Review of Rampage

There are two versions of "Rampage" with very different endings. Both provoked debate. Coming after his "To Live and Die in LA", Friedkin's thriller is tight and dry, offering no easy solutions, and little in the way of sensationalism. It is an intimate portrait of a deeply religious public prosecutor (Michael Biehn) who is forced to question his beliefs and faith. Resembling a TV movie more than a feature, it has its slow spots and isn't always engaging, but it has several surprises, too. Alex McArthur is truly disturbing as Charlie Reece, a shrewd serial killer who is first introduced walking across a field on the way to his victim's house. The casual way he gains entry to the house is chilling. Ennio Morricone composed the beautiful, brittle score, and it is one of his most disturbing. Some films reveal unexpected beauty at unexpected moments. That beauty is in this film's final scene. As Morricone's haunting, amazing score begins to swell, a father takes his only surviving son to a carnival after sunset, and we watch as they enjoy the atmosphere. The sadness of loss hangs over them, but they hold on to the moment, nevertheless. With the music at its most beautiful, Friedin then cuts wide to show the spinning wheels of the carnival against the blackest of skies. It is an awesome image to end on, and resonates deep into the credit roll. "Rampage" is flawed but worthy.