Customer Reviews

Green River Killer

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(26)

 

 

The Green River Killer is a remarkable achievement in movie making. It actually succeeds in making a serial killer seem dull and lifeless. You know from the opening credits that this is an ultra-cheapo production as the killer, Gary Ridgeway rests by the bank of the Green River (which looks more like a backwoods creek) and mumbles the names of his victims. Oh look, there's a convenient sign that reads "Green River" posted in the ground every time Ridgeway visits it. Ridgeway is one of America's most notorious serial killers with an admitted body count of four dozen and perhaps more, who eluded capture in the Seattle area for some 20 years. This film totally sucks the life out of his story with an incompetent cast, horrible dialog, and poor production values in every area.

George Kiseleff is the rank amateur in the "starring role", and as you can probably guess, it was his first acting credit and hopefully his last. As Ridgeway he is shown picking up prostitutes at a local tavern and taking them either home or another location to first have sex and then strangle them before dumping their bodies into the Green River. When Ridgeway is questioned by his wife about the strange woman coming out of their bathroom, and later about the police asking questions, he merely mumbles something incomprehensible and rolls over in bed. That's pretty much the way he handles police questioning as well...mumbling and looking stupidly nervous until the police leave. Were the police really that dumb? If they were as dumb in real life as they were in this film, it's no wonder Ridgeway got away with it for 20 years. Oh, and if you're going to have women playing prostitutes, do you think you could find one or two who are actually somewhat attractive? These women are plain ugly.

The only positive thing about the film, other than its ending, is the inclusion of scenes of the real Ridgeway during his interrogation by the police. At least this is the real guy talking about what he did. I'd have much rather seen a documentary than this mess. The DVD comes with the director's commentary but I could not bring myself to watch this putrid film a second time.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

This is an unbelievably bad film. Its only redeeming features are the snippets of actual killer Gary Ridgeway's police interviews that are ocassionally spliced into the film's tawdry, fictionalized action scenes. I hadn't known this footage of Gary Ridgeway existed. A documentary consisting only of these interviews would have been infinitely more interesting than this trumped up movie.

The movie doesn't even minimally seem to care about accuracy or authenticity. For example, the extremely amateurish actor who plays Ridgeway doesn't match the real Ridgeway's physical description at all. The real Ridgeway was not a "tall, handsome, muscular" fellow. He was shorter, and unassuming-looking. Also, the majority of Ridgeway's victims were not the glamorous, seasoned barroom prostitutes shown here. They were lonely, struggling teenagers whom he picked up along the Seatac Highway.

If you want a better insight into the character of Ridgeway's victims and crimes, read Ann Rule's book, "Green River, Running Red." In any case, avoid this movie mess.

Let me start out by saying that I am lazy. Never before have I been motivated enough to write a review about anything. 30 minutes into this mess I got up off of my couch to create an amazon account for the sole purpose of reviewing this movie.

This might very well be the worst movie I have ever seen. Actually, calling it a movie would be giving it more credit than it deserves. It's a shame because this subject matter would have been a great background for a better writer and director to explore. However, it plays out like a poorly acted episode of America's Most Wanted. Don't waste your time or your 4 bucks on this, you will regret it.

George Kiseleff stars as Gary Ridgway or The Greeennnn Rivverrrr Killeerrrr. Anyways he is married and has a son and goes out to bars, picks up some prostitutes and either brings them back to his place when his wife is gone and makes his son hide in the bathroom when he kills them or somewhere else. Then after he kills his victims he brings the bodies of the women and stashes them alongside the Green River...um, yeah. They also have actually footage of the real Ridgway sprinkled in. Also during this boring piece of crud he narrates the women's names. Gloria, Pamela, Betty, Veronica, Dolly, Molly...whatever. The acting is beyond awful and it's direction is sloppy. The writing is idiotic as well as the dialouge. It seemed like it would never end when I was watching it. I wasnt actually screaming for it to end, I was just annoyed. BLAH!!

I just rented this movie and took it home and that's when I saw it on the box, the name Ulli Lommel. This director also directed Zodiac Killer, the worst, most god-awful POS ever created. Now I don't even want to see Green River Killer because it has his name on it. I'm going to give it a shot, expecting the worst, and then finish this review.
Ok, I have just actually finished this movie. It is not entirely unwatchable, like Zodiac Killer, but is still pretty bad. If you are a casual movie renter who tends to rent the big blockbusters or the movies that just come out nationwide in theaters, I cannot recommend this to you. Like someone else said, the film quality looks like an America's Most Wanted reenactment. The only really grotesque parts of the film that some people would find unwatchable would be the short little flashes of autopsy film, which I believe has nothing to do with the Green River Killer, but is added for shock value. Other than these snippets of autopsies showing bodies being ripped open and skulls being trephinated after the persons scalp has been peeled off and over their face (which is the worst part of an autopsy to watch, actually), the movie is not that graphic. One weird aspect of the film is whenever he goes in the same bar to pick up prostitutes, the film plays like a very bad 80's music video with a dancing serial killer.
In summary, the film as a whole seems to go nowhere, is often repetitive, is not that fun to watch, but is a little enjoyable with some Evan Williams. It gets one star, not zero stars like Zodiac Killer. If you like crappy, bad, unwatchable indie film drivel, then this movie is for you. Everyone else, don't waste your time. I watched it so you don't have to. If you want a decent serial killer film that is fun and actually frightening and creepy to some extent, get "The Devil's Rejects", directed by Rob Zombie.

My friend Harvey at the video store knows i love a good "serial killer" movie. Unfortunately he did not view this film before renting it to me. I have never reviewed a motion picture without seeing it in its entirety. However, this time i'll make an exception. 40 minutes and that was it. Junk. No thrills, horror, or drama. Just a lot of trash filmaking that belongs in some vague "worst film" category.
If the theme of this film was to show the inner workings of a serial killer then it could have been done quite effectively without lenghty torturous scenes that leave nothing to the imagination.
If you have a few dollars to spare rent this video to see how bad filmaking can become.
The 1 star is for the river. Nice and scenic..... without the bodies.

Let me warn you...this movie ain't pretty! If this display is the directors vision, then we should blindfold and gag this fool and do society a favor. The acting wasn't even 2nd rate...but perhaps 4th or 5th rate...I only lasted through perhaps 7 minutes. My sensibilities were abused and assaulted...these hideous crimes were almost portrayed in a way that was meant to turn the audience on...for a minute I thought I was watching a poorly done porno flick. What an insult to the victims of these crimes, whether they were prostitutes or not, it was not presented with any respect. Don't waste your time on this one people...I could slap myself silly for wasting the rental money. I could have bought a good cup of coffee and read a good book instead.

I knew going in that this would not be a masterpiece of filmmaking, but always the optimist, I naively assumed that it may have some redeeming virtues. I was wrong. Every second watching this abomination is a second wasted. The script, acting, direction, sound, cinematography, plot, etc. are just plain awful. Indeed, the overall quality is so low that it cannot be explained simply by a lack of money or talent....it is like some awful inside joke played upon the audience. Don't fall for it.

This "movie" is a waste of time is what one reviewer wrote, I will agree to that, but my main issue with this film is that it showed the victims of Ridgeway as being part of the problem, that they wanted it. It also felt like watching some horrific B snuff film. It was like the director wanted people to get turned on by what they were watching. I fast forwarded throught 99% of the film, I just could not believe what they did to the memory of the victims, and how horrible this would be for their families. This is by far the worst movie ever made...Cabin Fever would be a better investment! LOL
I lived in Tacoma, Washington at the end of this mess, I have been to where these woman were left, and you can still fill the horror left there by Ridgeway, the makers of this movie are sick, and demented.

This movie absolutely disgusted me! It's a hideous thinly disguised sado/masochist film. Whoever produced the movie needs to get some help. Way too much time was spent showing us the sexual details involved in these horrible murders as if the film maker savored the acts. It almost seemed like a porn film.