NIGHTCRAWLER is a well directed, heart-pounding, pulse-throbbing crime thriller that’s storyline is the first of its kind to be transformed into a blockbuster movie.

The suspenseful story acts as a mirror to what’s happening in reality in the realm of broadcast media and freelance journalism, with individuals stepping up to the mark and providing self-generated content.

Set in downtown Los Angeles, the film centres on a ruthless thief named Louis ‘Lou’ Bloom who is desperate for a job and who is tremendously tired of showcasing his worth only to be rejected by potential employees.

Deciding that a path of self-employment is the better option, Bloom sets out to stand on his own two feet and so he turns his hand to freelance journalism.

Capturing the horrifying scenes of barbaric crimes committed in the heart of LA is no reason for Bloom to bat an eye-lid and soon the social outsider looks at his new interest as a calling and works towards being the epitome of success.

With an impressive bank account and a bulging contacts book in sight, Bloom befriends as many people as possible to help reach the top of his game and he has no remorse in trampling on those who have aided his progress.

Lou shows no empathy towards victims of terrible acts of violence or road traffic collisions and hijackings. For Lou, these people are merely objects he can cash in on.

Rated 16 and lasting a total of 117 minutes, Jake Gyllenhaal plays the character of Louis Bloom and delivers a killer performance. Gyllenhaal effortlessly illustrates how adaptable he is as an actor as he performs his role as a sociopath to perfection.

Directed by American screenwriter Dan Gilroy, best known for The Bourne Legacy (2012), this drama contains scenes of violence but nothing that is worthy of cringing at with your parents.

Though the movie succeeded in entertaining the viewer and showcases one of Hollywood’s ‘beauts’, it is slightly dragged out with unnecessary scenes that could have been left for the blubbers or deleted scenes of the DVD set.