Kill Me Again (1989)

40's style noir played against sunny Nevada desert and vicious gambling dens. Val Kilmer is too boyish to bring off the classic role of private eye, but at least he doesn't try to act tough while being slapped around or thrown like a rag doll over a series of chairs and tables. In fact his Jack Andrews gets pushed around by almost everyone in what amounts to one of the most feckless of all movie private eyes. His every move seems to either flop or backfire. He's seldom in charge of any encounter, and in that important regard, the movie stands as a genuine oddity to the genre. Joanne Whalley-Kilmer, looking like a trampy Natalie Wood, is reasonably convincing as the femme fatale, squealing delightedly whenever she's roughed up. Then there's villainous Michael Madsen, looking like Elvis's spooky older brother, who steals the show with a series of scary outbursts that are totally convincing. Despite the oddities, there're enough twists and turns to keep viewers guessing. And while Kill Me Again is no classic of noir filmmaking, it does stand as a reasonably successful low-budget entry.

"Kill Me Again" is a highly enjoyable action packed neo-noir thriller featuring a group of characters who are all thoroughly untrustworthy and a plot that's full of twists, double crosses and deception. This was the first movie directed by the talented John Dahl (who later made the brilliant "Red Rock West") and possibly it's for this reason that it didn't gain the box office success that it clearly merited.After Fay Forrester (Joanne Whalley-Kilmer) and Vince Miller (Michael Madsen) steal a large sum of money from a couple of mobsters, Fay takes an opportunity to hit Vince over the head with a stone and leaves him unconscious when she makes off with all the cash. Vince is a psychopathic killer and Fay is justifiably terrified of what'll happen if he catches up with her. She makes her way to Reno and there hires private investigator Jack Andrews (Val Kilmer) to help her fake her own death.Jack's life has been in turmoil since the car accident in which his wife was killed and he's also deeply in debt to a violent gang of criminals who broke one of his fingers to show that they meant business when they said that they wanted his loan repayments made on time. Jack has serious doubts about taking the job but decides to go ahead anyway because of his desperate financial problems.Jack makes a good job of faking Fay's death and even becomes the murder suspect but Fay then disappears before paying him his full fee. He decides to go after her but when Vince discovers that's she's still alive, things get desperately dangerous for Jack and he finds himself being pursued simultaneously by Vince, the police and the criminals.Joanne Whalley-Kilmer puts great energy and enthusiasm into her portrayal of the treacherous and seductive femme fatale and Val Kilmer successfully conveys the aimless and apathetic state of mind which has overtaken Jack since the tragic loss of his wife. Michael Madsen steals the show, however, as the incredibly brutal and seemingly unstoppable Vince.No-one would describe "Kill Me Again" as ground breaking but it is extremely exciting and wonderful entertainment for anyone who loves film noir.

Unlike the title, once turned out to be just right. I should have stopped at one viewing, which I really liked. For some reason, a second look five years later wasn't nearly the fun. All of sudden, the characters just were too hard-edged with a sadistic killer and lead female that were not fun to watch. Maybe I'm just mellowing and these type of low-lifes just don't appeal to me anymore, at least when comprise two- thirds of the main characters. So, if you like nasty characters with a big mean streak in them, ones that have no ethics whatsoever and are proud of it, then'll you like this modern-day film noir very much. Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley-Kilmer and Michael Madsen are not three people you want as friends, particularly the last two.The story has a few twists - big twists - near the end, although I suppose if you thought about it long enough you'd discover some credibility problems with it. Nonetheless, you have to give this film decent points for one thing: it entertains you for the full 95 minutes.

A 1989 version of a 1940's like Film Noir crime/suspense movie set in the wide open spaces of the Navada and Arizona desert and American Indian Reservations. Ripping off the mob of $850,000.00 outside of Winnemucca NV. as well as killing one of it's top honchos the two desperado's Vince and his girlfriend Fay, Michael Madsen & Joanne Whailey,take off for parts unknown to wait out the storm of the mob and state police all points search for them. Stopping off at a rest stop Vince is smashed in the head by Fay, as he was answering natures call, who took off with his car and the mob's cash for Reno.The move "Kill Me Again" then switches to this local Reno Private Investagter Jack Andrews, Val Kilmer, who gets his right pinkie broken by two goons for being late on his loan of $10,000.00 that the mob advanced him. Jack is told by the mobsters that if he doesn't have the money by Wendsday they themselves will donate it to him for his funeral. Not knowing what to do and with no way to come up with the cash Jack get's his prayers answered when the next day. Fay walks into his shabby and smashed-up office with a proposition that may very well save his life. Fay is willing to pay Jack $10,000.00 to forge documents to make it look like she's officially dead so her boyfriend Vince won't find her. But their's one small thing that the two didn't figure on. The $10,000.00 that Fay's to pay Jack for his services belongs to the Navada Maranot Mob who Fay and Vince riped off. Added to all that the Mob that got ripped off by Fay & Vince is who the loan sharks, who are about to do Jack in, work for!Val Kilmer even though he has the leading role as Robert Andrews is very unconvincing as the hard boiled and down and out PI. Kilmer is far too pretty and good looking to play the part that a Humphrey Bogart and Robert Mitchum portrayed in the 1940's and 50's. Michael Madsen is near perfect as the psychopathic and sadistic Vince Miller who chillingly toys with his victims, like a cat playing with a mouse, before he brutally does them it. Joanne Whailey is also near perfect as the femme fatal who manipulates those who fall under her spell, like Vince & Jack, and uses them for her own selfish and greedy needs. The ending of "Kill Me Again" is so predictable that it hits you with a strong dose of deja vu; you more then expected something like that to happen. With those in the film, Jack Vince & Fay, reminding you of many like wise type characters you've seen in film noir movies over the years.