Movie Review: IN THE ELECTRIC MIST

Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones leads an all-star cast in this psychological thriller based on the bestselling novel by James Lee Burke.

While on an investigation into a series of grisly serial murders, veteran detective Dave Robicheaux (Tommy Lee Jones) navigates his way through the Louisiana bayou and the dark, sultry world of New Orleans mobster “Baby Feet” Balboni (John Goodman). Layers of corruption and long-dead secrets reawaken grudges and a lethal alliance. A tangled web of killings, past and present, converges in a somewhat underwhelming showdown. Featuring music from five-time GRAMMY-winner Buddy Guy, this film takes you deep into the hidden worlds of Cajun country and - trying to be all things to all men and tackle an overabundance of themes - takes far too many convoluted twists and turns.

Premiering at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, French director Bertrand Tavernier’s first US production was apparently fraught with difficulties during its 2007 shoot, resulting in two versions of the movie: the 117 minutes director’s cut, as shown at the Berlinale, which is set to be released theatrically worldwide, ex-North America; and the 102 minute producer’s cut, to be released in the US by Image Entertainment on Feb. 20, followed by DVD and Blu-Ray release on March 3.

Although the same in essence, the tenor of each version differs significantly. Based on James Lee Burke’s 1993 novel, “In The Electric Mist With Confederate Dead”, screenwriters Jerry and Mary Kromolowski’s updated version takes place in present-day Louisiana - post-Katrina - where the poor are rebuilding their shattered lives and devastated homes, to the tune of corporate corruption and the benefit of the Mafia.

Enter detective Dave Robicheaux of the New Iberia police force; reformed alcoholic, terse, laconic, who follows his own rules - a familiar role for Tommy Lee Jones. He begins by investigating two seemingly unrelated murders: that of prostitute Cherry Leblanc, horribly mutilated by her slayer, followed by discovery in the swamp of the skeleton of Prejean, a black man draped in chains. Shot by 2 unknown assailants back in 1965, his murder was coincidentally witnessed by Robicheaux himself, when he was just a kid. Just one of many confusing and superfluous twists.

Murder follows murder, with bodies popping up everywhere and, even while Robicheaux tries to get a handle on the cold Prejean case, it becomes evident that the murders are all somehow related. Crime boss Julie “Babyfeet” Balboni (John Goodman - enjoying himself hugely), industrial heavyweight Twinky Lemoyne (Ned Beatty, hardly used to his full potential) are among the prime suspects, sharing the screen with a large ensemble of fellow officers, corrupt cops and various sleazy characters in best Big Easy tradition.

Added to this confusing gumbo, is a complicated subplot involving Robicheaux’s burgeoning friendship with Hollywood movie star Elrod T. Sykes (Peter Sarsgaard, somewhat miscast), on location shooting a film - which is how one of the corpses is discovered - and the supernatural visions shared by both Robicheaux and Sykes of Civil War General John Bell Hood (Levon Helm), who appears sporadically throughout the course of the movie to assist Robicheaux with his investigations and symbolise the fact that the present is haunted by the past.

As if all this was not enough, Tavernier throws in his own none-too-subtle social commentary: his clear criticism of the disgraceful way things were done, or rather left undone after the hurricane; of crime, corporate corruption, political shenanigans, and the movie business, too, all against a tapestry of racial friction and erstwhile slavery.

Although the shorter US version scales down much of the dross, it unfortunately leaves too many gaps in the backstory - unless you happen to have read all five of Burke’s novels. While Tavernier’s cut is more provocative and hangs together more effectively, it still meanders interminably. But neither versions work, quite honestly and the final denouement is hugely disappointing.

IN THE ELECTRIC MIST (USA 2009); Genre: drama-thriller; Running time: 102-117 minutes; Distributor: Image Entertainment; US release date: Feb. 20, 2009; Director: Bertrand Tavernier; Writers: Jerzy Kromolowski, Mary Olson-Kromolowski (screenplay), James Lee Burke, based on his novel “In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead”, Cinematographer: Bruno de Keyzer; Composer: Marco Beltrami: Main cast: Tommy Lee Jones, John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard, Kelly Macdonald, Mary Steenburgen, Justina Machado, James Gammon, Buddy Guy, Alana Locke, John Sayles, Ned Beatty, Pruitt Taylor Vince; Production designer: Merideth Boswell; Editors: Larry Madaras, Roberto Silvi