Director: Alan Parker
Writer: Alan Parker (Screenplay) William Hjortsberg (Novel)
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Robert De Niro, Lisa Bonet, Charlotte Rampling, Stocker Fontelieu
Plot: Harry Angel is a private investigator. He is hired by a man who calls himself Louis Cyphre to track down a singer called Johnny Favorite. But the investigation takes an unexpected and somber turn.
Tagline – It will scare you to your very soul.
Runtime: 1 Hour 53 Minutes
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Dark Mystery Horror
Story: Angel Heart starts as private investigator Harry Angel (Rourke) is hired by Louis Cyphre (De Niro) to locate a man Johnny, we follow Harry as he looks to track down this man using his skills along the way.
As the investigation continues Harry finds himself meeting Epiphany (Bonet) a lady that has a connection to the missing man and also deals in voodoo, taking Harry in a direction he never imagined he would go in, but can he solve the mystery before it is too late as everyone he seems to question ends up dead.
Thoughts on Angel Heart
Characters – Harry Angel is a private investigator, he gets the job done but is a shady in his methods, he gets hired to find a missing person but soon finds himself as the prime suspect in a string of murders with the people that have a connection to the missing man. Louis Cyphre is a mysterious man that hires Harry to search for the missing man but has an air of mystery about him. Epiphany is a young lady that has clues to the whereabouts of the missing man, but gets involved in a race hating state relationship with Harry while also practicing voodoo.
Performances – Mickey Rourke does a great job as the private investigator showing the down and out figure needed for the desperate mindset his character ends up in. De Niro shines in the supporting role here giving a chilling performance where we only see him a few times but we are left haunted by his screen time. Lisa Bonet is great too as the young lady that knows some of the answers.
Story – The story here does start with a standard looking investigation but it soon takes a twist involving different religious beliefs where one man must question his own sanity about what is happening. The investigation side of the film is what you would expect but the change it takes in the final act is the reward you get because things get built up nicely. This is a good mystery thriller that keeps us engaged from the start to the finish.
Horror/Mystery – The horror comes from the truth that comes out in the final act but the mystery we are watching unfold is what drives this film.
Settings – The settings take us around America at times as we search with Harry about the truth.
Special Effects – The effects come in the form of practical as we see just how the kills look once the killer has finished with the bodies.
Scene of the Movie – Final act.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – I wanted more De Niro.
Final Thoughts – This is a great mystery horror that does keep us guessing and taking us into a direction you wouldn’t see coming.
Overall: Enjoyable Mystery horror.
Rating
