The Ravine Review: Eric Dane Murder Mystery Falls Apart In Its Opening Act

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The Ravine is sadly a confusing version of a rather straightforward story. The murder mystery is solid, but it does not get a chance to take hold in a meaningful way. The cast does nothing wrong or right, they are simply bound to the script that seems to serve two masters. The heavily religious aspects of the film make perfect sense given what the characters go through, but also derail the plot in a massive way. By the film’s end, racist undertones drown the barely floating ship, and director Keoni Waxman’s (Absolution) adaptation of Robert and Kelly Pascuzzi book sinks.

When Danny Turner (Peter Facinelli) commits a horrific act of violence against his family, his friends and loved ones can’t believe he had it in him. They all gather as Detective Ben Lee (Byron Mann) lays out the facts. As he asks them about Danny's past, it's clear he had a darkness about him that was known to some, but not all. Danny's friend Mitch (Eric Dane) is left to both grieve and investigate parts of the case that Detective Lee shares with only him. The story is told, piece by piece, from several perspectives and ultimately leads to a revelation about how Mitch deals with the toughest moments in his life.

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Overtly religious movies can be hard to get a handle on. When a film comes out of the gate with a Christian message one knows what the rules are. But when that aspect isn't introduced in the first act and is held back as a twist, the structure of the film is the only thing keeping the plot from splintering. The Ravine starts off as a straightforward murder mystery. It's fully dramatic and complete with flashbacks and a well-dressed detective with sharp