One day at a diner, a stranger named Jack helps Paul deal with a tough truck driver who harassed him on the road. Paul then offers Jack a place to stay. At this point, we can’t help feeling that was a risky move on Paul’s part. What was he thinking?
Sure enough, Jack (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) soon begins intruding into Paul’s (Antonio Banderas) work and trying to best him at practically everything. But why? Could he be the killer responsible for the missing women? He certainly seems happy to be in Paul’s isolated location, and whenever he appeared on screen, I felt very, very nervous.
Mystery and suspense galore
will keep you guessing. That’s in store
while watching this Black Butterfly.
Who is the killer and will he fry?
Two men engage in cat and mouse
within a most secluded house.
Banderas and Rhys Meyers play
these guys in such a perfect way.
A writer and a vagabond
form a very peculiar bond.
Which one will win this fateful game
and walk away with all the fame?
Don’t make a bet on how things end.
You might lose funds on this, my friend.
Just watch the film with rapt intent.
Pay attention is what I meant!
Directed by Brian Goodman and based on the French thriller Papillion Noir, Black Butterfly comes across as an intriguing puzzle that still has me wondering if I’ve put all the pieces together correctly. But the film offers thrills and nerve-wracking excitement as well as strong performances by its excellent co-stars. And it held my interest from beginning to end.
If you enjoyed Secret Window starring Johnny Depp as another distressed writer in a secluded cabin, Black Butterfly might be a good bet for you.
…what gives the variety of thrillers a common ground is the intensity of emotions they create, particularly those of apprehension and exhilaration, of excitement and breathlessness, all designed to generate that all-important thrill. --- James Patterson
(Released by Lionsgate Premiere and rated “R” by MPAA.)
Review also posted at ReelTalk Movie Reviews.
