Casey Chong presents seven underrated serial killer movies of the 2000s…
The 2000s era saw a surge in thrillers, notably the serial killer subgenre, which focused more on the deeply psychological, at times, morally ambiguous aspects of the antagonist’s motives. Popular and acclaimed movies from American Psycho to others like Hannibal, Saw and Memories of Murder made their respective lasting impacts in cinemas, proving that audience and fans alike were more receptive to gritty and darker storytelling focusing on thought-provoking themes like obsession, trauma and vengeance. However, just like with other genre movies, a few of them either went under the radar or were eclipsed by the more recognizable entries. Here, we present seven of the most underrated serial killer movies of the 2000s, which deserve a second look…
Mr. Brooks (2007)
Mr. Brooks marked a significant turning point for Kevin Costner, who took a bold risk by stepping out of his comfort zone to play a psychologically disturbed character. A serial killer, to be exact. Directed by Bruce A. Evans in his only second directorial feature after 1992’s action comedy Kuffs, the story follows the double life of the titular character: Aa successful entrepreneur who owns a box-making company, and a loving family man with a beautiful wife (Marg Helgenberger) and a teenage daughter (Danielle Panabaker). He is also secretly addicted to killing, even earning the nickname “Thumbprint Killer” due to his morbid habit of leaving a bloody thumbprint of his murdered victims at the scene of the crime.
Beyond the killer’s methodical and remorseless nature that matches well with Costner’s familiar stoic and deadpan persona, the movie also incorporates elements of pitch-black humor in the form of William Hurt’s Marshall, who steals the show as Brooks’ snarky alter-ego and his inner voice. The film also has a lot more going for it, including an interesting plot about a young, wannabe killer (Dane Cook), who blackmails Brooks into accepting him as a protégé and teaching him the ropes on how to commit a perfect murder. Then, there’s the added police procedural led by Demi Moore’s spunky supporting performance as Detective Tracy Atwood. Mr. Brooks was meant as the first film of a trilogy, and despite the movie earning $48.1 million on a $20 million budget, it wasn’t enough to greenlight the other two proposed sequels.
Evilenko (2004)
Loosely based on the real-life Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, Malcolm McDowell inhabits the chilling role of the titular character, who targets children and young women for revolting acts of murder, rape, and cannibalism. Italian director David Grieco, who made his feature-length directorial debut witht he film, doesn’t shy away from establishing how vile McDowell’s initial character is as a schoolteacher in Kyiv for attempting to molest a student in a classroom.
The movie retains its stark and disturbing tone throughout its runtime as the story continues to navigate Evilenko’s darkest path in his modus operandi as more victims piling up. The subsequent introduction of Vadim Timurovich Lesiev (a no-nonsense Marton Csokas), a magistrate enlisted to track down the serial killer, adds a sense of intrigue in an ensuing game of cat and mouse. But instead of heading to a mainstream-friendly high-octane chase movie tropes, Grieco opted to delve more into the psychological battle between Vadim and Evilenko. And despite the lurid subject matter, the otherwise expected graphic scenes are mostly implied, with the murders more clinical rather than sensationalized typically seen in a Hollywood thriller.
Dahmer (2002)
Years before Jeremy Renner was known for his role as Hawkeye in the MCU movies alongside other high profile films such as The Hurt Locker and The Bourne Legacy, he made an early appearance in the independent biographical crime drama Dahmer. The title refers to his titular character, Jeffrey Dahmer, the notorious real-life serial killer responsible for multiple murders between 1978 and 1991. Instead of treading the familiar grounds of an A-to-Z biopic formula, director and co-writer David Jacobson zeroes in more on the intimate character study of Dahmer’s present-day murders with recurring flashbacks of his earlier days partially told in a non-linear style.
It may come across as a narrative gimmick, but it works well in the story’s favor to mirror Dahmer’s cold yet fragmented mental and emotional nature of detachment, loneliness and social inadequacy. Jacob also avoid sensationalizes Dahmer’s murderous path by keeping his movie clinical with a sense of atmospheric dread. Most of the movie’s success lies in Renner’s understated performance, whose glassy gaze and nonchalant personality make him all the more unsettling when he commits the murders. His breakout role garnered an Independent Spirit Award nomination in the Best Male Lead category.
Antibodies (2005)
Before Christian Alvart had a brief Hollywood stint, seen in Pandorum and Case 39, one of the German director’s earlier movies back in his native country was a Silence of the Lambs-style crime thriller and police procedural titled Antibodies. The movie has a cold open that goes straight for the jugular – a police raid on catching the serial killer and child molester Gabriel Engel (played with sinister perfection by André Hennicke), who is responsible for killing 13 boys. The story then subsequently focuses on the psychological manipulation between the imprisoned Engel and the devout Michael Martens (Wotan Wilke Möhring, in an engrossing performance), a small-time police officer who finds himself increasingly fractured about his deep sense of morality and faith.
Alvart is less invested in the lurid details of the murders but more in how a deeply disturbed killer like Engel is capable of psychologically corrupting Martens’ mind by planting doubts, ideas and guilt, causing the latter to start questioning his own strong, devoted belief. The narratively dense narrative may have been a turn-off for viewers looking for a more traditional cop vs. serial killer thriller. But it’s hard to deny its uniquely European approach that goes deep into the intellectual and philosophical exploration of evil personified and religious fears.
Surveillance (2008)
Fifteen years after the Boxing Helena debacle, director and co-writer Jennifer Lynch returned with a pulpy crime thriller, Surveillance, which follows two FBI agents (Bill Pullman and Julia Ormond) arriving at the police station in a rural Nebraska town to interrogate the witnesses of the violent deaths. The death in question refers to how the roadside massacre takes place as the story goes back and forth between the interrogation and the witnesses’ statements in the form of recurring flashbacks of the event.
Lynch does a better job here than her ill-fated directorial debut in navigating her narrative tone that mixes serial killer tropes, police procedural and whodunit with a dash of jet-black humor. Executive produced by her famous father, David, the movie is also filled with offbeat characters and shocking bursts of violence. But what elevates Surveillance the most is how Lynch manages to pull the rabbit out of the hat by subverting the expectations once the puzzle is pieced altogether.
The Crimson Rivers (2000)
A visceral, French take on Se7en, director and co-writer Mathieu Kassovitz turns the snowy alpine landscapes of the French Alps into a grisly murder playground in The Crimson Rivers. The movie begins with an attention-grabbing opening: A heinous murder takes place, where the mutilated corpse of a naked victim is found hanging on the side of the mountain in the small (fictional) town of Guernon, leading a police detective and commissioner (Jean Reno) to investigate the case. The Se7en-like comparison comes from the movie’s ritualistic crime scenes, and credit goes to Kassovitz for depicting them with matter-of-fact brutality, violence and a foreboding sense of dread.
Interestingly, The Crimson Rivers not only mixes murder mystery and police procedural but also lets loose by incorporating elements of buddy-cop dynamic between the mismatched partnership of the stoic Jean Reno’s Pierre Niemans and the volatile Vincent Cassel’s Max Kerkerian, and a few action-movie tropes (at one point, Max engages in a brutal hand-to-hand combat against the uncooperative skinheads). The movie did well enough worldwide to warrant a sequel four years later and even earned five César Awards nominations, including Best Director for Mathieu Kassovitz.
Mindhunters (2004)
It’s a pity that Mindhunters came and gone with little fanfare after it died a quick death at the box office, which failed to recoup its $27 million budget. Not to mention the movie has undergone a series of misfortunes from the studio transitions to the rating issues and a significantly delayed release. Renny Harlin’s post-Cutthroat Island disaster may have jeopardized his once-promising career, but he did bounce back at one point in Deep Blue Sea. His Mindhunters may have been a box-office flop, but it’s hard to ignore the director’s pulpy sense of over-the-top thrills, who uses Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None-like whodunit to his advantage.
The story itself boasts a wickedly fun premise: A group of FBI trainees (among them played by Kathryn Morris, LL Cool J and Jonny Lee Miller) arrives at a remote island for simulation training under the supervision of the profiler and instructor (Val Kilmer). The training goes awry as one by one is murdered, with either of the team members could be a serial killer. The guess-the-killer mystery may have been convoluted, but Harlin manages to keep his movie brisk with enough red herrings and visceral set pieces that emphasize practical over CGI-heavy effects. He also goes as far as eschewing the plot armor, preventing you from easily determine who will end up surviving the ordeal based on the star power, making Mindhunters a subversive cinematic experience.
Have you seen any of these films? What other 2000s serial killer movies are worthy of a spot on the list? Let us know on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
Casey Chong
