Reviews

Cameron Daddo and Brandy Ledford play a typical suburban couple with typical jobs and a couple of typical kids. Unfortunately their sex life is starting to get somewhat boring, so they reluctantly decide to engage in some drug-fuelled mate swapping with another carefully-chosen couple. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, plenty as it turns out. The other couple is played by former vampire-slayer Kristy Swanson and a darkly-menacing Stephen Baldwin. For some unfathomable reason, the latter becomes totally obsessed with his fresh play-pals. This leads him to go w-a-a-a-y over the top in furthering his new best bro's career, with serious life-altering consequences. (He can do this because he seems to have both unlimited time and money at his disposal, for no clearly explained reason.)

Ms. Ledford, who is actually quite a talented actress, steals the show here. She will likely always be best-remembered as the mysterious masked lady in a travelogue hosted by Motley Crue's lead vocalist. Kristy Swanson is OK eye-candy too, but runs a distant second to the shapely Brandy here.

It's all in good entertaining fun, and a great cautionary morality tale as well for young couples just starting out. I have always wondered though - why has some wily entrepreneur not released a disc with this movie and the previously-mentioned travelogue both on it. I'm sure it would be a very hot item. But what do I know about media licensing rules?

The movie itself is so-so, meandering around a lot and ending up more or less nowhere. Michael Parks' "Bronson" character says little, and makes even less sense. I suppose the fact that it is a pilot for the series somewhat mitigates this criticism. Nevertheless this movie is a must-watch, if only for a gorgeous Bonnie Bedelia in her early twenties, well before her "Die Hard" days.

The movie starts off suggesting it may be headed for interesting but familiar territory. In fact it seems to be on track to be a low-rent version of William Wyler's classic "The Collector". But no such luck. It quickly derails and eventually crashes in a heap of pointless and gruesome nonsense. Along the way it attempts to explore lofty ideas about will controlling destiny, or something like that, but falls far short. A nude scene or two (there are none) to replace some of the graphic violence might make this clunker easier on the eyes, but would not salvage it. Not even close.

I've watched lots of incoherent trash before, but this is head and shoulders above the rest. No logic, consistency, or plot that makes any sense whatsoever. Just a lot of nasty and vile action and conversation, all pointless. And on top of all that, utterly boring! I am right now seriously considering cancelling my Amazon Prime membership for making it even possible for me to watch this abomination.