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Belgian thriller doesn't waffle
Adapted from a novel but suggesting inspiration of both Memento and a scandal that rocked Belgium in 1995, Memory of a Killer (originally De Zaak Alzheimer or The Alzheimer Case) is an original thriller that eschews Hollywood clichés (if it substitutes Belgian clichés, who can tell?) to tell a ripping yarn. Director/co-writer Erik Van Looy made his first film in 1988. His earlier work hasn't made it across the Atlantic but there will definitely be an audience here for what he does in the future. Though Memory as a whole could be shorter-term, each scene is perfectly crafted and the story keeps you in its grip. Two plotlines converge rather quickly. Antwerp police detectives Eric Vincke (Koen De Bouw) and Freddy Verstuyft (Werner De Smedt) are pulling a sting on a man who pimps his 12-year-old daughter when things go bad and the man is killed. In Marseilles hitman Angelo Ledda (Jan Decleir) is hired for work in Antwerp. In the early stages of Alzheimer's and with an older brother in the later stages, Angelo wants to retire but his boss won't hear of it. So he goes to Belgium and dispatches his first victim easily, but the second turns out to be the 12-year-old girl who was freed in the opening scene. He won't kill a child. Antwerp has two police forces, or at least two divisions that compete more than they cooperate. The brains are in the Judiciary, which includes Vincke and Verstuyft, while the brawn is in the Gendarmerie. The latter is also in league with the rich and powerful men this case leads to. Oh, the case. A couple of murders and a disappearance attract the attention of the Judiciary. A third murder gives Angelo a chance to pretend to be dead and wipe his slate cleaner than his memory, but he doesn't fool the police for long. When the young girl is killed despite his efforts he turns against his bosses to help the police catch the people responsible. Since he's a murderer himself Angelo has to keep a certain distance between himself and the police, and he has to try to wrap things up before: a) they find and arrest him; b) the people he double-crossed find and kill him; or c) he forgets a, b and the rest of the alphabet. He contacts Vincke to say he wants to do the police's work for them but may not be able to finish it. Although the Alzheimer's is always lurking in the background, like Antwerp, it rarely influences specifics of the plot. Angelo takes his pills and writes reminders on his arms but never becomes dysfunctional when something is happening. Some novel, unsettling montages give us a look into Angelo's mind. The action climax comes relatively early but the suspense that follows is hardly anticlimactic. Given a choice Van Looy picks intelligence over action every time, making Memory of a Killer a thinking person's thriller. The anti-bourgeoisie will be more appreciative than BMW owners of a running gag about how to vandalize a Beamer. Steve Warren is a local actor and film reviewer. His reviews can also be seen weekly in the Sunday Paper. |
Memory of a Killer
Directed by: Erik Van Looy 
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