Sacrifice (2000 TV Movie) User Reviews (23)

What am I watching?

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 20 June 2014]

Sometimes I watch B-movies that are flat-out silly and ridiculous that I can't help but be entertained. That's the case with SACRIFICE, a TV movie made in 2000 and shot in Alabama which sees Tarantino regular Michael Madsen playing a bank robber who busts out of jail in order to get revenge on the serial killer who's just claimed his daughter as their next victim.

The plot is an unwieldy amalgamation of serial killer movie with a more predictable cops 'n' robbers flick. Michael Madsen spends the whole movie on the run from sweaty FBI man Bokeem Woodbine, although the FBI are so useless in this movie that I was regularly laughing at how bad they were. They need to be too - Madsen is flabby and past his prime in this one, and looks incredibly bored with the material too.

The other half of the film is a typical slasher movie, with some thrown-in nudity and a couple of half-gory murders inserted into the mix. A weird masked and ritualistic murderer is offing nubile women, and the writer desperately adds a whodunit angle in an attempt to grab the viewer's attention. Just who's responsible? Could it be THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT's Joshua Leonard, playing the boyfriend of Madsen's slain daughter?

It's all very silly and far-fetched, and it ends up in a set-piece that's both ridiculous and expected. I like the way the writers keep pushing their anti-abortion agenda with the presence of the protesters as well as the motive for the killer. SACRIFICE is far from a good film but it is a mildly entertaining one if you're in the right mood.

Strange, but not terrible...

[bdobson · 5/10 · 21 January 2001]

I almost missed this movie in the list of Michael Madsens features as I just found it in the new release section today at the video store. This is strange as it is a film that was made in 1999. I like Madsen and he does to a slight degree make this laughably terrible film a little better. I am not one typically for pointing out plot holes but there were so many in this film it is impossible not to. Possibly a good film to rent simply because of the cheese factor.

Bookem Woodbine is terrible, simply terrible giving a worse performance than anything else he has done so far. Which is not saying a whole lot I guess. All in all if you are a Madsen fan then there may be enough in this one to interest you. If not then I recommend giving it a quick pass and finding something else.

Career crook escapes from Feds (several times) to hunt serial killer

[whereizdaremote · 6/10 · 17 August 2007]

This flick was both surprising and disappointing for several reasons.

Short summary of this B Movie saga is career crook and absentee father Tyler Pearce( Michael Madsen) busts outta a transport van on his way to the state pen to look for the serial killer that whacked his daughter. Seems as if the bumbling FBI Special-Agent-In-Charge (hhehheehe) played by Bokeem Woodbine couldn't track a dime store thief. Old Tyler gets help in the search in more ways than one from a call girl with ethics played by Jamie Luner. One positive aspect is there are no anvils falling for the first half of the flick that give away the killer's identity. But unfortunately there are too many what tha ^&*(! scenes in this flick.

Bonuses: 1. Michael Madsen does not prance around to a classic rock song and slice off anyone's ear (Reservoir Dogs) 2. Jamie Luner's smoking body in the sack time with Madsen ( great diet and gym time on full exhibit here...doubt the gal eats Big Macs) 3. No fake a$$ Southern accents by Madsen or Luner. 4. Diane Farr is hard to recognize at first except for her eyes.... she was a real hottie as Laura Miles in FX's Rescue Me four years later.

Downers: 1. Mutilation of women 2. Terrible gun play scenes ( a first year film student could have directed some scenes better) 3. Too little Luner and too much Madsen lumbering around as if he's just left happy hour. 4. Too many stupid quips between the FBI agents.

Watch if you are a Luner lover, a fan of Madsen's brooding, or just looking for a semi drama-semi slasher flick that requires you to be only partially lucid while viewing this flick.

Silly. Very silly.

[mikeychalupa · 27 January 2003]

Laughable dialogue, terrible camerawork, and a ludicrous script make this an all-around BAD movie. And yet, like so many other bad movies, you just can't seem to change the channel. Maybe it's to see if Jamie Luner will get naked again, maybe it's to see if Bokeem Woodbine, who gets second billing, will get another 5 minutes of screen time this hour, maybe it's to see exactly how Mr. Blon... I mean, Michael Madsen's character will manage to get away from the cops, maybe it's because ALL the movie channels are playing similar stupid direct-to-video movies at this hour of the morning.

From the serial killer with the box of boobs, to the gratuitous dream sequence with Madsen's dead daughter in the restaurant, this is one completely silly movie. Watch it anyway, what else are you going to do at 3:30 AM?

-Mikey

Laughably bad

[ggelvin · 1/10 · 9 October 2002]

The "plot" of this movie has more holes in it than a brillo pad. FBI agents in cars can't keep up with Michael Madsen loping down a country road -- the same road that all the pointless chase scenes were filmed on.

Can you imagine a bank robber burying his loot in anticipation of incarceration then escape? How about if he buries his favorite jacket with it? Did Madsen have costume approval or something?

This is a great movie if you love coincidences. From the very conventional turning on the TV to find the announcer saying, "The latest Sweetwater killer victim..." to the imaginative: having the first four victims of the killer be women wearing uniforms. The sudden unslaught of a hurricane at the climactic scene, the sudden appearance of a laser scope on Madsen's gun, the mob boss who apparently doesn't miss his girlfriend when she's off with Madsen for a week... the mind boggles.

The part I found the most unbelievable was his ex-wife's new husband warmly welcoming the escaped bank robber into his home.

On the plus side... let me think... oh yeah. The plot was better than the acting, or editing.

Yuk

[NJEDMAN · 3/10 · 30 June 2000]

One hot sex scene, but overall this movie pretty much blows. Logged on to see who the chick is in the hot scene but, nothing available. Implausible plot with prison escape to stop serial killer, who turns out to be... well I wasted the time so if you want to know you will have to as well.

Bad acting, political propaganda. Otherwise, a decent shoot-em-up movie.

[FloridaFred · 4/10 · 18 November 2018]

Oh, please! What a crock of pro-abortion nonsense. "I had to use a coat hanger on myself", "Those pro-life protesters are nutcases", and other leftist cliches. Add to that, terrible acting from "FBI agent" Bokeem Woodbine, and "Nurse" Karen Yeager. Speaking of Karen Yeager, her stunt double doesn't even look like her. This movie also features guns that don't run out of bullets, and guns that suddenly sport laser sights. There are gun fights with dozens of shots fired, but no neighbors or bystanders come out to see what is going on. And, a serial killer who makes national news would bring in scores of investigators and police. But nobody is on this case. It takes an escaped prisoner to find out who the killer is. Okay. Lots of gun fights, knife fights, fist fights, car chases.

Peeeyuuu

[BRIANBROWN8 · 1/10 · 8 November 2005]

This is one of the worst movies ever to waste film and money.Cheesy special effects, unbelievable plot lines, and extremely poor acting from everyone.e.g.Madsen's lard ass is chased on foot for seemingly miles by cops in cars and not only can't they catch him, but he has time to calmly (and not out of breath) get in his truck and leave without being seen.Powerful mob boss just let's his trophy chick run off with Madsen(whom he hates), with no problem.Madsen parades around town he's been spotted in by F.B.I.,even giving his name, but this crack team can't find him. Save your time and money and rent Soul Plane or Showgirls. Even those duds are better than this crap. p.s. One redeeming factor:Jamie Luner still looks great.

A fantasy phone conversation...

[counterrevolutionary · 1/10 · 12 January 2003]

"Michael, baby, it's your agent. I've got a script for you to read. I think it's right up your alley."

"What is it?"

"A sleazy little boobs-and-gore exploitation thing called *Sacrifice*. You know the kind of thing; total garbage. Probably go direct-to-video, maybe cable TV first."

"Why would I want to do something like that? I've worked with Ben Kingsley, for God's sake! And Tarantino!"

"Look, Mike, any day now, people are going to realize that you can't act. Take what you can get now, while someone still wants you."

[Long pause.]

"OK, I'll take it."

Surprisingly violent, fast paced and entertaining

[experten · 7/10 · 10 February 2002]

This is a violent movie. We get to see bloody knife stabbings and throat slittings, grisly aftermath pictures of murder victims and some shootings with big, beautiful bloodsquibs spraying blood over the victims. I especially liked when the killer came running towards the victim, aggressively attacking with a knife. It is surprisingly violent especially considering that it is made for TV.

The pacing is high and you will never be bored. You will not marvel over the clever story, but it works even though the dialogue sometimes is unimpressive. The acting is nothing special and I was not so happy with Bokeem Woodbine as the black detective, but it is Michael Madsen who has the leading role, as usual as a tough guy, and he knows what he is doing. I will not reveal the identity of the killer but it is nice to see someone so demented and the portrayal of the killer is excellent. The acting is not deserving an Oscar but it will not ruin the movie.

This is not art, Sacrifice is made as entertainment, so the film snobs better stay away. If you like violent movies you can do a hell of a lot worse than watching Sacrifice.

Proving a point, it's good!

[GOWBTW · 8/10 · 8 October 2005]

This movie is very amazing and gruesome in between. The plot is great and the dialog is superb. When you have a bank robbing father(Michael Madson) looking for the killer of his daughter, even the bad guys can be the hero for once. After finding clues from an female informant, the clue resulted in an abortion clinic. All the other ladies who went to the clinic were killed by the same person. The abortion clinic are prone to protesters, however they later find out that the killer was from the clinic. After finding out who the killer was, the law was hot on the robber's heels. He'll catch him one day, but for now, it's time for him to start healing. The cast was great, and the action was amazing. And the movie showed some morals. If you are pregnant, seek adoption agencies or foster care, abortion leads to regrets, and many learned it the hard way. Rating 3 out of 5 stars.

Better Than Expected

[dennis-77 · 7/10 · 29 October 2005]

To be honest, I didn't expect much of this film, given that it was being shown at 1 o'clock in the morning when no one would be watching, and the trashy title but it's a good little film.

Michael Madsen is good as the main character, who you root for despite his unsavoury nature. The supporting cast are also good, especially his ex-wife and her new husband and Agent Gottfried.

The tension ratchets up well, and the film moves along in a logical progression. Also, unlike many thrillers, there is enough revealed for the audience to work out who the Sweetwater killer is, without it being obvious. There are no illogical twists and turns which is always nice to see. The scenes with the killer are suitably scary, especially when the killer attacks his third on-screen victim.

The ending is good and well done, as is the rest of the film. It's not a classic, obviously, but watching the film is not a bad way of spending a couple of hours.

Gripping but unrealistic

[cryercat · 23 June 2000]

"Sacrifice" is a gripping story of convict Tyler (Michael Madsen)who escapes from jail in order to find and punish the serial killer named "Sweetwater" because the killer murdered his daughter. With the help of a ex prostitute (Jamie Luner), Tyler pieces together the twisted mind of the killer. Although unrealistic, "Sacrifice" doesn't go on too long nor does it leave one bored.

Not all that bad for this kind of movie

[chet19 · 7/10 · 3 June 2005]

So a serial killer murders women after they have abortions. They all have abortions at the same clinic. Hmmmm, do the cops put 2+2 together and investigate the clinic? Nope. Instead, some dude who just escaped from prison and knows nothing about the case figures it out in about 20 minutes, while the cops still can't put the pieces together and realize that the lady at the clinic is the killer. Other than that huge leap, it's an enjoyable film with typical Madsen and a really good Jamie Luner as his helper. The acting is good and doesn't treat the audience like idiots with over-explanations. They also do a good job of portraying Madsen's character as good at heart, despite the fact that he's an escaped killer.

Good Flick

[mjmdl · 6/10 · 17 February 2001]

I've always enjoyed the characters portrayed by Michael Madsen; he's a great actor to watch. After being involved in a bank heist gone wrong, he escapes the law to find his daughter's serial killer in a small, corrupt town. With more deaths, they are able to find a connection which leads them to the killer. The plot's been done before but it's a good enough movie to watch.

If you are a fan of Michael Madsen, then you will enjoy this movie. It kept me suspense all the whole time and these are the types of movies I enjoy.

[agegrl9 · 24 October 2000]

Michael Madsen plays Tyler Pierce, an ex-con who escapes from jail to find out who murdered his only daughter Lisa. With the help of Naomi Cohen (played by Jamie Luner), he finds out who murdered his daughter and some of the reasons why she was murdered. "Sacrifice" is very gripping, and keep you at the end of your seat. A must see for all Michael Madsen fans.

Sacrifice.

[mittoo · 7/10 · 19 October 2020]

In the time of "CORONAVIRUS WORLD WAR - 3" in 2020 when your own life is at the hands of a invisible pandemic it's cinema that breaks all barriers and provides solace and entertainment in the confines of home. Although a very unbelievable film of a bank robber on the trail of his daughter's killer while simultaneously dodging the pursuit by cops .The suspense is well maintained till the end and this movie is worth a watch although too violent for a T.V. film..

Pass the Jack Daniels Michael Madsen!!

[RCamp48845 · 24 December 2001]

I guess the only redeeming factor about movies like this is that they supply Michael Madsen with money to buy liquor. I caught this in the wee small hours on cable one night and couldn't resist watching it. Madsen plays...a Michael Madsen character!! But less so. Michael really needs to pore over his scripts a bit better. I'm sure he gets some bad ones but one winner has got to come along once in a while. The serial killer scenes in this one reminded me of some early 80's Friday The 13th ripoff film.

Not Great but Ok.

[mr_pivac1985 · 7 March 2003]

I am a big fan of Michael Madsen, which is the main reason I rented this film. Without Madsen this film would have been a total rubbish of a movie, Do give this movie a go, but only if your a Madsen fan, otherwiz skip it.

4/10

Worthwhile only for Michael Madsen

[Chesler · 22 July 2001]

Except for Michael Madsen, who was great as always, the acting and the writing were awful. The motivation of the serial killer was somewhat novel, but the rest of the plot was full of holes and dead ends. I don't know if the genre is cops-and-robbers, or whodunit mystery, or cheesey slasher.

To Watch This Takes A Sacrifice

[Fred-333 · 4 February 2003]

Being a Georgia boy, I think the only redeeming valve of 'Sacrifice' is our beautiful Georgia scenery and the scenes in Savannah. Don't ya all just love those red dirt back county roads? Michael Madsen who I admire as an actor could not save this one with the corny dialog and poor direction. I had never seen Jamie Luner, but have to admit, she is very nice to look at, even though she needs to continue her acting lessons. The bedroom scene with Madsen and Jamie was erotic but the editing was choppy. Diane Farr another actress I have not seen does a reasonably good job as the nurse in the women's clinic and the crazed serial killer. I thought her midnight ritual in the woods was hilarious as were her chase scenes through the woods, and as was her making the sign of the cross with the vaginal speculum., Bokeem Woodbine, who I like and who has done some good work, was just plain awful as was the actress who played his FBI partner - in a different way they were about as silly as Rebecca De Mornay and Mary Gross in the stinker 'Feds'. The other characters, especially the corrupt deputy sheriff, the psychiatrist, and the local mobster chieftain were all caricatures.

Overall, Madsen fans will be disappointed and fans of Jamie Luner might like. Overall, poor direction, poor editing, and bad script.

Very Bad...

[Alex-372 · 6 December 2001]

What kills this movie is the cinematography and the direction, otherwise, the actors do their best. Bokeem Woodbine, Michael Madsen, et al may be B movie actors, but they've appeared in much better stuff than this, doing a much better job.

However, the cinematography is so bad, that you'll think you're back in the eighties. When I rent a video _movie_, I don't want it to look as if it had also been shot on video. It's a distraction. Good production values and a lot of action (like in 'US Marshalls') can actually cover up a weak plot. This, however, is laying bare every single flaw.

wow, what horrible acting...

[hunterdu · 24 December 2001]

What was Michael Madsen thinking when he agreed to this movie? Everybody else in this entire movie was either overacting (even worse than a typical soap opera actress), or underacting. I sure hope this wasn't supposed to be Diane Farr's big post-Loveline project.