An Unexciting, R-Rated 80s Mystery Thriller Is The Ultimate Violent Copycat Crime
Written by Robert Scucci | Published
The best way to deliver a truly engaging murder mystery is to mislead the audience, sending them down a trail of clues that reveal a series of half-truths instead of laying all their cards on the table at once. In 1988 Jack’s Backa neo-noir thriller about a madman reenacting Jack the Ripper’s crimes a hundred years later in Los Angeles, taps into this storytelling rhythm. Its crazy premise is allowed to wander in minute detail while slowly butchering you and re-exposing everything you thought you understood along the way.
Playing the twins in a dual role, James Spader has a straight face and is very determined to solve this mystery in. Jack’s Back because of the deep personal stakes involved. He also does not have the law on his side, because he is quickly taken as a suspect. His goal is simple. Find out who killed his brother, clear his name, and say goodbye to the killer before another victim is sought. Given how the killer repeats the crime scenes, it becomes clear early on that time is not on anyone’s side.
Copycat Killer One Scary MO
Jack’s Back we waste no time establishing its main conflict with the news bumper witnessed by John Westford (James Spader), a young doctor who spends his days helping the poor in his clinic. It’s made clear that the killer is suddenly killing Jack the Ripper again in vivid detail, meaning the crimes will continue to escalate in brutality.
After spotting his partner Jack Pendler (Rex Ryon) at a new crime scene, a chase ensues that ends with Pendler defeating John, hanging him, and making the death look like a suicide. In Jack’s mind, killing John condemns the authorities for allowing him to frame John for murder, implying that he was framed for the crime and ended his life.
Unfortunately for Jack, John has an identical twin named Rick (James Spader), who sees his death with a disturbing vision. Believing that he can help the investigation, Rick contacts the authorities with his claims, but this only makes matters worse. The police now have reason to suspect that he killed not only his twin, but also the growing list of victims claimed by the copycat killer, especially because Rick is providing information that has never been made public.
Determined to clear his name, Rick befriends John’s colleague and best friend Christine (Cynthia Gibb) and begins his own investigation while the authorities close in a bit. Maintaining his innocence, Rick also works with criminal psychologist Dr. Carlos Battera (Robert Picardo) to better understand his ideas, hoping that the truth is buried somewhere in his mind. Time is working for him, however, as the killer is always on the loose and the pattern suggests that another strike is inevitable.
Mystery in Layers
Jack’s Back takes the familiar tropes of the murder mystery and throws them into a blender in the best possible way. Mixed motives, unreliable information, and hypnotic hallucinations slowly bring Rick closer to uncovering the truth about his brother’s death, while unraveling a much larger puzzle. Solving John’s murder raises more questions, as Jack Pendler appears in Rick’s vision, committing the crime. The problem is that this direct killing feels sloppy and impulsive, which doesn’t fit the meticulous MO of the copycat killer
The real mystery becomes if everything is connected, or if a series of coincidences sends Rick down a dangerous path filled with many possible suspects instead of one clear answer. With so many moving parts and conflicting motives, Jack’s Back it constantly forces you to re-examine your assumptions as the story progresses. Trying to piece it all together is part of the fun, especially if you enjoy mysteries that refuse to be spoon-fed easy answers.
From this writing, you can broadcast Jack’s Back free on Tubi.
