DEAD SILENCE
US, 1997, 105 minutes, Colour.
James Garner, Kim Coates, Marlee Matlin, Lolita Davidovich, Charles Martin Smith, Kenneth Welsh, James Billmaire, Gary Basaraba, Scott Speedman, Barry Pepper.
Directed by Donald Petrie Jr.
This is a film version of a novel by Jeffrey Deaver (whose The Bone Collector was film with Denzel Washington than Geneva Angelina Jolie).
This is a siege and hostage film, familiar material, but with a difference that the hostages are profoundly deaf children with a teacher and a bus driver. The criminals are reckless, led by Kim Coates who has shown himself an expert at being the villain.
The film is strong in suspense, showing the hours passing, the techniques of the negotiator, a very strong James Garner who has had difficulties in his past in a former siege. The supporting cast includes Marlee Matlin as the deaf teacher who takes initiatives in getting the children free, Kenneth Welsh as the local sheriff, Charles Martin Smith as a state authority who interferes, Lolita Davidovich as a negotiator. The characterisations are strong. Audiences are carried by the usual conventions of demands, phone negotiations, threats, the killing of a hostage, bluff and waiting for the criminals to give in.
As with all Jeffrey Deaver stories, just when you think all settled, there is a plot twist.
1. Police thriller? FBI? Deaf children as hostages? Prison escapees?
2. The setting in New York State, the roads, the crash, the countryside, the old abattoir, interiors, the surroundings? The FBI headquarters? The musical score?
3. The title, the deaf and mute children, hostages, their ordeal, the escape? The bus driver, Melanie, the teacher, able to read lips? Added tension to a more familiar hostage situation?
4. The background of the escapees, the crash, shooting the other drivers, taking the school bus, going to the abattoir, holding the hostages, the threats, shooting the bus driver, their background stories, robbery, murder, rape?
5. John Potter, the strength of James Garner’s screen presence, strategies, intuitions? The footage about his previous case, the disaster, the death of his wife, the television coverage? The reaction of the local police? Hostility? Collaboration? His being strong-minded, rejecting some of the police, asserting authority, the encounter with the state’s attorney, threatening him, taking him in? The demands, the young officer throwing the phone, communication? Style of talking with Ted? The pizza? The helicopter? The device of the bulldozer?
6. The hours passing and signalled on screen, the tension for the children, the fear, hustled from the bus, upstairs, the petrol on the floor, the lamp? The defiant girl? Tied up? Brought to the window? The girl tied up, Sonny and his reputation, the threat of rape?
7. The three criminals, their escape, Ted in charge, Sonny and his vigilance, looking out the window, not seeing Melanie and the children escape? His sexual behaviour? His denials? Ted shooting him in the groin?
8. The New York State official, asserting authority, rejected by Potter, going to negotiate, shots fired, his being dragged away, threatened by Potter, yet his having media attention?
9. The day progressing, Lenny, the local sheriff, initial disagreement, working with Potter? Getting the bulldozer, driving it, destroying the engine, a diversion for the criminals to watch?
10. Melanie, initiatives, discovering the back stairs and the pipe to the river? Signalling at the window? Potter disagreeing with her, but not able to change? His later agreement?
11. Melanie, the details of the discovery, her caution on the stairs? Rounding up the children, their following her, into the pipe? The Coast Guard? Rescuing the children? Ted and his discovery, taking Melanie and the girl, firing the shots?
12. The scene in the water, the rapids, the boats, the boat overturning, the young boy, the Coast Guard saving him? Reunited with their families?
13. The information about the previous dealer with hostages, Sharon Foster, her arrival, tough stands, expertise on the phone, the long night, waking them out, Ted giving in and phoning, persuading Ted and his associate to come out, their being taken? In the van, Sharon Foster getting a lift?
14. The twist in the plot, the real Sharon Foster found dead, the girlfriend working with Ted, back to the abattoir to get the money, the revelation of Marx as the villain, his demands, Ted shooting him? Potter wounded?
15. Ted, the getaway, shooting his girlfriend? Melanie, locking the car, the gun, back into the abattoir, the confrontation with Potter, Ten’s death?
16. A satisfying hostage thriller?
