I expected an entertaining "B" movie, and got much more -- believable characters, down-to-earth dialogue, and a plot twist that genuinely caught me off guard. I find refreshing any film with an atypical hero -- in this case, an ordinary nice guy who could be your next door neighbor, His insecurities and temptations feel familiar and understandable. It's no wonder critics quibbled pointlessly over whether "Dead by Dawn" borrowed from "Consenting Adults." A more honest response might arouse uncomfortably close-to-home feelings about how any one of us, at any time, could face temptations more dangerous than we realize. As a morality tale, this film is far more effective than most I've seen (e.g., by comparison, the not-very-believable "Unfaithful.")

This movie rocks. Dead by Dawn is beautifully photographed and is one of the most intelligent thrillers that I have seen on HBO. I highly recommend this movie. Shannon Tweed is a surprisingly good actress as is Cassandra Gava.

I think this is undoubtedly Shannon Tweed's best film performance. It's a serious role with real acting skill displayed. The other actors are less known but are cast well. The dialogue was especially interesting, combining moral themes and the genre of sex/cop thriller. Anybody who likes "Law & Order" or other tightly written TV series will enjoy seeing this film. It's probably pretty low budget, but compared to a lot of the slick, expensive, but meaningless stuff out there, it's a solid film.

Dead By Dawn is a neat little thriller. Shannon Tweed, the queen of B-movies, has probably never given a better performance than she does in this story of a basically good man duped into an insurance scheme and murder by his old high school buddy. This film has surprisingly excellent acting, including strong performances by Jodie Fisher and Cassandra Gava. There is loads of atmosphere and suspense and unlike most straight to video Shannon Tweed movies, Dead By Dawn is really a complex, tightly written thriller.