Starring: Gene Nelson, Sterling Hayden, Phyllis Kirk, Charles Bronson
Director: Andre De Toth (Hungary)
Genre: Drama
Availability: Movies! TV Network
Watch Quality A
This version is very high quality and looks good on an HD TV.
Plot Summary
After a robbery gone wrong, a fugitive seeks out his old cellmate Steve Lacey. Although Lacey has gone straight, he is unwittingly dragged back into the world of crime.
Star Power B
Although most of the cast is not household names, they are big screen veterans who are well-chosen for these roles. Hayden stands out as the ruthless detective.
Chill Factor D+
Unless your date has very dark taste, this is probably not the best choice for date night. The violence and twisted motives are a turn off.
Mental Health Check D+
This film is quite disturbing, in part because it seems so plausible. The police and the criminals both pursue their agendas without remorse, leaving ordinary men (and especially women) helpless.
Overall Grade B
Most film-noir offerings feel as if they take place in an alternate timeline or dimension, but Crime Wave feels hauntingly modern and intimate. De Toth's gritty direction and the theme of police overreach make the movie uncomfortably relevant. It's a brutal but intriguing departure for the genre.
