Lethal Justice

It didn't take too long into watching "Lethal Justice" for me to guess that it was made either by filmmakers from Oklahoma or Texas - it has that certain look and feel I have seen in a number of other B movies from those two states. And that look and feel comes from what was obviously a painfully low budget. Production niceties are at a strict minimum, with most of the locations and few props on display clearly what the filmmakers could gather for free or as with little money as possible. This also applies to the no-name amateur cast, who all give mediocre performances. But the shabby look and bland acting could have been compensated for with some considerable action and excitement. But there is very little that could be considered action, and what there is is executed with no punch at all. Most of the movie is kind of a conspiracy thriller - or at least tries to be. It unfolds so slowly and with no tension that there is no tension at all. The movie gets a few points for having a somewhat unexpected ending, but considering that you have to first sit through about ninety minutes of sluggish storytelling, it's not worth the wait. "Lethal" is indeed the right word to describe this movie.

As the sound mixer for this particular project, it was also my first experience on the set of a full-length feature film. We had a good time working on this film north of Oklahoma City. The finished product makes for a mildly entertaining drama of a small town police force that enforces a special "policy" of blowing away violent criminals when they are caught in the act. The leads are effective enough, especially Larry Williams as the hero and Kenny McCabe and the killer. The film's action sequences are quite good, but they come few in comparison to the many dialogue scenes. Director Christopher Reynolds works well with his characters, but he spends too much time having them talk about things off-screen and not enough showing it. Overall Lethal Justice is a decent flick that deserved to be seen by more people.