On the Line

Using the idea of a radio show to get across much of its action, this low-budget thriller might have worked had it not made several missteps that will leave viewers feeling frustrated and annoyed. Indeed, by setting all of the action in one place and not showing the villain or the hostages for the first two-thirds of its running time, On the Line saves a great deal on its production budget. But there are problems. Elvis is supposed to be a "shock jock" -- i.e. a loudmouth who says controversial things -- but instead he's more like a therapist, listening to problems and offering encouragement. That's fine, of course, but hardly dramatic or thrilling.

Beyond Elvis, the other characters don't have much to do, including co-star Kevin Dillon, who's only there to have an argument with Elvis about time slots. But the villain is especially obnoxious, giving one of those standard "evil crazy guy" performances that feel so utterly generic. And then, you might ask, given that all of this is happening during Elvis' show and his listeners are tuning in, is it good radio? Or is it just a bunch of huffing and puffing as characters run all over the building? Would listeners tune out? (They should.) But the worst is yet to come, as the movie springs not one but two "twists" on us, both far more irritating than clever (especially given that they contradict previous events in the movie). Rather than cheers from its viewers, On the Line is far more likely to elicit radio silence.