Damaged is exactly that serial killer hunter movie you’ve seen done better before. Probably just rewatch Seven… or any of a number of Ashely Judd thrillers from the 90s. Damaged isn’t incompetent, it’s just dull and uninspired.

It’s about a serial killer who doesn’t exactly “damage” his victims so much as he dismembers them and arranges their limbs like modern art. This is taking place in Scotland but a similar case in America brings Sam Jackson to the UK to help with the investigation (and boost ticket sales).

Rented it for Sam Jackson who could very well be in his Bruce Willis or Morgan Freeman geezer teaser stage. But Damaged is generally a better made film than the tommyrot those other guys sometimes do… it’s not an incompetent film and Jackson, while not the main character, gets more to do – and actually puts in the work – than I expected.

Not that he saves a movie that’s so intent on being a great big nothing. It’s shot well and I suppose the acting is fine, but the direction – especially during the action scenes – just lays there like a limp noodle. There’s very little thrilling or engaging in the mystery or the suspense, especially in the out-of-nowhere butt rock chase scene at the end… like what a tonal shift is this movie pulling?

It’s not the worst movie of its kind, but it’s aggressively low interest, low effort, low challenge, and low thrills. Might as well not.

Score: 66