Kudos to Jaron and Amber Lockridge for wowing us with a fabulous film! My 2 teenage daughters and I recently watched and all gave a resounding thumbs up. My 18-yo English major/ author proclaimed it a "Cool, fun murder mystery" and my 14 yo especially liked the plot and story. Although I tend to avoid horror and thrillers, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself equally drawn into the well-crafted story.
No spoilers, but the a-ha moment was so well-done that the audience simultaneously verbally echoed recognition across the theatre. The film balanced out the suspense with generous doses of humor to relieve tension just when needed, as in the chase scene with the murdered woman's boyfriend. The movie's mix of suspense, humor, action and romance give the film appeal to a wide audience. Those who like to go deeper will enjoy the subtle exploration of concepts like justice and natural depravity balanced out by grace.
The film boasts a number of well-developed characterizations with a solid acting ensemble led by standout Keith Johnson as the troubled officer initially assigned to the case and strong performances by the entire cast including Kate Mobley, Kenneth Farmer, Carter Nelms, Secara Fuller, Lavelle Mays, Amy Taylor, Pat Prentiss, Jeff Haltom and Terry Giles. The supporting characters and cameos were amazingly rich and well-developed as well.
Don't miss this masterfully told tale. The story within the story is especially touching if you have loved ones in law enforcement. I plan to watch again with family that missed it and seek out the rest of the Stix and Betray series.
