Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Sorry, this movie sucks

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

I had not heard of this movie or about the real events that inspired it before accidently stumbling across the movie on Netflix. But I gave it a chance anyway, and I am glad that I did. While the low budget of the entire enterprise does show at times, and that some of the characters (particularly the three young men who free their convict father and accompany him on his escape) could have been fleshed out some more, the movie does manage to command your attention all the same. The acting is solid and professional, particularly Robert Patrick as the criminal patriarch of the family; he not only comes across as very dangerous, he comes across as dangerous in a believable manner. Also, the story is presented in a manner that doesn't have any dull moments, even when it cuts away from the fugitives and focuses on the supporting characters. You'll be interested in knowing how everything will be wrapped up in the end.... though a flash-forward in the opening sequence does kind of spoil the surprise. It's well done enough to earn mild sleeper status, making it worth a look.

It is frightening that there are cold blooded heartless killers and ignorant insecure people that follow them. It was gut wrenching watching a young family with their baby and a newlywed couple executed in cold blood by cowards. Used to Hollywood movie scripts, you can't help but anticipating the innocent people somehow escape and overcome their captors. Having lived in the Mohave desert, the screen can not come close to capturing the constant oppressive heat that can kill a person without water in hours as well as invoking heat stroke along with confused thinking. If Tison was in anything like Sheriff Joe's outdoor prison, I'd do anything to escape that hell hole.

This review will irritate some people I know and I don't care. The movie was great by the way and Robert Patrick is awesome. It's a much better version than the one made in 1983. I just want to look at it -being a real event took place 70s- from a different perspective. Just think about from Lyonses' perspective -the family they killed-. So this poor fellow stops in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere to HELP some poor kid. He could have driven on, think about the family he is supposed to protect right? No, he chooses to stop and help. Why? Probably because he has certain religious teachings settled in his mind saying God would love people helping each other(and not necessarily hate stupid people, does He?) or/and some similar ethics and moral came from the society he was raised into, saying 'you need to be good to other people' ... and he choses to be good. He chooses to be good to be reckless and stupid because highly possible that when acting in such high sprit -even though against all odds-, God or Karma or something would protect him. No, in the next minutes he sees(or even doesn't) all his loved ones get killed by vicious people they didn't know before. The only reason we should be good is because with good people this crazy world is going to get better, otherwise it'll be a chaos and we will not like it. It's NOT because some stupid book or books written thousands of years ago said so. Being good is good but that should not sacrifice our rational thinking.

I had 2 minds to watch this movie but since it had Robert Patrick, I figured I'd give it a shot and man I'm happy I did! This is a thriller fugitive movie about 2 cold blooded killers. Gary made his sons believe so much in him that his murderous antics too were overlooked by the innocent boys. The movie slowly gets into your skin with the different scenes of murders, followed by the gut wrenching dialogues. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful. In the deserts, up the hills, in the storm, night rides, hiding spots etc..Great background music score and brilliant performances by all. Of course, it goes without saying; Robert Patrick yet again will blow your mind with his performance. If you're a fan of fugitive serial killer movies with a touch of great thrills and cinematography, this movie is for you. I gave it a 10 as there was no part where I felt bored or asleep. MUST WATCH!