I was able to watch Untraceable before it had its Philippine premiere; all thanks to keen Internet browsing. It was released February 20, 2008 in the Philippines.

The movie had a few things going in its favor. For one, it used reasonable technology and background, so the story wasn’t far-fetched. Secondly, and most importantly in my eyes, it did NOT go for shock value. It didn’t try to use gore to elicit a reaction from the crowd. Not to say that some scenes weren’t rough on the eyes, but it was far from a Saw or Hostel. Thirdly, it honestly kept me on the edge of my seat for a good portion of the movie. And lastly, the ending does not drag itself out. It ends at the logical point.

That having been said, this movie will not change your life. It’s a little bit of a commentary on society, but morose, it’s just an entertaining movie to watch. Gregory Hoblit did a fine job at directing this film. He’s best known for his works such as NYPD Blue, Fracture and many more.

Diane Lane and a strong supporting cast make up for a “been there-done that” crime drama. The story contains a few original twists as well as a few serious implausibilities. Nevertheless, the direction, pace, and performances, especially Lane’s and Bill Burke’s, draw you in and by the abrupt conclusion, you are on the edge of your chair. Burke and Lane, as rival investigators, develop an interesting chemistry that builds through the film and is never compromised. Joseph Cross gives a creepy, effective performance as the deranged techno-killer. The fact that the story gives him such amazing capability to the point that you occasionally start rolling your eyes should in no way deter from his acting.

All in all, nicely packaged if somewhat contrived; The story hinges on the fact that this “wunderkind” killer can continually crack every computer in his way, stay one step ahead of the law, and continue to capture victims for his morbid shows without skipping a beat. All that IS hard to believe, yet “Untraceable” was still satisfying entertainment.