Final Move (2013) User Reviews

THEY'RE PEOPLE NOT CHESS PIECES

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 30 September 2018]

Nick Mathers (Richard Carwin) a 20 year man ,is investigating the killings by someone called "The Grand Master" (Jai Koutrae). The Grandmaster places a chess piece in the mouth of his victims as the two main characters play an on-line game of chess. The latest murder causes Nick to miss being with his daughter Kate (Ashleigh O'Brien) during her final moments. Nick goes off the deep end as he loses his job, girlfriend (Rosanna Easton) and wife (Abigail Bianca). Nick blames the victims for the death of his daughter Kate, although it appears she died from cancer and it was unrelated to the victims.

Nick is obsessed with the case. He vividly sees and talks to his dead daughter Kate. When the killer takes his other daughter Lisa (Chelsea Giles) Nick must play the killer again in an on-line game of chess where every piece he loses, someone dies.

The movie was a little odd with the dead daughter nagging her dad and not playing a role in the end game. The story was not well constructed and could have used some filler material and editing. There was no background on Kate. There was no development of the girlfriend relationship, they just suddenly appear on screen rather quickly then end. This is a crime/drama/thriller. There is no mystery as we know the killer. We see people imprisoned and tortured, but not slasher film gory, but there is plenty of blood.

Low budget production.

Parental Guide: F-bombs. No sex or nudity.

America or Australia?

[dell_of_dreams · 1/10 · 19 August 2019]

I'll keep my review of this bad student film brief. The plot, story and acting are amateurish but it's the bizarre use of American accents that baffles me. It's an Australian film (obvious by the use of right hand drive cars, Aussie accented voice mail and the BIG sign that says Surrey Hills police station, yet they insist on making the actors speak in dreadful American accents? An obvious attempt at a Jigsaw ripoff that is cheap and flimsy. And those accents again! We're the film makers hoping to sell this overseas? Dear God....

pretty decent theiller

[simonpcpearson · 7/10 · 17 January 2015]

This Australian serial killer drama is based around a compelling premise and has some nice touches.

The main idea is that of a detective who is in pursuit of a serial killer called The Grand Master. The Grand Master is a remorseless sadist who abducts homeless people and attaches their identity to chess pieces in an online chess game that he forces the authorities to play. Whenever a piece is taken the Grand Master kills the person associated with that piece.

The cast is mostly excellent.Richard Carwin as the detective obsessed with catching the killer has a pleasing intensity and his conversations with his dead daughter- who he can still see and hear- are a distinctive touch which give the audience an insight into the conscience hidden behind the anti-hero's tough exterior. The daughter who is played by the gorgeous Ashleigh Lian O Brien is a unique and memorable facet to the film.

The other daughter, played by Chelsea Giles, is targetted by the Grand Master. This seems like a cliché, and in some ways it is, but the script and Chelsea's performance are refreshingly well thought out.

The daughter Lisa is too young and petite to be a physical opponent to the Grand Master but she is a match for him in courage and psychological strength. Again, this makes a refreshing change from the almost ubiquitous kick ass martial arts heroine in modern thrillers.

The film is quirky and different enough to lift it above the run of the mill entries in the serial killer genre and I have to say I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

The mid section drags a little and a couple of the minor characters performances are slightly weak but Final Move is a movie that overcomes its low budget and is solid entertainment.