Fate. 2003. MTI. Reviewed by Brian Kirst
This poor man’s Se7en features Michael Pare (Streets of Fire, Greatest American Hero) in the Brad Pitt role and Philip Michael Thomas (Miami Vice) as the grizzled, more knowledgeable Morgan Freeman character. Lee Majors (Six Million Dollar Man, The Fall Guy), meanwhile, essays the Kevin Spacey psycho component and Tamie Sheffield (Fear Factor, Cheerleader Massacre) fills in for Gwyneth Paltrow. It’s ultimately just what you would expect – a decent, un-masterful evening at the movies with former television stars doing their damnedest to engage you.
Director Ace Cruz does supply plenty of washed out, brooding energy to give this flick a downcast flavor while Majors and Sheffield nicely underplay their more dramatic moments. Pare, while always genuine, definitely tackles his more emotional assignments with all the ferocity that he gave to such big budget projects as The Philadelphia Experiment and Eddie and the Cruisers.
The plotline follows Major’s character Oscar Odgen as he kidnaps and tortures a handful of (mostly) attractive young women and gentlemen. His reasons are spookily spiritual, of course, and he plays out his game directly underneath the noses of the investigating Pare and Thomas. Odgen’s connection to his victims, when revealed, is deliciously wacky and the true reason why these movies are so enjoyable and continue to maintain space in everyone’s local video outlet.
Otherwise, there is an appropriately seedy opening murder and some flesh baring torture revelations involving a couple of the female victims. Still, there were more gross-out reactions pertaining to Sheffield’s maggot eating win on Fear Factor than will ever be found when watching this flick. Overall, it’s Cruz skill and some of the performances that are the true attractions here.
