Watch Surveillance
- R
- 2008
- 1 hr 38 min
-
6.3 (18,551)
Surveillance is a psychological horror film released in 2008. The film stars Julia Ormond, Bill Pullman, Pell James, and Ryan Simpkins. The movie was written and directed by Jennifer Lynch, and it tells the story of two FBI agents who are investigating a series of brutal murders in a small town. The film starts with two agents, Elizabeth Anderson (Julia Ormond) and Sam Hallaway (Bill Pullman), investigating a series of gruesome murders that have occurred on a remote highway. As they interview witnesses, it becomes clear that the murders were committed by a group of strangers, who forced their way into the victims' cars and murdered them.
Elizabeth and Sam continue their investigation, and during their interviews, they realize that each witness has a different version of the events that transpired. As they struggle to make sense of the conflicting accounts, the agents begin to suspect that something larger is at play.
The film is told in a nonlinear fashion, with flashbacks and flash-forwards keeping the audience off-balance. As the story unfolds, the agents come to realize that the murderers are not strangers at all, but people who are intimately familiar with the victims. The film delves into themes of memory, perception, and the ways in which people can twist reality to suit their own needs.
The main characters in the film are well-crafted, with Julia Ormond and Bill Pullman delivering strong performances as Elizabeth and Sam. Elizabeth is a seasoned agent who is haunted by her past, while Sam is a more laid-back investigator who is willing to take risks. Pell James also delivers a standout performance as a traumatized witness who may hold the key to the mystery.
The movie is shot in a very distinctive style, with Lynch using a lot of tight close-ups and unusual camera angles to create a sense of unease. The film's visual style is complemented by a haunting score composed by frequent Lynch collaborator Angelo Badalamenti.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the film is the way in which it deals with memory and perception. As the agents interview witnesses, the audience is forced to confront the fact that memory is often fallible and that two people can experience the same event in radically different ways.
The film does contain graphic violence, and some viewers may find certain scenes to be disturbing. However, the violence is never gratuitous, and it is always used to serve the story.
Overall, Surveillance is a tense, unsettling film that rewards careful attention. The film's nonlinear narrative, strong performances, and distinctive visual style make it a standout entry in the horror genre. Fans of psychological horror and Lynch's earlier work are sure to find a lot to appreciate in this film.
Surveillance is a 2008 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 38 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.3 and a MetaScore of 31.