KILL ME AGAIN

US, 1989, 94 minutes, Colour.
Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley- Kilmer, Michael Madsen.
Directed by John Dahl.

Kill Me Again is an entertaining thriller, a '90s version of a '40s film noir. The director and writers studied a great number of thrillers of the period and incorporated key aspects into this film.

The setting is Nevada, a young gangster and his girlfriend doing a robbery of Mafia money, shooting one of the Mafia men dead and then going on the run. Michael Madsen is the brutal thug. However, Joanne Whalley- Kilmer is excellent as the callous and cheap young woman who is unscrupulous in her pursuit of her greed. She employs a down and out private detective to fake her death and then runs out on him. Val Kilmer is the agent.

There are a number of plot turns and complexities including hit men in Reno, the Mob in Las Vegas, hiding out in the desert in Nevada, Indian reservations. While there is nothing particularly new, the film has energy and verve and capitalises on the models of movies of former decades.

1. Entertaining film noir, of the '90s? Its use of the '40s models - adapted for the '90s?

2. The Nevada and desert locations, Reno and the casinos, seedy offices? Las Vegas and its hotels? Motels in the desert, the lakes? The Indian reservation? Musical score?

3. The title, the tone, the film noir, Fay and the faking of her death - the plots for killing her?

4. The setting, Nevada, the initial robbery, Vince and Fay, the robbery, the murder? On the road, clashes between them? Vince's threats? The toilet, Fay attacking him with the rock and escaping with the money? Vince and the father and son who find him?

5. The picture of Reno, the city of lights, gambling? Jack and his seedy office? The hit men brutalising him for the money, breaking his finger? The memories of his wife and her death, drowning? Fay and her request, her allure? The plan, his getting the blood, the new documents? Alan's help? Her motivation, his motivation? Her story and his not believing her?

6. The plan and its execution? Fay going to the motel, Tim's attraction towards her and noticing her? Jack picking her up, being identified by Tim? The return to the motel, the re-enactment of the brutality, the use of the blood? Her sexual response? His doing the job? The body in the boot of the car, taking her to the other hotel? His going to the lake, putting the car in the water? His memories of his wife's death? Alan picking him up?

7. Fay and her disappearance, Jack's reaction? His tracking her down at the airport? The police arresting him? Her leaving his phone number and name? Their harsh treatment, accusations? Capitalising on his wife's death? His departure, the money men and their attack on him - giving them some of Fay's money? The encounter with Vince at his office, the fight, handcuffing him to the table?

8. Fay and Las Vegas, gambling - her previous gambling with Jack and attracting the men, being noticed? Jack's arrival, attempting to see her with the package, confronting her at the gambling table? Her room, the Mob and their arrival, threatening Jack, her shooting the mobster dead?

9. Jack and his decision to help Fay, taking the money, the sexual attraction? The going to the motel, changing their clothes, the number-plate? The hideaway? The sexual encounter? The effect on Fay, on Jack? The phone call to Alan? The plan, burying the money in the Indian reservation, the roadblock, buying the backpack? His return and the clash with Vince?

10. Fay and Vince, her changing her plans again, deciding to side with Vince? Jack refusing to give the information, Fay shooting him? The Indian boys rescuing him from the lake? Her greed, going to get the money, the case with the paper in it? The roadblock, the pursuit - and their death in the explosion?

11. Vince and his cruelty, clashes with Jack, torturing Alan and murdering him?

12. Alan, friendship, piano-playing, help, the money, torture, giving the information, his throat cut?

13. The police, their investigations, styles of interrogation?

14. The Mafia, the casino money, the robberies? The standover hit men? The Reno people ringing the Las Vegas Mob? The showdown in the room and the murders?

15. Jack, surviving, with the money? The dream of a house in Maine? His future?

16. The popularity of such thrillers, the film noir with its amorality, the relationships between men and women, love and betrayal? The femme fatale, the man victimised?