5/5 Odein's Curse
  by A. Bryant (Las Vegas, NV)
Yes I love the movie that much. It is a great movie buy it as soon as possible. Or rent it from the library/Red Box and then buy it when you can't get enough.

2/5 Vastly overrated, but kind of fun.
  by Robert P. Beveridge (Cleveland, OH)
Black Widow (Bob Rafelson, 1987)

I seem to be one of the few people who never quite got the obsession film viewers had with Ken and Theresa Russell. I'd heard Black Widow, in which Theresa plays the title character, bandied about for years as the height of sexy thriller-dom, so I finally got around to checking it out. While it's not a completely awful movie, it's not all that great, either.

Russell plays Catherine Petersen, a very rich lady who got that way when her previous husbands died under very mysterious circumstances. On the opposite side of the fence is Alexandra Barnes (Debra Winger), a Federal agent who, as the beginning of the movie progresses (and as we see the mysterious circumstances under which her latest late husband, played by Dennis Hopper, meets his end), becomes obsessed with tracking Petersen down and bringing her to task. Her boss (Terry O'Quinn) is worried that her obsession is clouding her judgment, so he orders her to take a vacation. She chooses Hawaii, which just happens to be where Petersen is wooing her potential next victim. Things get more comlicated when Alex falls for him as well.

And really, do we need more complexity than that? Whether we do or not, Ronald Bass' script gives it to us in spades. (Wait'll you see the climax, which is just beyond silly.) But despite all that, it's quite a pretty thing, as you'd have to expect from any film that's half-set in Hawaii (to be fair, it's probably more beautiful because Alex's office is so dingy), and both Winger and Russell overact this thing halfway to heaven. Oh, so stupid, but it's the kind of empty-calorie movie that once you've started, you just can't stop. **


5/5 Seduce, Ensnare, Devour...
  by Bindy Sue Frønkünschtein (under the rubble)
Alex Barnes (Debra Winger) is unsatisfied with her job in the justice department. She longs for intrigue and adventure, not mundane beaurocracy. Well, her wish for release is granted in the form of a female serial-murderer (Theresa Russell!) who preys on unsuspecting billionaires. Ms. Russell is the perfect bait, snare, and death-trap. She is a chameleon, assuming any identity necessary to trick her clueless victims. She is cunning, resourceful, and (most importantly) unhindered by conscience or remorse. Alex is absolutely captivated by this cold, lethal creature, to the point of obsession. She leaves everything else behind in order to track down and stop this merry BLACK WIDOW. Great stuff indeed! Watch for Terry O'Quinn (Stepfather 1 and 2) as Alex's boss, Dennis Hopper (Blue Velvet) as a doomed toy magnate, and the immortal Mary Woronov (Death Race 2000, Night Of The Comet) as a scuba-instructor! Highly recommended...

5/5 Two Fabulously Intriguing Women!
  by The Literaturette (Chicago)
I love this movie. It is aptly described as a psychological thriller because that is exactly what it is. You won't see a lot of fast-paced action and suspense. The entire film is a slow build up of psychological drama. You'll find yourself questioning the motives of each different character and watching with intrigue as Debra Winger's character begins to evolve. The tension between the two female leads is top notch. And there's a twist ending to top it all off!

It's definitely an 80's movie so the filming isn't always stellar and the storyline is a bit dated (also, for amusement, check out the computers in the FBI office!) Don't expect amazing cinematography or a fabulous soundtrack. But do expect a brilliant and seductive pyschological dance between two fantastic female leads.

5/5 Black Widow
  by Jay M. Adams (Fairfield, CT)
I'ts one of my favorite movies of all time. I've been looking for the DVD release for years. Theresa Russel never received the acclaim or fame she deserved as an actress. I think she's brilliant!