lastliberal The movie opens with two criminals discussing a bank robbery and the escape plan. Everything sounds fine, and it goes off as planned. Only, when they get into the tunnel that they were to use for escape, they come head-to-head with a slasher with a pick axe that lives in the tunnel and, believe it or not, collects eyeballs.I would not call it as gory movie. Yes, the slasher does use some kind of eyeball-removal tool after he kills, but that wasn't really bad. It is the terror that makes it interesting.Sure, we have seen this many times before. Originality is not something we expect in horror movies. But it was done well and there was plenty of excitement as they try to escape.I am really not sure about the ending, though. It just didn't seem to fit.

Scarecrow-88 Thieves remove money and three hostages from a Russian bank, take it to a labyrinthine underground subway system of tunnels where their mastermind is supposed to be waiting since he understands where the exit is. What the three bank robbers don't expect is a psycho wielding a pickax with a penchant for removing eyeballs as keepsakes! The film highlights Grom(Dmitri Orlov)as the most level-headed humane figure among the thieves who soon becomes leader of their motley frightened group hoping to set some sort of trap for the killer, but his problem is that only the "trackman" understands his way around the underground maze. Kostya(Tomas Motskus)and his partner were responsible for this seemingly perfect plan of snatch-grab-hide-and-escape not knowing that there would be a major set-back awaiting them in the tunnels. Kostya and his pal had planned on keeping the loot for themselves which, in a wicked twist of fate, is spoiled thanks to their choice of location.The killer wears an eerie pair of goggles over a ski-mask, heavy overcoat and pants, carrying not only his trusty pick-ax but an eye-removing device as well(..one of those nasty kind of creations obviously designed and made by his own mind and hands). Director Igor Shavlak often shoots the trackman in ominous ways and really exploits the dread of our characters' situation thanks in part to the choice of location. The ancient abandoned underground subway tunnels make an ideal choice for an atmospheric hunting ground for a killer, and the perilous situation our characters find themselves in works in the film's favor. The idea that the killer knows the method of travel and escape in the tunnels as the others attempt various ways to escape heightens the suspense even though slasher fans have seen this all before. Director Shavlak mostly pulls his punches, not really elaborating on the attacks with great detail, disguising the pick-ax violence(..and eyeball extracting)through cunning camera-movements and editing. What is a constant, a certain success, is that the location, claustrophobic and unsettling, where light is privilege the characters often lack and their cold breath is always visible, works it's hold over you..you would certainly not want to be caught in this environment with a killer who knows where every nook and cranny is of the place. Unlike a great number of films in the slasher genre, the identity of the killer is of no great importance to the plot as a whole. He's a warped and dangerous psychopath who constantly threatens those he pursues. Guns are used in ways which shape the outcome of certain characters' lives thanks to a killer who hides and moves well in the dark patches of the place with fear often separating them. One robber, who decides that there's no way in hell the killer would get his trophy, slashes his own eyes with a blade. We do witness an eyeball being pried away from the socket, but it's rather brief. I think the novelty of this being a Russian slasher might catch on with fans of the genre, while others will find it just another average entry in the ever-growing cycle of films regarding a serial killer chasing his prey.

Michael O'Keefe This is a Russian entry from the Ghost House Underground collection translated as TRACKMAN. A bank heist is planed at McDonalds using condiments. The robbery itself isn't perfect; good enough though to getaway with money, but bad enough to need hostages. The criminals with hostages in tow take refuge in abandoned underground subway tunnels below a junkyard. Things otherwise is going as planned until they realize they are trapped in the tunnels with no way out and they are not alone. The tunnels are home to a demented serial killer that has an affinity for his victim's eyeballs.Most of the movie is underground making for most of the anxiety and fear. Two very nice looking hostages are played by Yuliya Mikhailova and Svetlana Metkina; and the Trackman is played by Aleksei Dmitriyev. The movie's director Igor Shavlak also has a role.

Mathieu Doublet Well, our robbers had a fine plan escaping the bank except for the killer being in the abandoned metro system. Now they have to survive, managing 2 hostages, 1 cop and maybe treachery inside the team.It was not as bad as I thought. Clearly, Igor Shavlak has a good team to work with and the movie has a peculiar feeling (image and sound speaking). It's a technical demo explaining that Russian directors can do as well as American ones.Too bad they forgot something to make the story interesting. Despite its short playtime (1 h 20 min), there is no really anything going on. The killer is not inventive and not manipulative (though the place suggested a nice "cat & mice" game) enough. The movie has a really good scene at the end when the last two survivors are followed by the killer and finally interact. It should have been this all along the movie to be really enjoyable.If "old nightmares have a new face" as it is written on the poster, it sure reminds other movies: Silent Hill, Jeepers Creepers, Descent. Not a bad basis to work on but as I said before it lacks the originality.With a good plot though, I'm sure that Scavlak and his team can make a fine movie to watch.