Suspect Zero
Encyclopedia
Suspect Zero is a 2004 thriller film directed by E. Elias Merhige
. It opened to decidedly mixed reviews, and failed to earn back half of its estimated $27 million production costs at the box office.
) and Fran Kulok (Carrie-Anne Moss
) are put on the trail of Ben O'Ryan (Ben Kingsley
), a serial killer
who exclusively targets other serial killers. As the investigation proceeds, the agents begin to become aware of the possible existence of "Suspect Zero", a mythical "super serial killer" responsible for hundreds of deaths across all 50 states who leaves no evidence behind to link his crimes together. The agents must decide if O'Ryan is the key that will allow them to catch Suspect Zero, or if he is Suspect Zero himself.
As it turns out, O'Ryan was part of a secret government experiment attempting to cultivate telepathic abilities in individuals for military purposes. The experiments gave O'Ryan the ability to see the actions of serial killers. These disturbing visions constantly torment O'Ryan, and drive him to find the killers and kill them. O'Ryan seeks out Mackelway because Mackelway shares his abilities to some degree and was involved in a controversial case that made headlines. O'Ryan hunts down Suspect Zero, whose child victims are giving O'Ryan even more nightmares.
The actual "Suspect Zero" is another man who travels over the United States with a truck. He targets children, whom he kidnaps and transports to his ranch to be killed.
Eventually, Mackelway and O'Ryan find Suspect Zero at his ranch. After a struggle outside, Suspect Zero is killed when Mackelway crushes his skull with a rock. O'Ryan then tries to convince Mackelway to end his suffering by killing him. When Mackelway refuses, O'Ryan pretends to attack him, prompting Kulok (who is watching from a distance) to shoot him to defend her partner.
A major motif of the film is remote viewing
, and the DVD's extra features include interviews with people who worked with the US military and intelligence agencies as part of those programs.
E. Elias Merhige
Edmund Elias Merhige, known as E. Elias Merhige, is an American film director born in Brooklyn.Merhige is best known to mainstream audiences for the 2000 film Shadow of the Vampire, and to underground audiences for the cult-classic 1991 film Begotten.As he says in his audio commentary to the...
. It opened to decidedly mixed reviews, and failed to earn back half of its estimated $27 million production costs at the box office.
Plot
FBI agents Thomas Mackelway (Aaron EckhartAaron Eckhart
Aaron Edward Eckhart is an American film and stage actor. Born in California, he moved to England at the age of 13, when his father relocated the family. Several years later, he began his acting career by performing in school plays, before moving to Sydney, Australia, for his high school senior year...
) and Fran Kulok (Carrie-Anne Moss
Carrie-Anne Moss
-External links:...
) are put on the trail of Ben O'Ryan (Ben Kingsley
Ben Kingsley
Sir Ben Kingsley, CBE is a British actor. He has won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards in his career. He is known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi in 1982, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
), a serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
who exclusively targets other serial killers. As the investigation proceeds, the agents begin to become aware of the possible existence of "Suspect Zero", a mythical "super serial killer" responsible for hundreds of deaths across all 50 states who leaves no evidence behind to link his crimes together. The agents must decide if O'Ryan is the key that will allow them to catch Suspect Zero, or if he is Suspect Zero himself.
As it turns out, O'Ryan was part of a secret government experiment attempting to cultivate telepathic abilities in individuals for military purposes. The experiments gave O'Ryan the ability to see the actions of serial killers. These disturbing visions constantly torment O'Ryan, and drive him to find the killers and kill them. O'Ryan seeks out Mackelway because Mackelway shares his abilities to some degree and was involved in a controversial case that made headlines. O'Ryan hunts down Suspect Zero, whose child victims are giving O'Ryan even more nightmares.
The actual "Suspect Zero" is another man who travels over the United States with a truck. He targets children, whom he kidnaps and transports to his ranch to be killed.
Eventually, Mackelway and O'Ryan find Suspect Zero at his ranch. After a struggle outside, Suspect Zero is killed when Mackelway crushes his skull with a rock. O'Ryan then tries to convince Mackelway to end his suffering by killing him. When Mackelway refuses, O'Ryan pretends to attack him, prompting Kulok (who is watching from a distance) to shoot him to defend her partner.
A major motif of the film is remote viewing
Remote viewing
Remote viewing is the practice of seeking impressions about a distant or unseen target using paranormal means, in particular, extra-sensory perception or "sensing with mind"...
, and the DVD's extra features include interviews with people who worked with the US military and intelligence agencies as part of those programs.
Main cast
- Aaron EckhartAaron EckhartAaron Edward Eckhart is an American film and stage actor. Born in California, he moved to England at the age of 13, when his father relocated the family. Several years later, he began his acting career by performing in school plays, before moving to Sydney, Australia, for his high school senior year...
— Thomas Mackelway - Ben KingsleyBen KingsleySir Ben Kingsley, CBE is a British actor. He has won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards in his career. He is known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi in 1982, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
— Benjamin O'Ryan - Carrie-Anne MossCarrie-Anne Moss-External links:...
— Fran Kulok - Kevin ChamberlinKevin Chamberlin- Life :Chamberlin was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and raised in Moorestown Township, New Jersey, moving there as a nine-year old. Chamberlin graduated from Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting.- Career :...
— Harold Speck - Harry J. Lennix — Rich Charleton