Kane Hodder gives an excellent and convincing performance as Dennis L. Rader, the infamous sadistic serial killer who tied up and tortured his victims prior to savagely murdering them. Writer/director Michael Feifer presents Rader as a complex and fascinating bundle of contradictions: he's a dedicated, but overzealous compliance officer, a loving family man with a wife and two daughters, a boy scout leader, and even the president at a local church, but also suffered from sexual problems and an irresistible urge which compelled him to commit these atrocious and inhumane acts of calculated murder (the scenes with Rader manhandling his hapless victims are extremely harsh, brutal and disturbing). Moreover, Feifer admirably refuses to explain Rader; instead he presents in a stark and unflinching manner Rader as the ruthless and vicious murderous beast that he was. Hodder really holds the film together with his first-rate portrayal of this horrifying human monster; it's without a doubt the best acting he's ever done to date. The rest of the cast is equally sound, with especially stand-out work from Amy Lyndon as Rader's proud, loyal wife Susan and John Burke as no-nonsense Detective Lutz. The last third which shows the severe impact Rader's heinous actions had on his family is positively devastating. Matt Steinauer's polished cinematography and the shuddery score by Andres Boulton and Jermaine Stegall are both up to speed. Really strong and upsetting stuff.
Review of B.T.K.
