KILLER IMAGE is a strictly ordinary Canadian B-movie thriller - ordinary, that is, aside from another electrifying performance from Michael Ironside as the villain of the piece. This was made during a time when Ironside was pumping out the Bs, playing bad guy after bad guy in the wake of his big screen performance in TOTAL RECALL, and he's unforgettably sinister here. Sadly, the film's main character is quite bland and lacking by comparison, a photographer who finds himself stalked by persons unknown after witnessing a crime. The film offers a little crime, a little horror, some cheesy bonding, and another flustered turn from M. Emmet Walsh, but it's Ironside who's the focus here and he gets plenty of screen time as the ice cold killer. The final scenes in particular offer an acting tour de force from the star.
14 Reviews
"No press. No police. I'll see you tomorrow night."
lost-in-limbo30 March 2013
Edgy, atmospheric little psycho thriller made the more interesting for having Michael Ironside in his usual typecast role. Yep you guess it right
no one does stone-cold, dangerous psycho better than Ironside. What I thought was going to be a political/conspiracy sort of thriller, transcended into a basic on-the-run, cat-and-mouse format between a psycho (whose brother just happens to be a senator up for re-election) and young photographer (whose older brother just recently died taking some discriminating photos). It becomes a battle of wills between the two as Ironside toys around with John Pyper-Ferguson's out-on-his feet character; blackmail, murder and a lot photos. We are thrown right into it, but the narrative while taut and quick moving is quite hazy and unfocused on the details. Things just seem to happen with little insight and can be unbelievably ludicrous. There's no question though, it's as mundane as you can get but David Winning's sharp workman-like handling impulsively engages and so does Ironside's deviously menacing turn as a brother living in the shadows of older brother. Pyper-Ferguson is modest across from him and Krista Errickson is reasonably good as a lady who gets up in it all. Also starring was another well-known face; M. Emmet Walsh adequately holds his own in the small moments he's in.
"You killed my happy ending"! "To hell with your happy ending"!
"You killed my happy ending"! "To hell with your happy ending"!
Pretty unremarkable stuff on the whole
Red-Barracuda8 March 2016
This Canadian movie is a pretty standard early 90's thriller. It's truthfully pretty pedestrian in most ways but it does benefit from the presence of genre legend Michael Ironside and respected character actor M. Emmet Walsh; both of whom play a pair of brothers, whose bad actions get the film's plot underway. The story is essentially about a professional killer who seeks incriminating photographs which are in the possession of a man whose brother he murdered. This leads to all manner of unreasonable behaviour being carried out by out pony-tailed psychopath.
This is not a particularly well written film. It is not, for instance, especially clear why the pivotal murder even happens in the first place. And characters continue to act in illogical ways throughout the story. In fairness, it's not the first thriller to succumb to this, so it's hardly a deal breaker. It is a bit lethargic though and really only comes to life when either Ironside or Walsh are on the screen. So, not an awful lot to recommend here but at the same time it does get the job done, it just does it with the minimum effort.
This is not a particularly well written film. It is not, for instance, especially clear why the pivotal murder even happens in the first place. And characters continue to act in illogical ways throughout the story. In fairness, it's not the first thriller to succumb to this, so it's hardly a deal breaker. It is a bit lethargic though and really only comes to life when either Ironside or Walsh are on the screen. So, not an awful lot to recommend here but at the same time it does get the job done, it just does it with the minimum effort.
sucks just sucks
jonathan-57718 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Dion put me on to this as an example of a Canadian film - Copper Mountain was the other, and this belongs in its ignominious company - where you just can't understand how it ever got the green light, in this case from Telefilm not to mention M. Emmett Walsh's agent. Did anyone read this script before signing off? Was it a gesture of equanimity to our Alberta friends? I'm serious - they should have changed the end credits so they read, "Any similarity to actual human behavior is entirely coincidental." I am all for illogic and rejection of conventional narrative values, but you can't have it both ways - cat-and-mouse procedurals have to make SOME kind of sense. I don't even know where to begin - there should be a drinking game (or screen writing course) based on this movie's plot holes. I'll just pick a couple at random. A) In the first scene (the first scene!!), the guy snapping photos of Michael Ironside dumping the body sees he's been noticed - and reacts by riding his motorbike directly TOWARD him and onto the main road, the better to be killed. As he's being shot at, with no cover, he hops off the dirt bike to take another picture, falls back like he's been shot, then climbs back on the bike like nothing's happened. B) When the guy's ladyfriend yells into the phone "Wait there - I'll be right over!" he doesn't wait there and she is not right over - although both their lives depend on it. C) Unless I'm missing something, the dead guy's photo studio is accessed both by freight elevator and ground-floor loading dock. The first time our hero walks in, it's by elevator, going up....from where?? D) The master assassin Ironside, who helpfully provides his target with his given name, tries to frame him by scattering about some polaroids of our hero in apparent acts of murder. Hint: when framing somebody, do NOT encourage the cops to question why there was a third party in the apartment snapping photos. E) In the climax, Our Hero gets back at Ironside by taking polaroids of HIS murder in progress and leaving them around the forest, where he can't possibly find them all, so someone will find them and justice will be served. First of all, says who? Second of all, what if it, like, rains - polaroids don't like that too much. Third of all, Our Hero has no way of knowing about the polaroids Ironside left at the scene, so where'd he get the idea? Fourth of all, after being beaten senseless and near death, Ironside goes for a stroll and finds all the polaroids anyway - so much for that plan! ...okay, that's enough to give you the flavor, with the additional note that there's no reason Ironside shouldn't just stroll in and shoot the guy in the head at his first opportunity. Only then there'd be no movie, would be the conventional response. In this case though, that would have been a positive thing!
Utterly awful ........
merklekranz22 August 2016
Two points, one for Michael Ironside, and one for M. Emmet Walsh, both of whom are trapped in this truly terrible film. The writing is some of the worst ever, with zero character development, and scenes that seem to have been randomly inserted in no particular order. Confusion abounds, and the viewer will quickly lose interest. Why should anyone care about characters we know nothing about, in situations that make little sense. Even with the presence of Ironside and Walsh, "Killer Image" is a stinker of major proportions. After about 40 minutes, I couldn't take any more punishment, and hit the eject button. Just one more DVD for my garage sale. - MERK
A weak Canadian thriller.
BA_Harrison6 August 2014
After taking incriminating snaps of adulterous senator John Kane (M. Emmet Walsh) getting frisky with his unlikely bit on the side, photographer Ric Oliver (Paul Austin) witnesses the murder of the poor woman at the hands of Kane's uncontrollable brother Luther (Michael Ironside). Ric's subsequent actions makes one wonder how someone so dumb could even operate a camera: instead of immediately going to the police with the evidence, the lens-man unwisely follows the killer as he dumps the body into a reservoir (in broad daylight!), but is spotted while taking more pictures. Realising that he has been seen, Ric gets onto his motorbike, but rather than speed off in the opposite direction, he races towards the gun-toting murderer, thereby sealing his own fate.
This level of idiocy seems to run in the family, for Ric's brother Max displays a similar lack of common sense in most matters, and soon finds himself being blackmailed by Luther, who is keen to get his hands on the late brother's incriminating roll of film (which he had the foresight to hide in his motorbike's fuel tank before getting himself killed). After repeatedly being manipulated with ease by loathsome Luther, who even tricks him into riding a roller-coaster with a dead hooker, Max comes up with an incredibly crap plan to foil the killer. And this being an incredibly crap film, the incredibly crap plan works!
3/10 for being so unintentionally moronic that it is occasionally funny; however, not even the presence of the usually brilliant Ironside (who hams it up a treat on this occasion) can make me rate this movie any higher.
This level of idiocy seems to run in the family, for Ric's brother Max displays a similar lack of common sense in most matters, and soon finds himself being blackmailed by Luther, who is keen to get his hands on the late brother's incriminating roll of film (which he had the foresight to hide in his motorbike's fuel tank before getting himself killed). After repeatedly being manipulated with ease by loathsome Luther, who even tricks him into riding a roller-coaster with a dead hooker, Max comes up with an incredibly crap plan to foil the killer. And this being an incredibly crap film, the incredibly crap plan works!
3/10 for being so unintentionally moronic that it is occasionally funny; however, not even the presence of the usually brilliant Ironside (who hams it up a treat on this occasion) can make me rate this movie any higher.
Why are Canadian-made movies so wooden?
TalkToMe9 November 2004
Why is it that Canadian-made movies are so wooden?
The script of this movie has potential but it just doesn't work. I think it may be the editing. There is no pacing. The scenes just move along without any buildup of tension.
The movie includes two experienced actors, Michael Ironside and M. Emmet Walsh, with Ironside taking the lead as the anti hero.
Nothing really happens to make the movie interesting. The hero, John Pyer- Ferguson is unimpressive; the dialogue is boring and the plot is predictable and moves like molasses. Even the color was washed out.
I started to watch this movie on the late show and got so bored that I ended up surfing the Internet at the same time and felt that I missed nothing.
The script of this movie has potential but it just doesn't work. I think it may be the editing. There is no pacing. The scenes just move along without any buildup of tension.
The movie includes two experienced actors, Michael Ironside and M. Emmet Walsh, with Ironside taking the lead as the anti hero.
Nothing really happens to make the movie interesting. The hero, John Pyer- Ferguson is unimpressive; the dialogue is boring and the plot is predictable and moves like molasses. Even the color was washed out.
I started to watch this movie on the late show and got so bored that I ended up surfing the Internet at the same time and felt that I missed nothing.
Why? Just...why?
MBunge24 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Bad, lame, boring, pointless, useless
none of those words even begin to describe this story of brothers who both happen to be photographers and get caught up in a political scandal and a convoluted tangle of murder and deception.
All I can say about Killer Image is this - If you'd like to see M. Emmet Walsh with his shirt off, this is your kind of movie. If you'd like to see Michael Ironside with one of those little, douchebag ponytails, this is your kind of movie. For everyone else, if you see Killer Image sitting on the shelf in your local video store, do not pick it up. Just back slowly away and get something else, even if the only other thing in the store is a Pauly Shore-Angela Landsbury sex tape.
All I can say about Killer Image is this - If you'd like to see M. Emmet Walsh with his shirt off, this is your kind of movie. If you'd like to see Michael Ironside with one of those little, douchebag ponytails, this is your kind of movie. For everyone else, if you see Killer Image sitting on the shelf in your local video store, do not pick it up. Just back slowly away and get something else, even if the only other thing in the store is a Pauly Shore-Angela Landsbury sex tape.
"I hate to be melodramatic Max, but her life is in your hands"
hwg1957-102-26570415 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Despite having the great Michael Ironside and the equally great M. Emmet Walsh as brothers (now there is an interesting combination!) this film seems much longer than its 94 minutes with a winding plot concerning photography, revenge, brotherly love and a politician leading to a predictable climax. It is tedious and our hero Max Oliver is dull. This is a shame as he is played by John Pyper-Ferguson who is a decent actor. The script is lame. One kept asking oneself, why doesn't he do that or that or that? It was filmed flatly with boring visuals though the last location scene was set by a very picturesque waterfall, the only interesting looking thing in the film. There probably was a music score but I can't remember any of it so little impression did it make.
A forgettable film.
A forgettable film.
If you love Michael Ironside see this film, or else!
groolovescia10 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
If you love Michael Ironside, you'll love Killer Image. If you hated this movie, you must not like Michael Ironside or Canadian films.
He plays a hit-man for a senator, his brother. He ends up having to execute the senator's secret girlfriend, and gets caught in the end. Of course the sexy Ironside, ever so the bad guy in this film, gets killed. Be careful when you go into the Canadian woods...
He dresses to kill and makes me hot. Damn, I'd get banned if I told you all what Michael Ironside does to me every time I see this movie.
Yeah, some of the film is disjointed, but it does have a plot. It is a Canadian film, so it has an edge American films do not. Michael Ironside looks so dangerous and sexy at the same time.
This movie has violence and sex in it too for all you sickos. Enjoy.
He plays a hit-man for a senator, his brother. He ends up having to execute the senator's secret girlfriend, and gets caught in the end. Of course the sexy Ironside, ever so the bad guy in this film, gets killed. Be careful when you go into the Canadian woods...
He dresses to kill and makes me hot. Damn, I'd get banned if I told you all what Michael Ironside does to me every time I see this movie.
Yeah, some of the film is disjointed, but it does have a plot. It is a Canadian film, so it has an edge American films do not. Michael Ironside looks so dangerous and sexy at the same time.
This movie has violence and sex in it too for all you sickos. Enjoy.
Disappointing thriller.
DigitalRevenantX711 June 2015
Warning: Spoilers
CAUTION: Plot spoilers present.
Freelance photographer Max Oliver is mourning the death of his brother Ric, who was also in the photo business. Soon Max finds his life invaded by a mysterious figure who is searching for some negatives that implicate the local senator John Kane engaged in an illicit tryst with a prostitute. As the psychopath – revealed to be Kane's psycho brother Luther – frames him for murder in an attempt to force him to hand over some negatives, Max finds a roll of film in his late brother's motorbike & upon processing it discovers that the negatives not only implicate John Kane for his affair but Luther for secretly killing the hooker & dumping her body into a dam.
Killer Image was a cheap Canadian B-thriller made in the early 1990s under the tutelage of producer Pierre David's Image Organization production group. The film stars Michael Ironside as a psychopathic killer whose attempts to procure some incriminating evidence of his involvement in some murders comes unstuck when he messes with the brother of one of his victims.
As far as cheap thrillers go, Killer Image is something of a disappointment. The opening scene works well enough although could have needed some exposition in order to let viewers understand what is going on. Afterwards, the film gets stuck with second-rate (& not particularly convincing) thriller mechanics. It is never made clear why Ironside's character murdered the hooker since the senator was planning to marry her & why he is trying to frame the photographer for the murders.
On the acting front, the actors give decent performances. Michael Ironside is at his best as the sharp-suited killer although he finds himself unstuck by the poor writing & poor characterisation of his character. M. Emmet Walsh gives the film what little dignity is deserves as the senator brother.
Freelance photographer Max Oliver is mourning the death of his brother Ric, who was also in the photo business. Soon Max finds his life invaded by a mysterious figure who is searching for some negatives that implicate the local senator John Kane engaged in an illicit tryst with a prostitute. As the psychopath – revealed to be Kane's psycho brother Luther – frames him for murder in an attempt to force him to hand over some negatives, Max finds a roll of film in his late brother's motorbike & upon processing it discovers that the negatives not only implicate John Kane for his affair but Luther for secretly killing the hooker & dumping her body into a dam.
Killer Image was a cheap Canadian B-thriller made in the early 1990s under the tutelage of producer Pierre David's Image Organization production group. The film stars Michael Ironside as a psychopathic killer whose attempts to procure some incriminating evidence of his involvement in some murders comes unstuck when he messes with the brother of one of his victims.
As far as cheap thrillers go, Killer Image is something of a disappointment. The opening scene works well enough although could have needed some exposition in order to let viewers understand what is going on. Afterwards, the film gets stuck with second-rate (& not particularly convincing) thriller mechanics. It is never made clear why Ironside's character murdered the hooker since the senator was planning to marry her & why he is trying to frame the photographer for the murders.
On the acting front, the actors give decent performances. Michael Ironside is at his best as the sharp-suited killer although he finds himself unstuck by the poor writing & poor characterisation of his character. M. Emmet Walsh gives the film what little dignity is deserves as the senator brother.
Mediocre movie, but Steve Merchant's performance makes it worthwhile
robbp4121 July 2023
Despite a small role from a tall actor, there is nothing lanky about Steve Merchant's performance as Kirk in Killer Image.
Even though this only seems to be his first Hollywood movie, he displays the cool attitude of a modern day actor like Clive Warren.
While he wasn't able to display them in this movie, Merchant's past experience with wire work and stunt falls truly shone through in this movie.
Mark this movie as the start of his now budding action star career. His next role should have his imagined riches turning real, with these kinds of performances.
As for the remainder of the cast, they turn in serviceable performances. While Ironsides is as good as usual, I'd rather just watch an episode of Columbo over this forgettable movie.
Even though this only seems to be his first Hollywood movie, he displays the cool attitude of a modern day actor like Clive Warren.
While he wasn't able to display them in this movie, Merchant's past experience with wire work and stunt falls truly shone through in this movie.
Mark this movie as the start of his now budding action star career. His next role should have his imagined riches turning real, with these kinds of performances.
As for the remainder of the cast, they turn in serviceable performances. While Ironsides is as good as usual, I'd rather just watch an episode of Columbo over this forgettable movie.
Great just great
swordfish-125 May 2002
Suspense from the Great North
lor_8 August 2023
My review was written in December 1992 after watching the movie on Paramount video cassette.
"Killer Image" is a well-made Canadian suspense feature debut that has inexplicably opened at year's end in Los Angeles to qualify for Oscar consideration. Its natural home is home video, where Paramount Home Video released it this past summer.
M. Emmet Walsh toplines as a corrupt senator whose brother, perennial screen baddie Michael Ironside, is shown dumping a body in the film's opening.
Incriminating photos of Walsh with a prostitute, snapped by Paul Austin, cost the shutterbug his life. Austin's brother Max (John Pyper-Ferguson) is out to set things right, but Ironside frames him for the murder of another hooker and discredits him with the police as a "boy who cried wolf".
Filmmaker David Winning, in his second feature assignment, has a plot that becomes increasingly far-fetched as Ironside's complicated schemes keep going awry. Pyper-Ferguson teams up with his brother's girlfriend, lovely American thesp Krista Errickson, and of course a romance develops.
Storyline resolves itself with Pyper-Ferguson turning Walsh and Ironside against each other. The symmetry of brothers versus brothers is not fully developed since Austin's role is minor.
Though the film is set in the U. S., its Calgary area locations are attractive, including a cliffhanger finale above surging water rapids. Cast is okay.
"Killer Image" is a well-made Canadian suspense feature debut that has inexplicably opened at year's end in Los Angeles to qualify for Oscar consideration. Its natural home is home video, where Paramount Home Video released it this past summer.
M. Emmet Walsh toplines as a corrupt senator whose brother, perennial screen baddie Michael Ironside, is shown dumping a body in the film's opening.
Incriminating photos of Walsh with a prostitute, snapped by Paul Austin, cost the shutterbug his life. Austin's brother Max (John Pyper-Ferguson) is out to set things right, but Ironside frames him for the murder of another hooker and discredits him with the police as a "boy who cried wolf".
Filmmaker David Winning, in his second feature assignment, has a plot that becomes increasingly far-fetched as Ironside's complicated schemes keep going awry. Pyper-Ferguson teams up with his brother's girlfriend, lovely American thesp Krista Errickson, and of course a romance develops.
Storyline resolves itself with Pyper-Ferguson turning Walsh and Ironside against each other. The symmetry of brothers versus brothers is not fully developed since Austin's role is minor.
Though the film is set in the U. S., its Calgary area locations are attractive, including a cliffhanger finale above surging water rapids. Cast is okay.
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