RUNNING OUT OF TIME
US, 2018, 90 minutes, Colour.
Tasha Smith, Ron Reaco Lee, Sean Dominic, Dustin Harnish, Paul Logan, Sydney Elise Johnson, Telma Hopkins.
Directed by Chris Stokes.
Basically, this is a home invasion thriller.
However, it starts with an interesting premise, the alleged suicide of the chief of staff of the candidate for the presidency. There is a memorial service, the candidate speaking highly of the dead man, his widow and daughter present, as well as his sympathetic assistant.
When the widow and daughter return home, accompanied by her mother, the Moody suddenly changed with masked men inviting the house. They have with them her husband’s assistant and his wife tied and taped in the back of the vehicle.
The intruders demand documents and files which the widow is aware of but knows that they are with the lawyer. The masked men ransacked the house in the search. They can find the widow and her daughter in the basement along with her husband’s assistant who says he was forced to bring them to the house.
So far, so expected but interestingly done. There is a twist as to who the villain really is which is also interesting – though, with all respect to the actor concerned, it is very difficult to imagine him as a vice presidential candidate, something he wants desperately and achieves.
The film then moves into somewhat sensationalist melodrama which undermines the serious themes. At one stage, the widow has a long discussion with her husband’s assistant while she is simply standing in bra and pants, more sensationalist than convincing!
The daughter is resourceful – and is able to get free, confront one of the masked men who is preparing a solution for the bath after his partner has been shot.
It is surprising then to see that the villain has become vice president and is at a social when the widow arrives, knowing that her husband was killed by a special poison dart which made it seemed that he had a heart attack after he had decided to go to the police with the incriminating documents against the presidential candidate.
With something of a smug smile, exerting glamour, she inserted dart into her enemy, he collapsing, she walking away – self-satisfied.
While interesting political background, the film then simply moves into melodrama.
