Are you into action/thriller movies? You know the type that has cool car chases, shoot outs, people being killed, and a woman buried alive? If that is considered your cup of tea when it comes to movies, then you have to watch “Oxygen
Cast Maura Tierney Adrien Brody James Naughton Laila Robins Paul Calderon Olek Krupa Dylan Baker Terry Kinney
Oxygen This movie was released in 1999, so it’s not considered a “new” release in the USA any more. I rented this movie a long time ago, and then the other night I seen it again on HBO and it refreshed my mind about the story and how good it was. The movie begins with a middle-aged lady (Laila Robins) walking her dog down the sidewalk of her hometown. She is then stopped by a younger kind of good-looking male named Harry (Brody). He just happens to have a milk bone dog bisect for he dog, as he talks to her friendly he tries to act like he is in need of some help. She in returns talks friendly back to him, then out of nowhere he tells her to get into the car. A car is parked right beside them on the curb, and Harry’s friend is driving. Harry show’s a gun and she enters the car along with her dog. Then the movie switches to the subway, and this is when you are introduced to Maddie (Maura Tierney) a police officer and her boss (James Naughton) who happens to be her husband. Maddie spots a black male who is on her crime list as a wanted fugitive. Her husband tells her that she is off duty, but that doesn’t stop Maddie. She is off and running, but her husband has his leg in a cast so he wasn’t much of help. She ends up chasing this man down and finally they capture him.
Then the movie switches back to the lady who was kidnapped. Harry and his partner have her in the woods and tied up, while Harry’s partner digs a grave for her. She is so scared and pleads for her life, but Harry just laughs at her and tells her that he just wants money from her husband. After the crave is dug Harry tells her to strip. She is now only wearing a bra and underwear. He then makes her get into a wooden coffin that he made. She is afraid of the dark and pleads for Harry to give her a flashlight. She also begs him once again to not kill her. Harry of course didn’t want to help her in any way, but his friend ended up giving her a flashlight to help her not be scared and keep calm. (Heck how can anyone keep calm when they are going to be buried alive)? Meanwhile at the police station the lady’s husband arrives and wants them to take action. Maddie however isn’t there, instead she called a man that she is having an affair with and asked if she could meet up with him. Maddie has some dark secrets that she doesn’t want her husband to know. Not only is she cheating on him, but she also is an alcoholic and she loves pain when it comes with sex. While she was with this man she ended up getting drunk, and he put burns on her arm with cigarettes. (I admit I like some pain during sex, but come on give me a break burns? Hmm I don’t think so) When Maddie is done with the man she begins to walk home. Her partner is outside waiting for her. She now needs to get to the station cause of the missing woman.
The lady’s husband had a videotape of his wife pleading for him to not call the police and to make sure and give the kidnappers what they wanted. The video also showed her being buried alive. The husband was scared and he knew that his wife only had 24 hours to live and if they didn’t find her she would run out of oxygen and die. Maddie and her partner were now on the move to find out who this kidnapper was. They set up a steak out at the cemetery were the kidnapper told the man to bring the money too. Well once they arrived the kidnapper showed up, but he wasn’t willing to tell the man were his wife was. So they followed his car and this is when you get to see the action in the car chase. Yes the kidnapper ends up being caught, but is this a good or bad thing? For the lady in the grave I think it’s a bad thing, but for the police they are just happy they captured him.
conclusion Ok now with Harry being captured will he end up telling them were the lady is? Harry thinks he is Houdini and can escape from anything. He is very cocky and sure of himself, he has this dark side to him, and that attracts Maddie to him. He understands Maddie and he will only talk to her, the FBI even had to leave her talk to him. Maddie herself is dark and mysterious, and her husband is trying to love her but she isn’t making it easy for him. Harry try’s to play games with Maddie, one time he ends up taking a metal wire off his braces in his moth and he unlocked the handcuffs that were on in. Maddie was surprised, but will this be the only time she is surprised when it comes to Harry? This movie is predictable, but what makes it so great is the chemistry between Maddie and Harry. The mystery that they both share is so awesome, keeps you trying to guess what they are both going to do next. Maddie is a second generation of police officers, and she always felt she had to be perfect so her father would be proud of her. When she wasn’t able to live up to being perfect she ran to the dark side of her life and fantasy’s. You will be amazed when you find out what Harry had planned all along. Harry would get off on the details of things, not the actual kidnapping itself. Lets say that Harry and Maddie and the woman who is buried alive all come together at one point, but who lives and who dies? When you see the lady in the grave during the movie it’s so freaky, can you imagine being buried alive and not wanting to panic so you didn’t use up all your oxygen? Gives me the willies every time I think of it.
The movie is rated “R” so it’s not suitable for young kids. The action is cool, and the thrills are plentiful. The director done a fantastic job, but the story line could have been a little less predictable then what it was. I am just glad that the two main actors done their job keeping me glued to the movie. If it wasn’t for them then I believe I wouldn’t of finished watching.