Profile Of A Killer Review

Profile Of A Killer (2012)

Cast: Joey Pollari, Gabriele Angieri, Emily Fradenburgh
Director: Caspian Tredwell-Owen
Country: USA
Genre: Thriller
Official Site: Here

Editor’s Notes: You can now rent Profile of a Killer online here. 

It is rare to come across a serial killer film that tries, and more importantly succeeds, in approaching the subject from a different perspective. Drawing on influences from The Silence Of Lambs to Insomnia, Caspian Tredwell-Owen has created a chilling thriller that belies his relative inexperience.

With subtlety and skill Tredwell-Owen has built his impressive début feature around a difficult and sensitive subject.

Saul Aitkin (Gabriele Angieri) is a former FBI profiler who is drawn out of retirement to provide his experienced insight into a baffling case. Someone is abducting and murdering unconnected victims and then disposing of the bodies after horrifically disfiguring them. As Saul and ambitious Special Agent Rachel Cade (Emily Frandenburgh) investigate they encounter a killer whose motives and actions remain elusively unpredictable and Saul must call upon all of his experience to prevent further victims and ultimately save his own life.

With subtlety and skill Tredwell-Owen has built his impressive début feature around a difficult and sensitive subject. Profile Of A Killer examines the debate of nature versus nurture, of whether killers are born or made, with insight and understanding, but it does so using a teenage boy as it’s protagonist. Joey Pollari is equally vulnerable and terrifying as the murderous David who’s apparent quest and need for fame leads him to kidnap the veteran profiler, but not with the initial intention of killing him. David’s motives are as complex as they are brutally simple but that delicacy of direction never allows the story to reveal too much too soon, leaving the audience wondering quite how far this dysfunctional relationship will extend before one of them breaks.

Despite the intensity of the drama and grimness of the tale the performances are generally understated, with little real emotion revealed for much of the film. This further emphasises the moments when the impact of the events generates a devastating reaction from characters whose nature has naturally been to subdue their feelings. Matched with the bleakness of the surroundings and isolated locations the audience is drawn to the futility and temporary nature of life, and how easily and wantonly it can be taken away.

Despite the intensity of the drama and grimness of the tale the performances are generally understated, with little real emotion revealed for much of the film. 

The most impressive element of Profile Of A Killer though is it’s ability to raise the relevant questions it does without forcing opinion down the throat of its audience. While clearly the actions of David are abhorrent the film never openly preaches preferring to ask questions as to why without providing obvious and well used reasons and motivations. Never does the film take the easy way out towards justification, instead remaining ambiguous in its own opinion and simply presenting the viewer with the evidence to make up their own mind, almost like a jury searching for answers.

With all that said there are one or two issues with the film. At times the pacing is a little plodding and while this may be intentional to emphasise the slow passing of time it allows the viewer to drift out of the film a little. The support characters while well acted are a little peripheral and this becomes a problem when one falls victim to David. As there has been little investment in a relationship with this character it becomes merely another statistic instead of drawing an emotional response.

Profile Of A Killer is an interesting and well made serial killer film that successfully demonstrates that there are talented and imaginative people working hard in the independent film world ready to make their mark. This is a film that warrants attention and it will be interesting to see what all involved, especially the director, do next.