First half shows promise as director Richard C. Sarafian interestingly subverts his "Vanishing Point", slam bang, non stop action persona by alternating scenes of violence with ones of quiet sensitivity that remind the viewer that this time Sarafian is working from a well regarded novel rather than a mindless original screenplay. But then, right around the time the Gutshall gal is raped by the Feather boys (or is it the other way around? Hard to keep the characters straight in Sue Grafton's script), it is as if Sarafian is suddenly doubting this contrasting approach to his material and instead reverts to the trusty ol blood bag as we are treated to multiple beatings, shootings of horses, conflagrations and slow motion killings. By the end the film looks like it was directed by the Griner boys, of "Deliverance" fame. C plus.
PS...Lotsa good performances from both the usual suspects (Ryan, Bridges, Busey) and the not so usual (i.e. Kiel Martin of "Hill St. Blues" fame, Scott Wilson of "In Cold Blood" fame, veteran red neck character actor Ed Lauter, and a stage actor I'd not seen before named Tresa Hughes).
PS...Lotsa good performances from both the usual suspects (Ryan, Bridges, Busey) and the not so usual (i.e. Kiel Martin of "Hill St. Blues" fame, Scott Wilson of "In Cold Blood" fame, veteran red neck character actor Ed Lauter, and a stage actor I'd not seen before named Tresa Hughes).