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Cast: Brian Krause, Danielle Harris, Lance Henriksen
Ambitious television reporter Maria Sanchez (Danielle Harris of Rob Zombie's Halloween, Hatchet 2) is investigating the disappearance of over 200 Midwestern University students when a local man (Lance Henriksen of Aliens) contacts her with information that reveals details of the serial killer and his crimes: His name is Cyrus (a chilling performance by Brian Krause of ''Charmed'') and the murders themselves were brutal. What happened next was horrific but the worst is still to come.
Based on true events, "Cyrus: Mind of a Serial Killer" is a character-driven horror film that delivers the goods in more than one way. The story focuses on a female reporter and her camera man as they investigate the disappearance of over 200 students at Midwestern University. As leads dry up mostly due to no one wanting to talk about the events Maria receives a call from a man claiming to know the story behind the killer. Once they arrive the man has them sit down while he tells them the story of this man he calls Cyrus.
To go into a lot of details here might spoil the fun but I can tell you this was one of the better horror films I have seen in some time, I wasn't really expecting a lot from it but once the film got going I was glued to the screen till the very end. Director, Mark Vadik explains in a Behind The Scenes feature that is part of the DVD that he studied a bunch of serial killers before coming up with the story so it's safe to say this is not story of one particular madman but instead a mixture of different profiles. The direction here is solid and even though this is more a character piece with a lot of dialogue the story still draws you in and always has you wanting to know and see more. Also I must mention that there is still plenty of blood and guts for you gore fans out there. Another reason the film is so good is it's cast, Brian Krause and Danielle Harris are great as Cyrus and the female reporter, Maria but the true star for me was Lance Henriksen. This man never disappoints and he is amazing as the creepy local with secrets to tell.
Obviously done on a meager budget, Cyrus looks very good and the effects are excellent. Hats off to Director, Mark Vadik for creating a shocking and bloody film with engaging characters, Cyrus is some you can hate one minute yet for some sympathy for the next. The back story about his live as a child is also well-told and it puts a face on this disturbed character which for a horror film is somewhat unique. I highly recommend Cyrus to any fan of horror, it's nice to see a film in the genre with a strong story, a few nice twists and characters you feel for. It is sure to keep you at the edge of your seat the entire time so do yourself a favor and pick it up. The DVD comes with the Special Feature:
Cyrus: Mind Of A Serial Killer-Behind The Scenes
You can order the DVD HERE.
Released by Anchor Bay Entertainment
**** Out Of *****