I rented this movie because Jack Nicholson has never disappointed me before. He didn't do it this time either. I expected a top rate crime drama I got much, much, more.

The Pledge

Directed by Sean Penn.
Book written by Friedrich Dürrenmatt
The screenplay by Jerzy Kromolowski and Mary Olsen Kromolowski

Plot

Jack Nicholson is Detective Jerry Black. With six hours to retire and attending his farewell party, he can’t quite give up the ghost. The other detectives at the party are called about a murder. Jerry Black has to see what the case is and he goes out with the others where a Blonde haired child has been slaughtered. The other deputies and police argue over who is going to tell the parents and of course Jerry Black gets the dirty job.

The mother makes him promise that he will get the man responsible for her daughters’ death. There is a cameo appearance by Vanessa Redgrave as the murdered child’s grandmother, I almost did not recognize her this was such a small role but powerful role. Thus starts a long and dramatic story of one mans search for a killer. It haunts his days and nights. The Indian that the cops believe did it is played by Benicio Del Toro a slightly dense man that is made to believe he did it and ends up killing himself with the gun he has taken from a deputy.

The case is over but not for Jerry Black. He checks out other murders that have happened in the area. Jerry is convinced that he is dealing with a serial killer of children, but he is the only one that thinks this.

He decides where the most likely place that the killer is from, and he moves to that area and buys a service station. In this way, he can keep his eyes out for the killer.

There is always a love interest and this movie comes with mother and child. Will this child be killed? Will this mother make him swear to find the killer if her child dies?

Conclusion

The one theme I obtained from this movie was said loud and clear, when you reach a certain age you become one of the old senile people that are not to be believed. Jack played this part to the hilt; his character was believable and sad. A man that is bedeviled by his own mind and who seems at times to be suffering from PTSD with voices in his head and flashbacks of the children that were killed and the Indian that killed his self.

He is sure that he knows what he is doing and we know what he is doing, watching the movie, but his comrades in arms think he is an old man that has completely lost it. The shame of this movie besides the killing of innocent children is the complete lack of respect for people that have reached the age of retirement. The killer that he knows is there and never finds eventually leads to his breakdown.

The backdrop, of this sit on the edge of your seat thriller, was the mountain. The snow and the scenery were breathtaking.

The movie lasted about 126 minutes and is not for children of any age. This one will make you have nightmares.

Watch this movie and find out the conclusions to this dark and moody story.

Copyright 2001 Diane Sartain





Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age