Meeting Evil (2012)

Genre : Thriller
Country: USA

Cast :
Samuel L. Jackson : Richie
Luke Wilson : John
Leslie Bibb : Joanie

Director:
Chris Fisher

Summary
The real estate agent John is down on his luck: he has been just fired from his job; his home has been sent into foreclosure; and his marriage is going downhill. On his birthday, his wife Joanie has an argument with him and she takes their children walking. Out of the blue, stranger Richie knocks on his front door and asks for help, since his car is not starting. John helps to push the car but hurts his leg, and Richie offers to take him to the hospital. Richie is inconvenient and along their journey, John realizes that the man is a psychopath killer that commits a spree killing everywhere they go.

My opinion

"The question is, John, do you hate me more than you love your family."

Weird, but despite all the negative opinions about this movie, I must confess that I thought it was a entertaining and ingeniously intertwined psychopathic film. I admit, it's not a simplistic story, sometimes it seems confusing and has a sudden end at which point you sit back and the only thing you can say is “Huh ?”. When you expect a movie with a comprehensible fluently told story, with not too many complications and no shocking impressions, and a happy feel good ending, you better look out for some soft Disney movie .

"Meeting Evil" for me was a psychotic roller coaster trip where a typical day of a real estate agent very quickly turns into a horrible nightmare with a trip straight to hell. At one time I really had the impression that Samuel L. Jackson was the personification of the devil himself. As if he came straight out of hell, to help the poor guy to take revenge at everyone who made his life hopeless and almost ruined it. Next I had the idea that John was being transferred into a split personality and he himself was on a killing spree. As one of the detectives suggested, it is possible that someone on the verge of a personal bankruptcy and about to lose everything, could snap and start such a mayhem.

S.L.Jackson plays, in my judgment, the hired assassin who takes too much satisfaction in killing anyone who in his eyes is disturbingly rude and hypocritical, in a masterful way. His staring was at times stunning. At moments a demonic destructive crazy look. The next moment a understanding and comforting look. Meanwhile using one liners of wisdom and restorative language so that John finally takes matters into his own hands.Luke Wilson had his lesser moments. Sometimes even in a disruptive way. I think that if you have such an experience being tossed around the whole day from one improbable situation to another, you’ll surely have an emotional, anxious and aggressive reaction. But the whole movie he acted as if he was attending a mega funeral. So sad and beaten down. On the other hand, maybe I would be acting in the same way when I was in his situation : an enormous debt, without a job, probably realizing that your wife is playing twister in bed with the muscular young handyman who constructs the pool.
Leslie Bibb as John's wife, surprised me once when she was verbally sweeping the floor with the female detective. The frightened, average housewife suddenly transformed into a fury.

As mentioned, it raises some questions at the end , but I am still convinced that Richie's statement is close to the ultimate truth . Besides, you can also see at the beginning there’s the intention to shoot John. He had already opened the trunk of his car and his gun ready to shoot , but was stopped by the fact that the little girl with the dog was watching.

There were only few minor things that weren’t that great. First the sometimes rather weird actions of the police. And at the the end the struggle, knife waving and stabbing and hitting with a golf club, looked hugely amateurish. But these disadvantages are outweighed by the whole of this highly entertaining thriller. A perfect film to start another movie weekend.