SYNOPSIS:
Jack Bishop lives the life of every man’s dream with a beautiful wife and a happy, healthy daughter, Toby. He has the career he always wanted and a loving home in a peaceful Texas border town. But it is no coincidence that Jack’s life seems perfect. His past hides a black secret, one he hides from his family, one he hides from himself.
When Toby goes missing, Jack knows his past has come back to haunt him. He also knows the only way he can find her is to use the powers of his long forgotten faith, La Santa Muerte, protectors of the sinner, the worshippers of the dead.
Accompanied by the insecure newly-appointed sheriff and a pair of wary FBI agents, Jack’s search takes him deep into his past, to a psychic who visualizes Jack’s secret in terrifying detail, to the squalid barrios and seediest brothels in Mexico City’s underbelly. But the power of the La Santa Muerte is stronger than he ever imagined, as it reaches out to touch his family and reveals an even darker and unexpected web of lies and deceit.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Just like “24” did for Kiefer Sutherland, or “CSI” did for William Petersen, “The Mentalist” has injected much vigour into the career life of Simon Baker. Despite its timing, “Not Forgotten” was actually shot before Baker shot to fame in “The Mentalist”- in fact, before Baker even acted in a single episode as the private investigator Patrick Jane. Nevertheless, it was probably because of his newfound popularity that this movie enjoyed a limited theatrical release in the States and is here now released straight to DVD.
That’s really not a bad thing- for contrary to its not-so appealing poster, “Not Forgotten” is quite the intriguing watch. Directed and co-written by music-video director Dror Soref, it begins with the kidnapping of a young girl, Toby, the daughter of football coach Jack Bishop (Simon Baker). Bishop has just remarried and his pretty Mexican wife (Paz Vega) suggests he consult a local witch doctor who claims he must journey into the dark with his eyes open to find the light.
Yes, like all witch doctors do, this one speaks cryptic and one suspects at first that some voodoo elements may be at work. What the movie hints at is the popular pagan ritual of Santa Muerde, a deity or saint-like figure venerated by many in Mexico, whose name literally translates to “Saint Death. This deity often appears as a skeletal figure clad in a long robe with objects such as scythes or globes, and its worship has been particularly controversial because of its condemnation by the Catholic Church in Mexico.
To its credit, the movie doesn’t try to demonise or revere the worship of Santa Muerde, using it as a mere plot device to suggest otherworldly things behind the disappearance of Toby. Only towards the halfway mark does the film suggest that this may be no more than a red herring, designed to throw you off from what is really at work. That twist comes when Bishop reveals to be more than just a small-town football coach, alluding instead to a more sinister past that sets the stage for the film’s seemingly inexplicable opening scene.
There is of course a final twist to the story, and one that manages to tie up all the loose ends that didn’t quite make sense at first. Indeed, credit must go to both Soref and co-writer Tomas Romero for pulling off a surprise that doesn’t feel at all like a cop-out. Some may find the journey to the big reveal a tad sluggish and truth be told, Soref could tighten the pacing a little more. But there is still plenty of suspense in the story to keep you hooked- coupled with an atmospheric score and some nice cinematography.
Even better, fans of Baker who have picked this movie up because of him will not be disappointed. He handles his character’s transformation from aggrieved parent to violent avenger very convincingly, and anchors the show with a thoroughly engaging performance. But “Not Forgotten” is more than worth your time not just because of Baker, for it is too a well-crafted suspense thriller that should not be forgotten.
SPECIAL FEATURES :
This Code 3 DVD contains no extra features.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The Dolby Digital 2.0 audio could do with a lot more ‘oomph’ during the film’s thrilling scenes. As it is, only some of the scenes come with a good bass. Visuals look washed out, but one suspects that could be a result of director Dror Soref’s choice of palettes.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD
RATING :
Review
by Gabriel Chong
Posted on 29 January 2010
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