Word About Biehn

Blaine and Cary are close friends and recent college grads who plan to begin law school together in the fall. However, first there's summer vacation, and they'll be spending that working on a Texas offshore oil rig. Their well-paying jobs are courtesy of Blaine's wealthy dad. But their favored status does not carry over to the workplace, as the two of them run afoul of envious Elray, their supervisor, who not only vows they will bear their fair share of weight on the job, but who is mean-spirited about it. However, they are not alone. Also on the rig is co-worker Bo Landry (Michael), who befriends them, shows them the ropes, and acts as a buffer between them and hothead Elray. At first, Bo seems to be a fun guy and true buddy. That's until they discover his frightening flaw: He has A Taste for Killing. And through his machinations, Blaine and Cary are drawn into a nightmare of fear, deceit, and murder.

A Taste For Killing is a made-for TV movie filmed in part on a real oil rig. Competently written and nicely performed, it tells a story of evil preying upon innocence, successfully creating a sinister atmosphere that slowly envelops Blaine and Cary. As suspense builds, we wait, watch and worry about what will happen to these two young men, who are clearly out of their element in dealing with the nefarious Bo.

As the despicable villain of the piece, Michael is excellent. Using his good looks and disarming smile, he initially wins our trust for Bo. But gradually he reveals the truth about what Bo really is, a killer without conscience or remorse. Moving from assault to murder, he frames Blaine and Cary for the killing and then watches with satisfaction and enjoyment (and that smile that has taken on a new and chilling meaning), as they squirm to extricate themselves from the trap he's sprung on them. Throughout, Michael seems to derive as much pleasure from playing the contemptible Bo, as Bo does from toying with his victims and turning them to his own purposes.

Though it's never easy for me to watch Michael play the evildoer in a film, A Taste For Killing is a fine example of how very convincing he can be in such roles.