Hangman (2001)

That was an excellent one.

Excellent adaptation.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Serial killer detective thriller regarding a Police Detective's search for a slick murderer using an Internet game of Hangman, as a challenge to find him/her. Detective Nick Roos(Lou Diamond Phillips)enlists the aid of "retired" pill-popping psychotherapist, Grace Mitchell(Mädchen Amick), who supposedly awakened to find a man hung in her living room. As Roos and his precinct squad work to find the killer, a development seems to be occurring, those chosen by the Hangman are affiliated with Grace and her former place of employment, a psychiatric institute ran by her estranged stepfather, Dr. Henry Mitchell(Robert Haley). As Roos pursues leads and evidence, his team uncover suspicions of an employee, Paul Jarvis(Grant Nickalls)who was once a patient at the institute, carrying a torch for Grace. Roos also discovers that Grace's reason for leaving had to do with an affair and some bad blood associated to Dr. Henry's associate, Dr. Natalie Walsh(Rosemary Dunsmore). It seems that Natalie was having an affair with Henry as Grace's mother lie dying. Natalie's medical practices with patients was reported by Grace but Henry saved her from being terminated thanks to his powerful influence with the board. In turn, Grace was marked, with Natalie using her affair with a deeply depressed patient as leverage. Meanwhile Jarvis was stalking Grace, obsessed with her since first meeting her in the institute. The film shows that Jarvis was sneaking into a room right next to Grace's, even calling in a masseuse who would be a victim of the Hangman game..this took some gall considering that an armed policeman was guarding Grace's room and Roos was talking to her about the on-going case.Obvious, for those who have seen their fair share of these films, Jarvis is a red herring and the true mastermind will be revealed even though Paul isn't an innocent.The film features familiar traits often associated with these types of films and crime shows dealing with a detective who is burdened to find the killer, and we see how Roos is led on a wild goose chase with his superiors demanding answers, willing to close what they believe is a solved case when a man of his experience knows something's amiss. Also, the film(..as often as occurs in this type of crime thriller) allows the super-intelligent killer to perfectly plan and execute these incredibly difficult/elaborate Hangman murders encountering no problems, carrying them out without a hitch. I always find this far-fetched, but there are serial killers who have survived for a long time, duping police and investigators, but considering who the mastermind is in this film and how incredibly hard it would be to pull off the murders, staged the way they are, the participants involved, and the exact precision it takes without even the slightest mistake, you have to accept it as entertainment in order to fully swallow what's taking place. The film doesn't end the way many often expect, not at a neat resolution for our heroes as is often the case in the past involving detectives and their catching the killer responsible. We're asked to take a leap of faith considering that we must accept a character's personality changing quite drastically when the reveal takes place and the film unveils it's hand. Like many television shows and crime dramas, the detectives often face heavy resistance from sneering, slimy big-city lawyers who enjoy embarrassing them when it is shown that they were either wrong about an arrested suspect or just didn't have the proper evidence to hold him. And, like any giallo or mystery, the story opens numerous suspects, and a motive for committing such crimes soon is enlightened to the viewer. I think this film will possibly find a home with those who like slippery thrillers where the killer stays one step ahead of the police until the lead detective puts two + two together..the whole cat-and-mouse aspects might draw you in if you are a sucker for this sort of thing. Startling erotic sequence isn't expected and unveils the psychology of the murderer who'll do whatever it takes to get revenge. As always Lou Diamond allows his detective a sense of dignity and compassion, but he's quite gullible at times which exposes him as being human when it comes to shady characters with ulterior motives. Flashy role for Mädchen Amick, whose character is complex and conflicted, with plenty of skeletons in her closet.

Lou Diamond Phillips and Madchen Amick are the only Americans in a Canadian made for television film Hangman. It's a complex psychological homicide thriller about a bunch of murders by hanging that center around some psychologists.Phillips is the lead detective assigned to a group of killings known as the Hangman murders. That's the way these victims depart this mortal coil and all of them seem to center around former psychologist Madchen Amick. The film has more twists then those pretzels you see at your local bar. During the course of Hangman, Phillips and his team come up with several theories of the crimes.There's not a shot fired and the physical violence is kept to a minimum, in the manner of Alfred Hitchcock. Yet things are kept pretty tense in true Hitchcock manner.Lou does a fine job underplaying his role as a detective who just can't get a handle on the case. His foe is an incredibly cunning one which you won't appreciate until the end.I wouldn't miss it, especially if you're a fan of Lou Diamond Phillips.

"Hangman" is yet another by-the-numbers TV serial killer mystery with that sun-never-shines Canadian dreariness all over it. Featuring two under-rated B-movie stars, Phillips as a homicide cop and Amick as a rich and retired shrink, "Hangman" spins a yarn about murder using the child's word game of the title name played via computer with real people getting hung. The film does little to distinguish itself and many will find the ending unsatisfying. However, it also does little wrong, making it a worthwhile small screen watch, albeit marginally so. Just drama with no stunts, shootouts, sex (almost), or sensationalism. (C)

This movie smells like something that has been sitting on the shelf for a long, long time and is finally being brought down. HANGMAN is one of the worst suspense thrillers that I have ever seen. It isn't even thrilling. Or interesting. Nothing about this tripe is good. None of it. The "twists" at the end were stupid too. There wasn't even a good final blowout. Instead it just ends with Lou Diamond Philips walking off into the distance. There is very little originality. It is just the same as many of those other cop movies that we see. Killer kills people and two cops must team up with the hott witness who can help them find the killer. Same old, same old. The best parts of the entire movie were probably the sex scenes. Don't see this. The back of the box makes it sound like some good scary suspense movie. What it is, is a steaming pile of dog s*** disguised as a movie.....1/5.