"Killer Heat" was released on Sept. 26 on Amazon Prime Video. This film features Shailene Woodly as Penelope, Richard Madden as Leo/Elias, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Nick. It has a captivating murder along with a love triangle.
This film takes place on a Greek Island and follows twin brothers, Leo and Elias, in a love triangle with Penelope. Then, Leo dies and Penelope brings in a private investigator with a complicated past to discover who the murderer is.
Highs
The highlights of this film are the intriguing plot and the fact that this murder concerns one of the twin brothers. To add context, it shows how these brothers became in a love triangle with Penelope through flashbacks. Their family is another intriguing aspect, considering how secretive and protective their mother is. There are plot twists throughout the movie that keep the audience engaged.
Woodley's acting as Penelope is significant because of her character's development throughout the movie. Her character is stuck in a situation with her husband, Elias, and feels trapped. Woodley portrays the emotions of the character remarkably well.
Nick Bali's inner monologue was another highlight as it showed his true thoughts. This gave the feeling of listening to a book; it showed the challenges that his character goes through within his mind. Joseph depicted his character’s pain well and spoke Greek nicely throughout the film.
Another highlight was Madden's acting as twins Elias and Leo. He portrayed two completely different characters with opposite personalities. He did it well, considering how Elias is manipulative and the 'playboy' on his Greek Island. In contrast, Leo is sweet and shy regarding women, especially Penelope.
The last highlight is the setting of the film. It was in Greece, which was beautiful. The scenes showing different ruins and rocks, as well as the ocean were refreshing. The scenes were unique considering how Greece has different policies regarding the law than America.
Lows
The lows in "Killer Heat" were minimal. It revolved around Penelope’s past with Leo; certain aspects were missing. It should have shown how the relationship evolved between Elias and Penelope and why exactly she chose him over Leo.
Another low was the lack of information about how the twins’ father died and why they are so protective over their mother. Elias mainly displays protectiveness, which can be odd. If there had been more context behind the loss of their father, it could explain the protection of their mother.
In addition, the plot could be confusing at times because of the many flashbacks. It involved Penelope's past and Nick’s past with his wife. This would show up when Nick has similar experiences with his wife to Penelope's experiences with Elias feeling trapped. It could be confusing to understand what happened and why Nick became a drunk.
Verdict
"Killer Heat" is worth the watch considering how intriguing the plot is and how it catches the audience off guard with the plot twists. It is a thrilling movie that involves a toxic love triangle.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10.
Mariam Fakhreddine is a film and theater reviewer for The Eastern Echo. She has worked as a news and features reporter for The Echo for two years.
