Plot: Detective Mike Fletcher (John Cusack) has worked countless murder and abduction cases, but he remains deeply impacted by his work. He has spent a good deal of time in recent years on a series of cases that involve sudden disappearances, as prostitutes seem to just vanish. While some dismiss the disappearances as part of that high risk lifestyle, Fletcher is driven to find answers. He has become almost obsessed with the cases, to the point that his endless hours at work have distanced him from his own family. He and his partner Kelsey (Jennifer Carpenter) exhaust every possible lead, but run into dead ends and resistance from others in the police department. But his own daughter is taken in similar circumstances, Fletcher throws the rules out the window and is determined to solve the case, regardless of what that takes.

Entertainment Value: This “good cop pushed too far” flick was shelved for four years, but with some solid star power and in a popular genre, it is a surprise The Factory wasn’t released sooner. The movie isn’t that original in premise, but it has the expected genre elements, a driven cop, woman in peril, and maniacal villain, plus a few twists and turns thrown in. In other words, this might not be a genre classic or inventive picture, but for fans of the genre, it is a solid, dark thriller. The cop gone rogue angle is at least well motivated and established, while the thriller element is passable and the conclusion fires some nice twists out. But while it is a decent thriller, again it does little to stand out from the crowd and isn’t as effective as it could have been. So don’t expect a cerebral, dark and brilliant movie here, just a decent flick for genre fans. John Cusack is capable in the lead, but lacks the killer instinct the role seems to need, while Jennifer Carpenter, Mae Whitman, and Dallas Roberts are solid in supporting roles. If you’re a fan of dark thrillers and need a fix, The Factory is passable in a pinch.

No nakedness. Some teases and off screen sexual content, but no actual nudity or sex is shown. A little blood here and there, but not much, though there’s semi-frequent violence and a lot of women in chains. So the girls get chained up and roughed up, which is intense, but not overly graphic and most of the violence happens off screen. This can be a dark, cruel experience in some scenes, regardless of the low blood volume. The dialogue is fine, but serious in tone and rarely feels wild. The girls that have been chained up for a while are a little unhinged, as is a babydoll prostitute Fletcher encounters, but none of the lines are that out of control or over the top. In terms of craziness, we have a dude that looks like a deranged John Ritter, but that’s the extent of the wackiness.

Nudity: 0/10

Blood: 1/10

Dialogue: 1/10

Overall Insanity: 1/10

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