| “ | Donald Cunningham: Has anybody ever told you you're a real pain in the ass? Jack Cole: All the time. Donald Cunningham: You're not gonna have to hear it anymore. I'm gonna take care of you like I took care of your ex-wife. Jack Cole: Here we are. When you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror... I think you're probably happy... pleased at what you see. And that disturbs me. So, I'm gonna take it on as my responsibility... to make sure that you never get to look in the mirror again. Donald Cunningham: I woke up happy, I'm going to bed happy 'cause you're gonna be dead. |
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| ~ Cunningham bragging about Ellen to Cole as Cole expresses his hatred for him. |
He's nothing but bad news.
What's the Work?[]
The Glimmer Man is a 1996 action-thriller film starring sigh Steven Seagal, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Bob Gunton, Brian Cox, John M. Jackson, and Michelle Johnson. Focusing on tough as nails detective Jack Cole, who is called “The Glimmer Man” for his tactics, he collaborates with fellow detective Jim Campbell to expose a string of gruesome deaths committed by “The Family Man”, which has connections deeper than what is initially believed.
Who is Donald Cunningham and What Has He Done?[]
The movie starts with photographs of The Family Man's victims: mutilated and crucified on display. The Family Man himself is seen entering a house and shooting a Russian couple named Eugene and Sonya Roslov in the head. The police retrieves the photos and posts them in the station. Campbell mentioned that he had murdered six families in the last eight months and that they are all Catholic. Cole however notices that the latest victims are different.
Cunningham later approaches Cole and asks him to meet with Deverell after Cole stopped his son Johnny from almost murdering himself after a falling out with his girlfriend Nikki and not wanting to disappoint his father. Cunningham wants to coerce Cole into getting Johnny acquitted under insanity. Cole rightfully tells him to fuck off. Cunningham reports to Deverell and he tells him to teach Cole a lesson and that their operation is going smoothly.
The Family Man then strikes on a rainy night, this time putting bullets onto Ellen Cole/Dunleavy and Andrew Dunleavy. Campbell describes the Family Man's motivation as being inspired by Jesus and turning the victims into martyrs before getting a phone call and arriving at Ellen and Andrew's residence. Cole is horrified at the remains of them and seeks to get copies of the blood paintings before grieving for Ellen in front of his new wife Jessica and Ellen's two kids, who Cole has held custody over. They all attend Ellen and Andrew's funeral alongside Campbell.
Cole approaches a former friend named Mr. Smith at a restaurant/bar and asks about the serial killings that Smith had something to do with them. Smith suggests that it ain't the work of a actual serial killer, but rather a freelancer. In truth: Smith has assisted Deverell from behind the scenes. Meanwhile, Campbell goes to Professor Melanie Sardes, who reveals that one of her former students, Christopher Maynard, was the Family Man. But when Cole and Campbell enter the church, Maynard is revealed to be a remorseful man who releases his hostage with no hesitation and that there's another before committing suicide by cop. Cole feels sorry for him but is deemed a suspect and is suspended until further notice by Captain Harris.
Cole promptly visits the Roslov residence and The Family Man attacks him, only to flee. Cole then encounter a flight ticket and Deverell's business under it. Cunningham is warned by his boss that he could've been compromised only for a snarky Cunningham to say he ain't supposed to fix the mess. Cole explains to Campbell that there's something more sinister behind the scenes and that there's someone posing as the Family Man and exterminating households to implicate the original. Cole also says that it might also involve chemical weapons.
Smith then informs Deverell to deal with his son Johnny, and Cole and Campbell respectively, so Frank sends Donald to do the deed on the latter. The Family Man then tries to kill them both, blowing up Campbell's house as he jumps out the window narrowly in time. Cole is then arrested by the Internal Affairs (really Deverell's henchmen) but Cole dispatches them all. Cole and Campbell interrogate Millie, who confesses that she knows Johnny's whereabouts at Our Lady At Angels and that Johnny knew about the evil things Deverell was committing.
Cole and Campbell see Johnny, who reveals the truth about Smith's allegiance with Deverell and that Cunnningham murdered Eugene and Sonya because they knew that Deverell was with the Russian Mafia and also Dunleavy and his wife because they knew too much against Johnny's protests as he tried to warn him but it was too late. Cole and Campbell confront Smith and brutally question him. Smith reveals that Cunningham is the copycat Family Man and that Smith was working for Deverell to get lots of money and cash.
Cole calls Deverell and tells him to bring Donald to him and that he'll get him to clear his name. Campbell calls Cunningham to say that he's been sold out. A enraged Cunningham then disposes of Deverell and takes over the operation, planning to ship the chemical weapons out to Serbian terrorists. Unfortunately, Cole and Campbell then takes out all their henchman, with Cunningham using one minion as a human shield. Cole faces off against Cunningham after he injures Campbell and cruelly declares that he'll meet the same fate as Ellen. It ends with Cunningham being tossed into a metal fence, which claims his life.
Heinous Standards?[]
Deverell might be the mastermind but he's mainly hands-off, and shows obvious hesitation at wanting his stepson Jimmy dead. The first Family Man, Christopher Maynard might've murdered six couples but it's relegated to photos and is shown to be regretful over his actions to the point of letting a priest walk away and killing himself via Cole. Cunningham meanwhile has his serial murders be completely on-screen, shooting and crucifying loving families simply because they weren't supposed to know things and even taunting Cole about Ellen's demise while framing the original killer and getting him killed, terminating his boss, sacrificing one of his own men to buy himself time, knowing that his boss plans to auction chemical weapons to terrorists: not caring about the many casualties that will ensue, and finally trying to finish off Cole and Campbell, wanting for the former to perish the same way Ellen did. With all of this into consideration, I'd say he barely manages to pass the heinous standards.
Mitigating Factors?[]
Zero. Cunningham tries his hardest to be chummy to Cole at first but it's paper-thin and he gradually unveils himself as a sadistic bastard who has a distinct lack of empathy towards human life. Cunningham is furious that Deverell is willing to hand him off to Cole but is gleefully ready to draw his death out, deliberately gunning him in the chest and later in the head as he laughs. All in all, he has no redeeming traits to his name.
Final Verdict?[]
Slight yes to the rip-off Family Man.