Dahmer Review

I remember the first time I saw the Ted Bundy biopic, it caught me off guard in a way that most movies just don’t. I thought the same visceral reaction would occur with the biopic of another insane person, but alas, it seems that this ship is another slow moving vessel in a sea of terrible movies, and we all get duped. The film I’m going to talk about today is none other than Dahmer. If you’re not familiar with the serial killer, then you’ll have to remember that he was the guy that not only killed his victims, he ate them, and kept many pieces in his fridge. He was caught, then in prison was murdered by another inmate. This is not a high adrenaline story, but it sure has a spiraling out of control pace that becomes the standard for horror flicks of a certain measure.

The actor here would go on to make serious moves in “The Hurt Locker” because he really does a good job of pushing the envelope of psychotic behavior even though he’s very toned down. The plot revolves around Dahmer’s homosexual behavior, drugging men, having sex with them, and then eventually killing some. The artistic camera view during many of the rapes casts an interesting juxtaposition between serious, comic, and unintentionally funny. I found a lot of the midpoints of this film to be boring, tired, and terrible.

If you’re not a fan of homoerotic things, you won’t like this movie, as it turns that notion of Dahmer’s character way up. His main love interest is quite interesting, and the two become the focus of the film as it progresses, only to climax into a frenzy, that would close down the film and showcase a lackluster ending, unlike the interesting facts of Dahmer’s real life. I got bored somewhere along the way, and despite my fascinating with red walls and lights; this one didn’t manage to keep me interested.

Dahmer is NOT like other serial killer biopics. In fact, this is one of the worst examples as far as narrative concerns. However, Jeremy Renner plays him quite well and is really a fascinating performance, even if it feels subdued in a way. The predator here is interesting, the gore isn’t sensationalized, it just seems to be more drama than horror and that’s not the point of scary films. I don’t recommend t his at all. If you must watch it, then watch it; otherwise, I don’t know what to tell you. I didn’t like it, and that’s that.