Caracara

When Rachel lets an FBI team into her apartment, their surveillance team settle in for a long stakeout. But when their leader turns out to be a hired assassin, Rachel's life becomes fair game for a killer on the loose. It might have been easier if he hadn't been so attractive. And it might have been easier if she didn't have to die.

Pretty ornithologist Rachel (Natasha Henstridge) agrees to let a team of FBI agents take over her apartment for a strategic observation post when Nelson Mandela comes to town. Rachel's lonely, though, and when one of the agents sees that, he seduces her. Surprise! He turns out not to be an FBI agent at all, and is actually a ruthless assassin. She foils his first attempt on Mandela's life and soon finds herself on his list of witnesses to be eliminated. Her estranged mom (Lauren Hutton) is also in jeopardy as he ties up loose ends. This is a film that could almost be good, but it has a few factors working against it: The assassin (Jonathon Schaech) occasionally slips in and out of his South African accent, Rachel's adenoidal best friend is just plain irritating, and Hutton still looks a bit too good to be a down-and-out alcoholic nympho ex-hippie bag lady. Also, the story telegraphs its plot twists well in advance--Rachel's friend may as well have a tattoo that says "dead girl" across her forehead from the very start.

Still, the movie tries hard and occasionally succeeds, despite its slack direction and murky plot, achieving a bloody slam-bang thrill or two along the way. Those who enjoy guilty-pleasure filmmaking should like Caracara, if they don't look too closely at the threadbare spots. Caracara, by the way, is a rare bird of prey that Rachel keeps for a pet in her apartment; the multifaceted bird doubles up on metaphorical duty as well. --Jerry Renshaw