for all this thriller's tautness, its true horror emerges from the uncomfortable ethical questions that it poses - and leaves us to answer for ourselves in the dark.

Long on atmosphere and short on sense, "The Tall Man" becomes less gripping as it grows more ridiculous.

"The Tall Man" spits out enough scares and twists to maintain our interest, but the film's psycho-sociological layer is almost as cheesy and unconvincing as its low-rent action scenes.

Initially intriguing but quickly devolves into an entirely generic and uninspired experience.