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Is it possible to sympathize with, or even root for, a cold-blooded killer? This is a challenge that many works of cinema have attempted to achieve over the decades, and while such a challenge is far from easy to pull off, there have been those that have seen their share of success. Last year’s “Joker”, for example, found a way to take one of the most iconic and dangerous supervillains of all time and turn him into someone audiences can identify with. Most of these kinds of narratives do not have the luxury of showcasing an already popular character though, and therefore it’s hard to find films that reach the same level of appeal and quality. That’s not to say such films don’t exist however. One example of such a film comes in the form of today’s subject, the horror-thriller “Real Killers”.
The film revolves around Odessa and Kyle James, two of America’s most media-oriented killers, arrested and imprisoned for the murders of their parents. The two have escaped from Death Row at the San Quentin State Prison, and it’s not long before their escape catches the attention of the law and the media. In the midst of a fierce storm and pursued by law-enforcement officers, they find sanctuary in what appears to be the ideal American family, invading their home and taking the family hostage. There’s just one problem: this “ideal American family” is anything but. The daughters are two of the killers’ biggest fans, the mother isn’t quite what she seems, and the father is perhaps more than their equal. It quickly becomes clear to Odessa and Kyle that the cops are the least of their worries, and as the rain pours down and the dragnet moves closer, the question that emerges is, “Will the killers ever see the light of day?”
If the premise sounds familiar to some, then there’s a strong chance that they were alive during the arrest and conviction of Lyle and Erik Menendez. For those unaware, these two brothers were arrested for the shotgun murders of their parents, Jose Menendez and his wife Mary, in 1989. Despite not being initially considered as suspects, their excessive spending of the family’s wealth would soon draw the attention of law enforcement, and in 1992, the two were charged and arrested for the murders. Erik and Lyle tried to persuade jurors that the murders were committed due to their history of being abused by their parents, but such arguments were not convincing enough to fully sway the jury. After a series of mistrials, the two were eventually convicted and sentenced to life in prison without opportunity for parole.
“Real Killers” may only be loosely inspired by these real-life events, but that doesn’t make its story any less compelling. By presenting its main characters with threats even more disturbing than they are, the film does what so many others have failed in and turned two violent killers into sympathetic leads. The film is now available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime for those curious to see how.
