Damaged — Damaged( VOD)

The idea of Samuel L. Jackson, he of Pulp Fiction and Snakes on a Plane, roaming the streets of Edinburgh on the hunt for an outrageously brutal serial killer aided in part by the enigmatic and incredibly charismatic Vincent Cassel is a rather mouthwatering prospect. Well, this is the premise of Amazon Prime’s new blockbuster flagship production Damaged, which sees Hollywood royalty join forces with British director Terry McDonough and Scotland’s own Gianni Capaldi who not only plays our put-upon lead but is credited with idea, screenplay and production duties.

For the average thriller-cum-horror ‘fan’, there’s no shortage of serial killers on our screens, whether its docs turning the spotlight on some of the most notorious real-life examples (thanks Netflix), or the constant deluge of fictional TV series and films made even more significant with the rise of streaming platforms – and yet demand shows no signs of abating.  Kickstarted (in this most recent era at least) by the doubleheader of Silence of the Lambs and Seven - to which it’s fair to say almost all films of this genre owe a debt, the ceaseless clamour for more has left filmmakers perpetually searching for a new and inventive spin, seeking out ever-more shocking narrative intricacies and level of brutality.

Here, we are in Chicago. Dan Lawson aka Samuel Jackson, hip flask in hand and plagued by grief at the death of his girlfriend, is sent over to Edinburgh to investigate a copycat killer where he joins forces with Scottish cop Glen Boyd (played by Capaldi). The usual buddy cop relationship develops as each relays their own deep-seated anguish to the other – Boyd having lost a child, Jackson having lost his wife to the serial killer in question – and we see the pair hot on the trail of their number one suspect, an interesting turn by the usually affable John Hannah and aided by a cast that includes not only Cassel in the role of ex-partner, ex-alcoholic and inherently world-weary and wise, but also the likes of The Witch’s Kate Dickie and Guardians of the Galaxy’s Laura Haddock. Naturally, nothing goes to plan and by golly what a murderous romp this becomes with more twists and turns than you can throw a stick at.

However, while this film ticks most serial killer thriller boxes, it is also mildly ridiculous. It’s weirdly compulsive viewing - at no point did I reach for the off button, but ultimately it moves into territory that shoots an already-slightly fantastical premise into the stratosphere. Credit to the writers, including producer Paul Aniello, who have at least tried to be adventurous and bring something new to a genre that is well-trodden to say the least – it just doesn’t really land.  There’s some tension, and it will fulfil most thriller-horror fans’ needs, but the narrative is really rather daft. Made all the worse by an acting display that can best be described as subpar. Capaldi is not terrible, he’s just not up to the material, while Jackson, normally a guaranteed winner, just seems unconvinced.

A decent premise and a film that despite everything I stayed with to the end. But all in all - it just not very good.