“Bait” stars John Hurt as Jack Blake, a seemingly friendly ‘Good Samaritan’ who takes in a young mother and her daughter stranded out on the highway. The women are running from a past full of abuse, and all they are looking for is a new life. Blake offers them the opportunity to stay at his home, first to get out of the rain, and secondly to figure out what they are going to do next. But all is not as it seems... Blake, like most people, has a little secret and is not as kindly as you might think. And no, this isn’t one of those cheap slasher flicks, or any kind if homage to the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” “Bait” is an above average psychological thriller, and Blake has a use for his new found friends. When they discover that he intends to use them to flush out his daughter’s suspected murderer, the have no choice but to try and escape.

While I can’t say that “Bait” is the best movie of its kind I’ve ever seen, it certainly does deliver the goods with it moments of high intensity. It does tend to move a little slow, but when push comes to shove you’ll find yourself scooting closer to the edge of your seat.

Hurt, who is best known for the infamous ‘chest-bursting’ scene from “Alien”, has had a long and somewhat distinguished career. Occasionally he finds himself in a few duds, but for the most part if he is in a movie, chances are it’ll be a good one. Since the 1960’s, he’s been in well over a hundred films, and most recently, he played a very important role in “Hellboy.” In “Bait”, his somewhat unassuming demeanor serves him well as you would never suspect him to be as dangerous as he turns out to be.

BFS Entertainment is releasing the DVD for “Bait” this week. There aren’t any extra features beyond some cast profiles, and I can’t really recommend the movie for purchase, but it is enough of a thriller to warrant a look. So this one is a rental for sure.

Directed by: Nicholas Renton
Starring: John Hurt, Sheila Hancock, Rachael Sterling, Jonathon Firth, Angeline Ball, Nicholas Farrell
Extras: Cast Profiles
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: BFS Entertainment
Release Date: 10/19/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Bait a C.