Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!
Plot Summary: A journalist and her cameraman interview a strange man regarding the history of a notorious serial killer.
Review: Don't confuse this with another movie that came out the same year (2010) also called "Cyrus." How the hell does that happen? Anyway, this has mediocre written all over it, and, well, it still managed to be a disappointment. I like how it opens with a line about it being based on a true story. Right. Honestly, the only reason anyone should be watching this is for the exact reason I did: to see my darling Danielle Harris. Unfortunately, she is wasted yet again, and her character is soooo fucking stupid it boggles the mind. Danny, baby, I watch all your movies and have had a life-long crush on you but...I have to accept that the vast majority of your movies are unbearably bad. I don't even know what the hell was the point to this movie. If you want a better version of "a glimpse inside the mind of a serial killer" I'd rather go with "Dahmer" starring Jeremy Renner. However, no film has properly portrayed the deranged nature of serial killers in my opinion.
We are introduced to Ms. Harris and her cameraman as they are trying to figure out the mystery behind 200 missing people allegedly attributed to a local serial killer. While making their documentary, or whatever it's supposed to be, they stumble upon some random guy who claims to know everything; this guy is played by Lance Henriksen. Despite knowing incredible details, and having all the driver's licenses of the missing people, these idiots just go with it claiming he can't be the killer. Uhhh okay. They also don't tell anyone where they are or what they're doing the entire movie. This is even addressed in the story which is why it's so contrived and idiotic. Whatever. This old guy tells them the life story of the killer named Cyrus. Believe me, this isn't some visceral, in-depth look at being a serial killer--it's just cookie-cutter bullshit with a rough childhood and stupid life events that bring out the killer tendencies; it's nothing we haven't seen regurgitated hundreds of times before. On top of that, the acting and production quality is shitty. The narrative feels uneven as we simply get random moments of Cyrus' life and how he opened a restaurant where he served the town the dead bodies apparently. In reality, Cyrus would have been caught due to his idiocy, but this movie thinks it's smarter than it is. Through elaborate shenanigans, Mr. Henriksen's character has been working with Cyrus to help him get away with this shit for decades. They act like this is a huge twist to tie everything together, but it's pure bullshit and presented poorly. The film ends with Cyrus left to torture Ms. Harris to death presumably. They also throw in a scene after the credits as if that's necessary.
Essentially, this has the look and feel of a made for TV movie. If it weren't for fan-favorites like Ms. Harris and Mr. Henriksen, this would be more forgettable. There is ample amount of gore and nudity, but, ehhh, I'm too desensitized--it hardly registers. Although Cyrus is the focus, he doesn't quite appear as the main character; it's tough to explain. There needed to be a central theme to drive the story forward, but it didn't seem like there was a natural progression as to why certain moments would be highlighted and at the point they are shown in the film. The final nail in the coffin was the sheer idiocy of Ms. Harris' character and her cameraman obviously walking into their deaths. They didn't even bother to offer a reason why they wouldn't suspect the old guy despite all the information to the contrary! Overall, this is a big pile of meh with minor highlights. I wouldn't waste my time with this one unless you're a diehard Danielle Harris fan or a fan of the other actors involved.
Notable Moment: At the end when they act like this is "Saw" or something with the twist. It's really not hard to see it coming when the characters are even discussing how stupid the situation is.
Final Rating: 4/10
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