Waller's witty, well-crafted yet unpretentious thriller--about American youths who make a movie in Moscow and get involved with the underworld--is a seductive piece of filmmaking that should keep viewers hyperventilating to the last reel.

Anthony Waller's Mute Witness is one of those films, like Halloween or Blood Simple, where a strong story and a skillful use of horror film technique causes you to forget the low budget and limited production values.

Though this slight but agreeable nail-biter loses a couple steps before its wrap-up, it's not before offering one of the funniest variations yet on the furious neighbor who wonders what's going on in the upstairs apartment.

Anthony Waller's film is a huge surprise: fast-paced, well-shot, and featuring a great mix of comedy and thrills.