Relentless (1989)
A lean, unsettling serial killer thriller from director William Lustig, featuring a chilling turn by Judd Nelson as a methodical murderer stalking Los Angeles.
Relentless - Movie Information
- Release Year: 1989
- Directed by: William Lustig
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Crime
- Age Rating (US): R
- Runtime: 1h 32m
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English, Spanish
- Release Date (Theatrical): August 30, 1989 (United States - R)
- Production Companies: Out of the Dark Productions, CineTel Films, New Line Cinema
- Production Countries: United States of America
Relentless - Plot
Two Los Angeles police detectives hunt for a serial killer who randomly chooses his victims from a phone directory.
Relentless - Trailer
See the tension unfold in the official trailer for this 1989 thriller:
Killers aren't born. They're made.
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Relentless - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- William Lustig
Main Cast
- Judd Nelson
- Robert Loggia
- Leo Rossi
- Meg Foster
- Patrick O'Bryan
- Ken Lerner
- Mindy Seeger
- Angel Tompkins
- Beau Starr
- Frank Pesce
Writers
- Phil Alden Robinson
Producers
- Sanford Hampton
- Howard Smith
Relentless - FAQs
Who plays the serial killer in Relentless?
Judd Nelson plays Arthur 'Buck' Taylor, the disturbed serial killer at the center of the film. It was a striking departure from his earlier teen-idol roles, and Nelson delivers a genuinely unsettling performance as a methodical murderer who selects his victims at random from a phone directory.
What is Relentless about?
Relentless follows two LAPD detectives tracking a serial killer who picks his victims randomly from a phone book. The film blends procedural tension with psychological horror, exploring the killer's warped psychology alongside the detectives' increasingly desperate race to stop him before another name gets crossed off the list.
When was Relentless released in theaters?
Relentless was released in the United States on August 30, 1989. Directed by William Lustig and distributed by New Line Cinema, it arrived during a fertile period for serial killer thrillers and earned a modest but loyal following among fans of the genre.
Where can you stream or watch Relentless?
You can watch Relentless by renting or buying it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It's widely available across major digital platforms, so picking it up for a late-night thriller session is pretty straightforward.
Is Relentless based on a true story?
Relentless is not based on a specific true story. The screenplay by Phil Alden Robinson is an original work of fiction. However, the concept of a killer selecting victims randomly from a phone directory taps into a very real kind of fear, giving the film an unsettling plausibility despite its fictional origins.
What is the age rating for Relentless?
Relentless is rated R in the United States. The rating reflects the film's violent content, mature themes, and the disturbing nature of its serial killer subject matter. It's firmly adult viewing, best suited to fans of gritty late-1980s crime thrillers and horror.
Who directed Relentless and what are similar films?
William Lustig directed Relentless, the filmmaker behind cult horror classics like Maniac. If you enjoy it, similar films worth checking out include The Bone Collector, Kiss the Girls, Red Dragon, Fallen, and The Hitcher — all gripping thrillers that share Relentless's dark, procedural edge.
How long is Relentless?
Relentless runs for 92 minutes, making it a lean, efficiently paced thriller. William Lustig keeps things tight throughout, delivering a film that wastes little time getting into the tension and doesn't overstay its welcome — a quality that has helped it hold up well for genre fans over the decades.
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