88 Minutes

88 MINUTES (R) Noted forensic scientist Dr. Jack Gramm (Al Pacino) is called to the stand to testify for the prosecution in a serial murder case to convict the man accused of being “The Seattle Slasher,” Jon Forster (Neal McDonough). Dr. Gramm’s testimony seals the conviction and Forster vows, in a silent, mouthed threat, to get revenge on Gramm. Shortly afterwards, Gramm receives a threat on his cell phone that warns him that he has but 88 minutes to live. Thus begins the titular 88 minute timeframe as the movie switches to real time and the tension grows with a fresh time update every few minutes.

Also beginning with the threat are more murders with the same MO as the ones Forster is in prison for committing. The not too veiled premise is that if the murders are still occurring, then perhaps the wrong man is behind bars. The path to the truth is circuitous and sometimes following all the leads provided takes the audience down a few too many dead-ends. No one likes to be lead down the wrong path too often. Somewhat alienated, the audience is expected to hang in there for a few more minutes.

Not worst, and certainly not the best thriller of its type, “88 Minutes” did just that, killed a little time.

Mary K. Morgan is a member of the St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association. View more reviews at St. Louis Film Reviews