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Movie Review by The Gravedigger
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12.15.04
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'Inspired' by the real-life Richard Ramirez 'Night Stalker' killings in LA, NIGHT STALKER is one of the weaker entrees into the seemingly endless serial killer genre.The scenes with Ramirez are extremely well-done, nightmarish, showing this bald-headed, pale, fang-faced demon that seems to coerce him to kill. The editing is effectively choppy and the mood unsettling. But when the story goes back to the police woman turned detective it just comes to a halt. Every police cliche is used-the woman on the force being sexually harassed, not getting along with her partner, et cetera.As far as the story, the message is that drugs= evil. When the police-woman's partner is shown snorting some coke, he immediately becomes different, nastier-and the editing is similar to those scenes of Ramirez. And the police chief constantly drinks alcohol on the job-and acts like an asshole. The police woman is shown taking care of her feeble-minded mother and brothers, praying to Jesus and putting up with all the difficulties with her job and the Night Strangler murders.Ramirez is presented as if he's possessed by a demon and kills because of it. When he looks in the mirror he sees that white demon. In the end, when he's cornered by the police, he says 'Kill me, kill me', as if he has temporarily regained his mind and realized what he's done. Then he reverts back to the killer. 'The Devil made me do it' just doesn't work.
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Rating: 7.5 out of 10.0 - 2 votes cast total
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