that Aubrey has lost her connection with the real world. She now believes herself to be a miss Dakota Moss, an ex-drug addict stripper who has experienced the rougher side of life. Basically, she's the yin to Aubrey's yang, an antithesis of sorts - and she's taken over her life. Well, she's taken control of the remains of Aubrey, a tangled mish-mash of robotic arms and legs strategically placed with her tangible self.
As a realistic psychological study, I Know Who Killed Me could've been a whole hell of a lot better; however, it could've be worse as well. Though it's difficult to buy into Lohan as either of the characters she portrays, she still skates along with enough surface level curiosity to maintain a flicker of interest towards the reveal. Though we're treated to some aggravating one-liners, something still remains minimally intriguing about her situation. As her detectives state early into the investigation, her clear reversion into this "character" (strikingly similar to the one in Aubrey's stories) is an interesting play on psychological degradation and manipulation during trauma. I liked that, to degrees.
But believe me, I'm reaching. I'm trying to reach through one of the densest clouds of misfired sludge in front of I Know Who Killed Me to find something amiable here. Outside of some distinctive uses of the color blue and a nagging desire in the first act to discover the truth behind this story, this film is a real fiasco. I Know Who Killed Me parades from the beginning like the outline for a bizarre film in the vein of Lynchian cinema, but continues down this path with a slew of both wasted talent and tainted mechanics. With the skilled Julia Ormond and Neal MacDonough shoved to the back and the spastic plot stepping forward with prominence, we're treated to a very, very long hour and a half filled with floundering inconsistency and awkward coherence.
Dakota's flashbacks into her past as a doped-up stripper are the sheets of ice the film hits that triggers a clumsy, expedient tumble towards unrecoverable oblivion. These shots are random and gratuitous, but more importantly are much less engaging than you'd imagine. As these little flickers of Dakota's wild past wiggle into the mix and this fabricated tension mounts, it's remarkably easy to succumb to that glazed look in your eyes when trying to stomach this.
Let's not dance around it: part of I Know Who Killed Me's appeal is to see "Dakota" (read: Lohan) get up on-stage and work a bit of magic. Heck, it's the very first shot of the film as we see her strut onto the hardwood platform and swirl around a bit. Alas, each and every lengthy "performance" takes up way too much time and conceited focus, but more importantly lacks any alluring flare in the slightest. We're taken into Dakota's world, one of chaos and displeasure. The lighting and musical accompaniment reflects such, and we experience a lot of apathetic discomfort because of it. From the first time we see Dakota to the overwhelmingly improbable twist in the final act, there's practically no relief from the dismal demeanor.
Once the big forthcoming revelation happens in I Know Who Killed Me, there really couldn't be a stronger sense of drained, uncaring emotion about such a wildly preposterous result. It makes a pinch of sense within its own bizarre web, but the structure in which it tries to support our faith is so wafer thin with explicative density that it quickly crumbles onto itself. Plus, it's just flat-out ludicrous outside of its completely infeasible universe. The dots connect in a metaphysical kind of way, though they there's no way they really should.
As a fan of bizarre physical and mental manipulation in gritty pseudo-horror mysteries, I Know Who Killed Me left me with my eyes rolling and my head throbbing - and not in a good way. Though the make-up work isn't too shabby and the photography dances along the line of appeal in this, there's no amount of gleam that can polish this up. If you're looking for strangely puzzling films with a dash of the macabre, take a look at Sion Sono's Strange Circus or even Takashi Miike's Audition. Fans of mysteries and of Lindsay Lohan's talent, however, should be forewarned.
The DVD:
Sony at least makes the packaging for I Know Who Kill Me somewhat exciting. They present the DVD with a nice slipcover over a standard keepcase. Like the marketing of the film itself, there's a picture of Lohan in her dancer get-up on the cover.
The Video:
I Know Who Killed Me, though it displays some quality splashes of color in its 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen image, is a fairly bland visual presentation. Sure, that repeated use of screaming blue shades and sporadic reds looks fantastic, but the digital quality and detail aren't terribly sharp in most scenes. It's probably because the fullscreen version is also included on the same disc, thus taking up space that could be used to freshen up the quality. Though sharpness isn't top shelf and the palatte lacks in strength (including some quirkily bland black levels), we are working with a clean print that displays the material well enough to pass it through.
The Audio:
Bland music and a featureless sound design really do little to impress with this Dolby 5.1 audio track. Vocal strength sounds clear and distinct enough, but surround usage and LFE levels really aren't touched with much frequency. It's a music and dialogue-driven movie, and both sound fine enough. Plus, small elements like the crackling of fire and electronic beeping trickled to the rear every once in a while. A French language track is also available, as are optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles.
The Extras:
- Alternate Beginning and Ending -
Both of these portions should have made the final cut, in my humblest of opinions.
The Alternate Beginning sequence doesn't change anything; it's nothing more than a montage of cleverly captured natural water photography that integrates with the water at the start of the film. What it would do, however, is at least give a little more of a buffer from the start credits to the vision of Dakota on stage.
The Alternate Ending, however, takes the film down the route that I was expecting and, ultimately, would have been more satisfied with. It's a bit traditional in scope, but at least it gives more closure and a more grounded feeling to the conclusion than the fireworks displayed with the original end.
- Extended Strip Dance -
Just imagine over 6 minutes of isolated Lindsay Lohan stripper footage shot in unflattering light with bothersome musical accompaniment. It's merely an extension of the sequence from the film, and honestly, I couldn't tell much of a difference between the two besides the possibility of another random stranger or two wiggling into frame. No enticing footage here to soak in, just more of the same from the film.
- Bloopers -
Nearly 3 minutes of very dry bloopers are included, involving most of the cast members.
- Previews -
Previews for other Sony products, including Blu-Ray itself, are included on the disc. These include Superbad, Resident Evil: Extinction, The Brothers Solomin, Spider-Man 3, and Hostel: Part II No trailer for I Know Who Killed Me id available.
-----
Final Thoughts:
Bland and off-putting until a erratic conclusion, I Know Who Killed Me really misses a lot of opportunities to deliver something at least mildly intriguing. Instead, it twists into one messy whirlwind of cinematic chaos. Though it may be worth a rental to see some of the interesting photography and just to chalk up the fact that you've seen the bad thriller with Lohan as an exotic dancer, this is a film much better off as a passed opportunity not worth your time. Skip It.
Thomas Spurlin, Staff Reviewer -- DVDTalk Reviews | Personal Blog/Site
Sadly, I Know Who Killed Me goes nowhere. Fast. It's a testament to trusting your very first instincts.
The Film:
Lindsay Lohan takes the opportunity to strut about as brilliant high-school mystery storwriter, Aubrey Fleming. She excels behind a laptop and behind the ivories as a pianist, though she quickly axes this subsequent interest as her path towards a collegiate life of writing grows more treacherous. Even if she seems remotely bookworm-ish when she plays coy with her obsessive romantic interest, she also flaunts a little attitude by flirting with the family gardener. All around, she's got the perfect life with an even better one to follow through her Ivy League aspirations.
That is, of course, until she's abducted after a football game and tortured by a repeat lunatic assailant terrorizing this little slice of suburbia. Mastering in the art of limb severance and mental anguish, he dumps the bloodied Aubrey into a ditch some time later with more than a few body parts missing. The real kicker here is that Aubrey has lost her connection with the real world. She now believes herself to be a miss Dakota Moss, an ex-drug addict stripper who has experienced the rougher side of life. Basically, she's the yin to Aubrey's yang, an antithesis of sorts - and she's taken over her life. Well, she's taken control of the remains of Aubrey, a tangled mish-mash of robotic arms and legs strategically placed with her tangible self.
As a realistic psychological study, I Know Who Killed Me could've been a whole hell of a lot better; however, it could've be worse as well. Though it's difficult to buy into Lohan as either of the characters she portrays, she still skates along with enough surface level curiosity to maintain a flicker of interest towards the reveal. Though we're treated to some aggravating one-liners, something still remains minimally intriguing about her situation. As her detectives state early into the investigation, her clear reversion into this "character" (strikingly similar to the one in Aubrey's stories) is an interesting play on psychological degradation and manipulation during trauma. I liked that, to degrees.
But believe me, I'm reaching. I'm trying to reach through one of the densest clouds of misfired sludge in front of I Know Who Killed Me to find something amiable here. Outside of some distinctive uses of the color blue and a nagging desire in the first act to discover the truth behind this story, this film is a real fiasco. I Know Who Killed Me parades from the beginning like the outline for a bizarre film in the vein of Lynchian cinema, but continues down this path with a slew of both wasted talent and tainted mechanics. With the skilled Julia Ormond and Neal MacDonough shoved to the back and the spastic plot stepping forward with prominence, we're treated to a very, very long hour and a half filled with floundering inconsistency and awkward coherence.
Dakota's flashbacks into her past as a doped-up stripper are the sheets of ice the film hits that triggers a clumsy, expedient tumble towards unrecoverable oblivion. These shots are random and gratuitous, but more importantly are much less engaging than you'd imagine. As these little flickers of Dakota's wild past wiggle into the mix and this fabricated tension mounts, it's remarkably easy to succumb to that glazed look in your eyes when trying to stomach this.
Let's not dance around it: part of I Know Who Killed Me's appeal is to see "Dakota" (read: Lohan) get up on-stage and work a bit of magic. Heck, it's the very first shot of the film as we see her strut onto the hardwood platform and swirl around a bit. Alas, each and every lengthy "performance" takes up way too much time and conceited focus, but more importantly lacks any alluring flare in the slightest. We're taken into Dakota's world, one of chaos and displeasure. The lighting and musical accompaniment reflects such, and we experience a lot of apathetic discomfort because of it. From the first time we see Dakota to the overwhelmingly improbable twist in the final act, there's practically no relief from the dismal demeanor.
Once the big forthcoming revelation happens in I Know Who Killed Me, there really couldn't be a stronger sense of drained, uncaring emotion about such a wildly preposterous result. It makes a pinch of sense within its own bizarre web, but the structure in which it tries to support our faith is so wafer thin with explicative density that it quickly crumbles onto itself. Plus, it's just flat-out ludicrous outside of its completely infeasible universe. The dots connect in a metaphysical kind of way, though they there's no way they really should.
As a fan of bizarre physical and mental manipulation in gritty pseudo-horror mysteries, I Know Who Killed Me left me with my eyes rolling and my head throbbing - and not in a good way. Though the make-up work isn't too shabby and the photography dances along the line of appeal in this, there's no amount of gleam that can polish this up. If you're looking for strangely puzzling films with a dash of the macabre, take a look at Sion Sono's Strange Circus or even Takashi Miike's Audition. Fans of mysteries and of Lindsay Lohan's talent, however, should be forewarned.
The DVD:
Sony at least makes the packaging for I Know Who Kill Me somewhat exciting. They present the DVD with a nice slipcover over a standard keepcase. Like the marketing of the film itself, there's a picture of Lohan in her dancer get-up on the cover.
The Video:
I Know Who Killed Me, though it displays some quality splashes of color in its 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen image, is a fairly bland visual presentation. Sure, that repeated use of screaming blue shades and sporadic reds looks fantastic, but the digital quality and detail aren't terribly sharp in most scenes. It's probably because the fullscreen version is also included on the same disc, thus taking up space that could be used to freshen up the quality. Though sharpness isn't top shelf and the palatte lacks in strength (including some quirkily bland black levels), we are working with a clean print that displays the material well enough to pass it through.
The Audio:
Bland music and a featureless sound design really do little to impress with this Dolby 5.1 audio track. Vocal strength sounds clear and distinct enough, but surround usage and LFE levels really aren't touched with much frequency. It's a music and dialogue-driven movie, and both sound fine enough. Plus, small elements like the crackling of fire and electronic beeping trickled to the rear every once in a while. A French language track is also available, as are optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles.
The Extras:
- Alternate Beginning and Ending -
Both of these portions should have made the final cut, in my humblest of opinions.
The Alternate Beginning sequence doesn't change anything; it's nothing more than a montage of cleverly captured natural water photography that integrates with the water at the start of the film. What it would do, however, is at least give a little more of a buffer from the start credits to the vision of Dakota on stage.
The Alternate Ending, however, takes the film down the route that I was expecting and, ultimately, would have been more satisfied with. It's a bit traditional in scope, but at least it gives more closure and a more grounded feeling to the conclusion than the fireworks displayed with the original end.
- Extended Strip Dance -
Just imagine over 6 minutes of isolated Lindsay Lohan stripper footage shot in unflattering light with bothersome musical accompaniment. It's merely an extension of the sequence from the film, and honestly, I couldn't tell much of a difference between the two besides the possibility of another random stranger or two wiggling into frame. No enticing footage here to soak in, just more of the same from the film.
- Bloopers -
Nearly 3 minutes of very dry bloopers are included, involving most of the cast members.
- Previews -
Previews for other Sony products, including Blu-Ray itself, are included on the disc. These include Superbad, Resident Evil: Extinction, The Brothers Solomin, Spider-Man 3, and Hostel: Part II No trailer for I Know Who Killed Me id available.
-----
Final Thoughts:
Bland and off-putting until a erratic conclusion, I Know Who Killed Me really misses a lot of opportunities to deliver something at least mildly intriguing. Instead, it twists into one messy whirlwind of cinematic chaos. Though it may be worth a rental to see some of the interesting photography and just to chalk up the fact that you've seen the bad thriller with Lohan as an exotic dancer, this is a film much better off as a passed opportunity not worth your time. Skip It.
|
| Popular Reviews |
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
| Sponsored Links |
|
|
| Release List | Reviews | Shop | Newsletter | Forum | DVD Giveaways | Blu-Ray | Advertise |
|
Copyright 2024 DVDTalk.com All Rights Reserved. Legal Info, Privacy Policy, Terms of Use,
Manage Preferences,
Your Privacy Choices 
| |||||||