Sundance Selects

The chilling trailer for "Blue Caprice," the story of the men who committed the 2002 Beltway sniper attacks that left 10 people dead and three wounded, paints a stark portrait of madness, begging the question: what makes people snap?

"Blue Caprice" centers on teenager Lee Boyd Malvo (Tequan Richmond) and his relationship with father figure John Allen Muhammad (Isaiah Washington), the man whose manipulation leads the pair on a murderous spree throughout the Washington, D.C. metro area. Muhammad discovers Malvo is a talented marksman, and uses the boy's skill to carry out random killings over several weeks, terrifying both residents of the area and the entire nation.

The film -- named after the car Malvo and Muhammad drove when they carried out the attacks -- received raves when it premiered at Sundance earlier this year, especially for Richmond's and Washington's performances. As the trailer shows, the pair infuse their respective characters with a simmering rage and calculated coldness that is both palpable and haunting. Knowing their horrifying on-screen actions are based in reality makes it that much harder to watch.

"Blue Caprice," from first-time director Alexandre Moors, is due in theaters September 13.

[via Deadline]