Oxygen
A Killer. A Cop. Someone's buried alive.
Deep in the woods, in a makeshift coffin lies a woman whose only hope is mercy from the psychotic man who buried her or the power of a cop who can break him. There's no light, no time, no escape and the Oxygen is running out. This edge-of-your-seat, no-holds barred thriller escalates from a cat and mouse game of wits to a nerve shattering conclusion that will leave YOU breathless.
Member Reviews
Substitute Your Own Ending - c4th
Several movies have taken on the "buried alive" storyline but none as successfully as Oxygen. While most expend considerable energy dwelling on the terror experienced by the victim, Oxygen creates an interesting character for the perpetrator and focuses on his interactions with members of the law enforcement team. While characters in the movie concentrate on saving the victim, the viewer engages in discovering the psyche and motivations of the antagonist.
A wealthy lady is kidnapped, placed in a box and buried in the wilderness. Following a ransom drop, a chase ensues and the brains behind the crime is captured.
Adrien Brody is ominous as the egotistical Harry. During his interrogation we learn his true motivation is not money but the fulfilling of a fantasy in which he proves himself superior to his idol, Harry Houdini.
Maura Tierney (outfitted with footwear to compensate for her small stature) plays the police woman interrogating Harry. We learn early in the movie that she lives a double life that includes masochistic rendezvous. Despite director Richard Shepard’s overly dramatic staging of scenes, Tierney does an excellent job portraying her character’s internal struggle over her dark secrets. The movie tries hard to use this to draw a parallel between its two main characters. This never really gels and becomes nothing more than a confusing distraction from an otherwise intriguing film.
Unfortunately in the last ten minutes Shepard's preference for heavy dramatics over subtlety finally bites him as the implausibilities start to grow exponentially. Harry’s ultimate plan is foiled but easily missed as Shepard obsessively makes one last failing effort to point to a dark connection between the main characters.
Most will extract plenty of entertainment from this intriguing and suspenseful film. However - substitute your own ending for the inane one offered. Anything you can imagine will be an improvementSolid indie Phyco-cop movie - Prawn
Well acted, dark and solid all round effort but lacking in anything really destinctive.
This movie is a good showcase for Brody who is good in everything, and it is the acting and intercharacter relations that make this anymore than a second rate Silence of the Lambs. In fact, the movie I think tries for the same relationships between its characters.
The idea and plot are pretty solid, but it is nothing we have not seen or heard before. The phycological ellement is an add on and seems a somewhat strained at points.
Nice movie, but forgetable.
Member Reviews
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Substitute Your Own Ending - c4th
Several movies have taken on the "buried alive" storyline but none as successfully as Oxygen. While most expend considerable energy dwelling on the terror experienced by the victim, Oxygen creates an interesting character for the perpetrator and focuses on ...Solid indie Phyco-cop movie - Prawn
Well acted, dark and solid all round effort but lacking in anything really destinctive.
This movie is a good showcase for Brody who is good in everything, and it is the acting and intercharacter relations that make this anymore than a second rate Silence ...