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source: Jack's Back

Trailer—Jack's Back

I didn't much like this movie. It's odd and unusual enough to keep you off-balance, but the plot has some gaps and unexplained parts.....(SPOILERS FOLLOW) Early on, we see a man committing a most brutal murder, but ultimately it is revealed that the "Ripper" is someone else. The whole behavior of the first man strikes me as inexplicable. Perhaps there is a curious kind of connection, a bond between the two killers, but it is never made clear. This script looks like a part of a greater whole that we don't get to see. (**)

I have to admit I obsessed over James spader as a kid. Although I was only 7 when this came out it takes me back to a time in the 90s where the USA channel played horror movies on Saturday's. I remember watching this one and it stuck with me. Fast forward 25 yrs and I caught it again. Yes it's cheesy and a fun watch and is exactly what you think... 80s entertainment that you can't take too seriously. After Spader normally played bullies and d bags he's the good guy in this one.

I'd put off watching Jack's Back for quite sometime. I couldn't tell if it was the bland artwork that turned me off or the idea of a modern Jack the Ripper. Something just told me not to bother. I finally bothered and I wish I hadn't. Jack's Back is exactly what it sounds like. A copycat of Jack the Ripper has been killing hookers in modern day L.A. (well, modern day L.A. of the late 80's) and a young doctor is drawn into his web of terror. Twists and turns abound, but they usually show up because you can feel that the writer got bored with what they were writing and decided to make a sequence a dream or give a character a twin. There aren't many thrills here, which is the kiss of death for a so-called thriller, but James Spader is good and there are some cool shots of downtown L.A. in the 80's.

This 1988 thriller stars James Spader, Cynthia Gibb and Robert Picardo. This takes place in L.A. where we meet medical student, John Westford (Spader) who is murdered by a Jack The Ripper copycat killer. Soon, his twin brother, Rick has vivid dreams of the murder and is determined to find John's killer. Gibb (Short Circuit 2) plays Chris Moscari, John's friend and Picardo (The Howling) plays psychiatrist, Carlos Battera. This is a good, underrated 80's thriller and Spader is great in it. If you're into psychological thrillers or horror flicks, give this one a try.

This film is a solid, off-beat take off of the entire "Jack The Ripper" genre. A solid cast of mostly unknowns do justice to a script with enough plot twist to surprise anyone. Can an identical twin see the other's death? Do identical twins have identical fingerprints? Why can't the hero find a place that sells guns AND bullets. Yes there may be one coincidence too many in the plot. And the wry one-liners sometimes work against the over all haunting mood of the film. But if your looking for a film that covers old ground in a unique, refreshing way; Jack's Back is it. The one big question I had was how could Cynthia Gibb's medical student character afford to drive a $40,000 635CSi BMW sedan.

"Jack's Back" (1988) is a serial killer movie that is thoroughly '80s: the soundtrack, the lighting, the acting--everything. Watching this movie is like going back many years in a time machine. In other words, it's pretty fun. It's also surprisingly restrained. For example, in a scene where the lead goes into a topless bar to buy a gun, there is no obligatory shot of topless girls gyrating around steel poles; he just walks into the bar owner's office. Who knows, maybe the small budget held them back, but it was actually enjoyable to watch a movie that didn't indulge in every predictable grotesquerie. The plot is simple: It's the hundred-year anniversary of Jack the Ripper's crime spree, and someone is killing prostitutes in exactly the same manner, on exactly the same dates. Kinda fun.

This was recommended on my Amazon prime. It looked like a hokey, made for TV movie. I decided to throw it on and it definitely was a hokey, made for TV movie but I really enjoyed it. Most roles I've seen Spader play have been arrogant and not all that likeable. I really enjoyed seeing him play the good guy(s) and for whatever reason, found him to be really attractive in this movie. The copy cat murders don't really have much to do with the movie, it mostly focuses on Spaders character. I enjoyed it and would watch it again.

I am at a loss to explain why James Spader is not a major star. He got a good start with 80s teen flicks and didn't burn out too fast. This movie shows off his acting as well as his on-screen charisma. His everyman is better than Harrison Ford's, usually, because you know there's some intelligence and humanity behind the intensity. There's some nice moments in the movie, and it has a quirky feel that makes it endearing despite the violent content. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite hold together and the quirkiness doesn't stop it from been a familiar story. Incidentally, despite the direct description of its plot, it's a terrible title.