SummarySeven people are passing time one late evening at a small roadside diner in the middle of nowhere. Among them are Noreen, a waitress trapped in a loveless marriage; John, a melancholy salesman; Hank, a quiet with a secret; Lonnie, a small-town cop; and Jimmy, the ill-tempered owner. When a radio reports the disturbing murders of a family in a nea... Read More
Directed By:Mark Young
Written By:Mark Young
The Killing Jar
Metascore
Overwhelming Dislike
14
User score
Generally Favorable
6.9
My Score
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Metascore
Overwhelming Dislike
14
0% Positive
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
0% Mixed
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
100% Negative
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
30
Benson is so terrible her close-up line readings feel as inconsequential as the insert shots, and Madsen, it must be said, finally looks exasperated with playing grumbly psychos. At times he looks as helpless as his hostages.
30
A cheapie hostage drama with a lot more swagger than substance, The Killing Jar strains to wring tension from a tired premise and an airless script.
20
A cliched, talky variation on the 1936 Bogie classic "The Petrified Forest," with scant dramatic tension but gallons of spilled blood on the menu.
20
Mark Young’s bargain-basement thriller is as witless as the captor’s motive; to paraphrase another well-dressed Madsen psycho, this little doggie barks, but it has no bite.
10
A spectacularly boring chamber thriller.
0
The film has no pulse and feels interminable, with its stilted dialogue, static staging, and usually fine actors who are horrendous here--Amber Benson is all moist-eyed empathy as the waitress while Madsen is laughably bad.
User score
Generally Favorable
6.9
71% Positive
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
14% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
14% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Jun 18, 2023
7
I don't understand why The Killing Jar has such a low rating. Yes, The Killing Jar is not an outstanding chamber film, but not bad. There is suspense, there is a simple formula with a murderer and hostages, there is also a plot twist. And it all works in general. As a movie for one viewing, it will go well. Of course, the finale is somewhat disappointing, after all, the main plot twist is read by the viewer in the middle of the film. But attention to at least one detail that is casually spoken at the beginning of the film and which it ends is surprising. A good chamber thriller with a simple story.
Production Company:
- Mark Young Films
- Morningstar Films
Release Date:Mar 19, 2010
Duration:1 h 32 m
Rating:R
