Word: eviler
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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There is much the same vicarious and slightly evil satisfaction of watching Walter F. Mondale turn the tables on the Great Communicator that some down in Florida feel when the latest serial killer gets fried in the old electric chair. 'Fry' is the operative word here, because Mondale did to Reagan in 90 minutes what Democrates, the press, and just about everyone who believes an elected public servant should be held accountable to his constituents, have failed to do: make him answer for himself...
...largely because it does not finish what it begins. While the characters start off as realistic, the film leaves them caught up in unresolved dilemmas. And even though the anonymity of the small town setting works well for the film's rather fantastic premise--the small size permits the evil to permeate completely--it also turns the characters into stock types by the film...
Impulse falls short of becoming the crafty psychological exploration it starts out as, because the impetus for evil stems from external factors. It is chilling to watch neighborhood kids ignite Jennifer's car with gasoline, but the incident somehow loses its impact when we discover that their action comes as the result of a carton of contaminated milk. In this light as well, the film's political plugs for environmentalism detracts from its force as a psychological thriller...
...social statement and character study, then, Impulse stumbles. As a visual collage of human evil and a psychological work of suspense, it succeeds, and occasionally even sparkles. It is the product of a rich, but imperfect collective creative psyche...
...human complexities are fully recognized. Between his violent rages, Mickey is sincerely repentant, even charming as he whines for one more chance. Significantly, he never beats the children. And the various relatives and authorities to whom Francine turns in vain for help are not evil or callous, just ineffectual...