Aside from its language, the casual violence and black atmosphere of this modern film noir ties it to gangster films of the late 1950s when mid-west villains like Pretty Boy Floyd were shown in their unglamorous true colours.

Two lethal criminals mercilessly slaughter two households, one of innocent partygoers, the other of a drug dealer holding $15,000 in cash and a massive stash of narcotics.

Their front girl is the impassive, drug-hyped Fantasia (Cynda Williams). On the run, the trio heads for her home ground, a small Arkansas town.

Local sheriff Dale Dixon (Bill Paxton of Twister fame) soon finds himself with two LA cops to deal with as well as the impending showdown with the criminals, and also the emergence of dark revelations from his own past.

One False Move works well while its killers are on the run and the relationship between country and city cops is swaying to and fro.

But director Carl Franklin's command of the pace falters when Dixon's past comes to the fore.