Veteran L.A. homicide detective Sam Dietz (series star Leo Rossi, in excellent form) is once again working the case of a serial killer. Here, his partner is a sexy young woman appealingly (and sassily) played by Colleen Coffey. And the killer is a p.o.s. who's targeting the patients of a psychiatrist, played by Famke Janssen (Jean Grey in the "X-Men" franchise). The victims may have something in common, but the psycho always changes the method of murder, utilizing "death rituals" from different cultures. And Sam must also deal with a rebellious teen aged son (Christopher Pettiet) who disrespects him.
Written by Mark Sevi, and directed by Oley Sassone, "Relentless IV: Ashes to Ashes" (the fourth and final entry in this series) doesn't do much to stand out from the very large pack of "Cop vs. Killer" movies that are out there. There are certainly some interesting touches, particularly a development late in the game that gives Dietz an entirely new perspective. Also, there is quite a bit of banter between Dietz and his partner, and one can't help but be amused as he doesn't even try to hide his attraction to both her and the shrink.
The scenes with the son are some of the meatier in this series, and under-appreciated character actor Rossi makes the most of the material. For whatever flaws he might have, Dietz IS dedicated to his job and is trying to do the best he can as a single father.
The movie is noteworthy for being a very early acting credit for former model Janssen, her second feature in fact (albeit a straight-to-video one). She is VERY easy to watch, and, like Rossi, has some effective moments as a character who is hiding some big secrets.
The supporting cast also includes John Scott Clough as the killer, and he just can't compare to William Forsythe in the third movie or even Judd Nelson in the first (at this time, this viewer hasn't seen the second entry in the series). He's creepy, all right, but he's not in their league. Fellow character actor Ken Lerner, who previously played one of Nelsons' victims in the first movie, returns to the series in a different role (the coroner).
Ultimately, this is quite routine but is at least watchable, if you are a die hard fan of this genre.
Six out of 10.
