Rating: 
Summary: Very Suspenseful
Review: One of the most evil villianesses of all time, Russell seduces wealthy men and then kills them after assurring herself of their fortunes. Winger is an FBI agent, who is trailing Russell and tries to earn her confidence and then entrap her. Great suspense.
Rating: 
Summary: A greedy widow spins one web too many
Review: This fine thriller could have been much better if the currents between Alexandra [Debra Winger] and Catharine [Theresa Russell] were explored and developed by the film-makers instead of letting the moment pass. The electricity between the hunted and the huntress is obvious after Alexandra finally catches up with black widow Catharine and from their first shared moments it seems as though Alexandra is spellbound by the woman she has set out to capture. Although Alexandra spends most of the film chasing after Catharine, she has a deer-in-the-headlights look when they spend time alone, whether in a hotel room, on a beach, or at a party, because she isn't as sure of herself as she was before she finally tracks down her dangerous prey. Catharine's seductive, flinty green eyes and sidelong glances at Alexandra suggest that this beautiful but ruthless killer is spinning her web to snare her pursuer before she can solve the mysterious deaths of her late husbands.
Rating:
Summary: T.R.s best to date
Review: What do you know, another treasurechest of a movie. Its funny how I found it, staying in a winter chateau. Black Widow was buried on a shelf of books and other movies for the traveler. So I popped it in at 2 a.m. and was taken into this world, like having fallen into a magic drain pipe. Not many people have heard of Debra Winger's co-star, but Theresa Russell proves, like in The Razor's Edge, with the appearance of the right script, her character will stand on the edge looking down, then she's your woman. Winger had the movie ripped from her mouth in a scene at a Hawaian party. She told Russell she was on to her husband-killing game and presented her with a gift-jewel widow. R's retort: "She kills, but can she love." Cornered she grabs Winger and kisses her on the lips- a little improve?..oh yea, definitely. The plot is fairly simple: Russell crawls under the richmans door and into his fortune with her eyes closed, counts the money and executes whistle-clean homicide. Winger then leaves her FBI office to a field chase; she is sexy as hell after breaking her menagerie, you know, her new haircut. Pure escapism. The gambler wants action, not money. D.W. and I know this.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Stylish Thriller
Review: What ever happened to Debra Winger's career? Was it all the gossip about how difficult she was to work with? Or was she simply a victim of the public's changing tastes? Coming to prominence in 1980's *Urban Cowboy*, followed by the smash hits *An Officer and a Gentleman* and *Terms of Endearment*. Even though she was nominated for Oscars several times, it was downhill from there, but Winger was in peak form for what has been regularly described as "a stylish thriller." Paired with Theresa Russell (a most intriguing actress with a score of bad films behind her - think *Whore*), Winger plays a federal agent on the tail of a chameleon-like young woman (Russell) who marries wealthy men and kills them. The plot is gripping and relatively fast-paced and Winger and Russell are excellent counterpoints to each other - Winger is earthy and likable and Russell is sexy and sinister. There is an interesting array of men playing Russell's victims, including Dennis Hopper in a cameo, with a deliciously calculating Diane Ladd playing his sister. The locales and interiors are suitably lush, though the inescapable hallmarks of the 80s regularly remind us that, though the film is almost 20 years old, it was done with enormous style - then and now.
Rating:
Summary: A Sexy and Seductive Thriller
Review: You can just about forget everyone else in this film other than Debra Winger and Theresa Russell. This sexy film is basically a two person film noir shot in bright colors, some of it in Hawaii. It is filled with excitement and seduction. Both the leads are wonderful to watch, their chemistry magnificent in this Bob Rafelson (Man Trouble, Five Easy Pieces) film. Debra Winger is 'Alex' Barnes, bogged down in a government desk job dealing with statistics. But when she sees a pattern of deaths that lead to the icy beauty Theresa Russell she becomes obsessed with catching a killer. Theresa Russell, who has used more names than Jason Bourne, is just as smart as she is sexy, and almost the entire film is one long seduction scene as Russell spins her web around Alex. It seems a lot of rich men have suddenly died on Russell and Alex knows why. She is what is called a "Black Widow", a woman who mates and then kills. No one has found any evidence to prove it however, and Alex's attempts to catch her at it becomes murky as a seduction begins to take place. The locations and the stars are beautiful and as Winger and Russell circle each other in this game with deadly stakes you can't take your eyes off them. Winger's Alex is smart and determined but vulnerable and Russell gives a flawless and sexy performance as a smart and icy beauty with a heart full of venom. The electricity between the two characters jumps off the screen. The pool scene where they first meet gives us an indication of what is to come as Alex attempts to get close to Russell, with some unexpected twists. The formost of these is a scene when Alex gives Russell a Black Widow pendant, a spider who mates and kills it's lover. Russells response, which includes her grabbing Alex and kissing her, plays with the fragile but determined Alex as she begins to doubt herself. You don't want to miss this one. It's gorgeous to look at and has two riveting performances from Winger and Russell. You can't find a better one than this....
|
