Owing money to underworld thugs is never a good thing, and for Sam and Jimmy it is the beginning of the end. These filmmakers are walking the edge of being regular guys or being as tainted as the moneylenders. The mob hauls them in and forces them to watch a snuff movie, the threat is quite clear - 'pay up or this is your future.'

Something quite bizarre and extremely grotesque happens, though. While the pair is forever shattered by events, they claim the footage for their own. They plan on incorporating it into a movie of their own and making a fortune off the suffering and hard work of others.

First off they need a look-a-like to fill in scenes of the main character. They hire an actress, Melissa. She is a little odd, but a perfect fit. However, with her coming life has taken a seriously terrifying twist. The sands of time are rapidly pouring out and they have no idea what they have immersed themselves in!

Sam disappears and Jimmy begins to piece together events. He needs to find a Mr. Isimud, who was named for the two-faced messenger of the god Enki. 'The Tailor' is perhaps the only person who can lead him to his objective. The Tailor is known as "an alchemist of human couture, an artist without equal or equivalent," raising Jimmy's levels of fear and uncertainty.

Jimmy must tread carefully, wending his way throughout the dangers of the mob, voodoo, ancient evil and perhaps most terrifying of all, human nature. One misstep and an eternity of agony awaits him.

Jasper Bark is most assuredly a master of the horror genre! THE FINAL CUT blends genres into a terrifying ride through some pretty graphic and disturbing imagery for written word. Don't expect this one to shrink into the dark recesses of your memory; it will lurk within the imagination, waiting for your attention to be focused elsewhere. ( )