Nine Black Cats is a stylish and vibrant thriller

Hannah Brantley as Joan in Nine Black Cats

Nine Black Cats is the type of film that wears its influences proudly. Hitchcock is a clear inspiration, as well as French New Wave, and even a dash of German Expressionism. Yet, writer/director Chris Zuhdi's film never feels like a mere hodgepodge or patchwork of his clear influences. The film generally has a well-written script, and it's also one heck of a stylish indie thriller.

Besides writing and directing duties, Zuhdi also stars as Joe Pacifico, a police officer placed on leave. However, he doesn't just kick back and enjoy some time off, because after a murder at a local nightclub, where a strange blue powder was left behind, he gets sucked into a much deeper conspiracy and partners with an unlikely ally, the waitress Joan/Jo, played by Hannah Brantley. What's especially fun about this movie is watching these two distinct and very different characters tossed into a situation much larger than themselves involving masked men and a potentially world-altering conspiracy, all circling back to the blue powder and what exactly it is. However, prior to that, Zuhdi spends adequate time developing the characters. We see their lives and where they're at before they join forces and get pulled into something much bigger than themselves.

Additionally, Zuhdi uses a MacGuffin quite well, again drawing inspiration from the maestro Hitchcock. Using the blue powder as a trigger, the movie has an intriguing set-up, before embarking upon one narrative twist after the other, until the plot fully materializes. The writing here is well-done and well-paced for that matter.

Another strength is the style. There's a lot of cool stuff happening here, including some of the visuals, especially the blue tones that create a neo noir vibe, but also some of the mashups and the incorporation of old sci-fi movies, classic horror monster segments, and even a mix of classical music and much more modern indie rock. None of it, however, clashes. Instead, it's a cool cut-up that fits with the film's overall post-modern tone and execution.

If the film has one flaw, it's that Joe Pacifico, as a character, is totally emotionless. In fact, his voice rarely rises above its flattened pitch. Just once, I would have loved to watch him yell, express anger, or hell, even curl his fist and pound a desk or two. But that never happens. He remains a little too even keeled, despite the major forces working against him. There are a lot of crocked cops in this movie, including some of his colleagues, but Joe constantly seems unbothered. He's determined to solve the crime, but beyond that, he's emotionless. It may grate on the audience's nerves after a while.

Overall, Nine Black Cats is a creative and colorful thriller that employs its inspirations well. This is a visually striking film and worth a watch for that alone.

Nine Black Cats opens theatrically in New York on August 21, with more cities to follow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiJRpVUrS4s