Film Review: SLENDER MAN (2018)

I wish there was a way in which I can say that there is some way to craft a “good” film based on the urban legend of Slender Man but the film SLENDER MAN (2018) probably isn’t quite it.  Joey King stars a Wren who with her girlfriends set out to call the Slender Man but when one of her girlfriends goes missing, Wren realizes that maybe the urban legend is real.

The plot borrows from everything from Candyman to Urban Legends but has none of the spark of any of those.  It is no secret that the film under went forced re shoots due to some people claiming the film insensitive to the original case that inspired the film and that the film just didn’t test well in front of test audiences, but the final product is “dead on arrival.”  There is simply too much CGI (especially in the third act) and the logic for the film goes out the window somewhere at the half way point.

I actually like the more stylistic cinematography and editing (by Luca Del Puppo and Jake York, respectfully) and which is was more consistent throughout because the more artistic choices made the film more interesting.  The problem is that the final film relies on too many standard jump scares and follows too many horror tropes that are cliché.    I did love the score by Brandon Campbell and Ramin Djawadi which is the true highlight of the film.

Film Review: INCARNATE (2016)

I’ve never been much of a fan of director Brad Peyton’s films which includes Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (2010), Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012), and San Andreas (2015), so I’m not surprised that I didn’t really care for his film INCARNATE (2016) which has an interesting premise.  Dr. Ember (Aaron Eckhart) has a unique ability which is he can go into dreams and mind possessed people to help exorcise demons.  This is a great idea on how to modernize the exorcist film through science instead of religion and faith.

Ember is brought in by a colleague Camilla (Catalina Sandino Moreno) who believes a young boy Cameron (David Mazouz) is possessed by a demon.  Ember is a haunted man who with each demon he exorcises he gets weaker and weaker, but he takes on Cameron’s case when it’s clear that the demon possessing him is a demon he’s confronted before.  Ember will sacrifice whatever he has to in order to confront the demon one final time no matter the cost.

Peyton does a great job setting up the film’s key set pieces, but they all feel rushed like an action film (something all his other films have key to) and lack the nuance or suspense of a horror film.  One wonders why he decided to tackle a horror film in the first place.  Eckart does an amazing job (as usual) and does the best he can with the material but there is no denying that the tone and pacing of the film is that of an action film which weakens the most horrific elements making this a merely adequate film and nothing all that special.

Film Review: THE DEVIL’S DOLLS (2016)

THE DEVIL’S DOLLS (2016) is a thriller that concerns itself with the story of worry dolls.  Written by Danny Kolker and Christopher Wiehl and directed by Padraig Reynolds the film concerns a police detective Matt (Wiehl) who has just captured a serial killer who died while being apprehended.  While taking some of the evidence home his car, his daughter Chloe (Kennedy Brice) takes with her a wooden box filled with little dolls that she thinks are trinkets.

Chloe ends up using the dolls as jewelry to sell to people that come into her mother’s store.  When the people who have purchased the dolls start going homicidal and killing loved ones it appears like there is more to Matt’s serial killer than he original thought.  When Chloe becomes ill after coming under the influence of the doll’s power, Matt must put aside his beliefs to discover the true nature of the worry dolls and how to save his daughter before she becomes another victim.

 Although the cast does an excellent job the film itself isn’t all that interesting in terms of story.  It’s a very subtle horror-thriller in which when the horror happens there is nothing that you haven’t already seen before.  This being said, the film looks great with Adam Sampson behind the cinematography.  The story itself isn’t that bad either and is written very well, it’s just that the overall film is just a little lacking probably due to the subject matter.

Reynold’s is a very capable director having done the film Rites of Spring (2011) and I’m looking forward to his latest film Open 24 Hours (2018) which I’m sure will be a step up for him.

Film Review: CARNAGE PARK (2016)

Mickey Keating has made a career of crafting some tense thriller films about a limited cast trapped in harrowing circumstances such as Ritual (2013), Darling (2015), and Pod (2015), to name a few so it is with no surprise that he continues this trend in CARNAGE PARK (2016).  Vivian Fontaine (Ashley Bell) is having a bad day.  While she is trying to get a bank loan, two thieves rob the bank and take her hostage after the robbery gets botched and one of them is mortally injured. 

During the getaway the bank robbers find their way to an abandoned road where they try to plan their next mood.  One of them dies from their fatal wounds while the other decides to keep Vivian as insurance.  Vivian’s situation seems bright at first when a shot rings out of the air and kills the final robber but the man responsible is a deranged ex-military sniper who doesn’t take too kindly to people who trespass on his land no matter what reasons.  Vivian then finds herself as prey to the sniper as she is now trapped on an open range where there are few places to hide and there are more horrors in store the deeper she explores.

Bell does an amazing job carrying the film while Pat Healy is the psychotic killer Wyatt Moss.  Bell continues to make interesting choices as an actress and constantly surprises.  I particularly love her performance as Nell Sweetzer in The Last Exorcism (2010) and The Last Exorcism Part II (2013) as well as The Day (2011).  The film itself is just okay as Keating knows how to stage some suspenseful scenes but it just doesn’t intrigue as much as some of his previous films. 

Film Review: DEEP BLUE SEA 2 (2018)

It seems that you can teach a bull shark new tricks in the horror film DEEP BLUE SEA 2 (2018).  Billionaire Carl Durant (Michael Beach) has assembled a group of talented scientists lead by lead bull shark specialist Misty Calhoun (Danielle Savre) to reveal his latest accomplishment which is that he has been experimenting with bull sharks making them smarter, more aggressive, and extremely dangerous to the point that these cause Durant’s research facility to be flooded allowing the sharks access for the killing spree.  Now Misty and the rest of the scientist must find a way to the surface while trying to escape bull sharks that see all of them as easy prey and easy game.

Like the original 1999 film, an underwater facility that’s gets flooded is the ticking time bomb for the cast to find a way to safety.  But unlike the original film, this film is filled with sub-par acting (probably due to the bad script) with even worse CGI effects.  Very little originality is had in this film which borrows heavily from the original film.

The film is written by Erik Patterson, Jessica Scot, and Hans Rodionoff (who also provides the story) and directed by Darin Scott, whose previous films include Dark House (2009) and the less interesting American Horror House (2012) and A Housekeeper’s Revenge (2016).  This film lacks any real suspense and there are only a few genuine moments or gore that are interesting.  Otherwise, this is a pretty forgettable sequel.

Film Review: STITCHES (2012)

Richard “Stitches” Grindle (Ross Noble) is probably the worse birthday clown that money can buy.  During what should have been a standard birthday party for a young Tommy (Ryan Burke) and all of his friends, an accident happens leaving Tommy witnessing the death of Stitches in his own home.  This is how Irish horror film STITCHES (2012) begins.  Years later, Tom (Tommy Knight) is now grown and in high school but still suffering from having witnessed the death of Stitches in his house especially since his birthday is near.  Tome has become a recluse who has lost most of his old friends or they have distanced themselves from him but his best friend Vinney (Shane Murray-Corcoran) convinces him that its time to throw a party to get over his past and to help him rekindle the friendship of Kate (Genna-Leah Devereux), his crush from when he was a little kid.

When Stitches returns from the death to avenge his death on all the people responsible, Tom must over come his childhood fears in order to find a way to defeat Stitches before he kills all of his friends and Kate.   

Although the actors are all young, they come off as very genuine teenagers just getting into teenage things.  Written by David O’Brien and Conor McMahon (who also directs) the film is actually a pretty effective and funny horror film for fans who like good gore-gags.  There is little to no suspense to be had in the film but that doesn’t seem to actually be the point as it’s most interested in crafting interesting and realistic characters (and not caricatures) while also being an entertaining thrill ride with equal parts comedy.

The film definitely has an Irish flavor to it but that’s what sets it apart from the average US production and gives the film atmosphere and character.

Film Review: RAMPAGE: PRESIDENT DOWN (2016)

Brendon Fletcher returns as terrorist Bill Williamson in the final film in the Uwe Boll directed trilogy RAMPAGE: PRESIDENT DOWN (2016).  After the events of the previous film, Bill has been in hiding after faking his death to the world.  His ideology about a decaying world crumbling around us that we must take back by any means necessary has not allowed him to find peace but has led him to his ultimate task which is the assignation of the President of the United States.  It’s easy for a man thought dead to come and go as he pleases without being noticed.  After he assassinates the President (and the next ones in line), two FBI agents assigned to the case (Steve Baron and Ryan McDonell) soon discover that the most notorious mass murderer in America is alive and responsible for the greatest act of terrorism on US soil.

Now Bill is at the center of a massive FBI manhunt and he will stop at nothing to protect his ideas and get his word out to the world by any means necessary no matter who must die or get in his way.

Make no mistake Bill is a well-armed mass-murderer who kills those he believes is responsible for the decay of the American people.  He continues to fill the layperson with hope that things can change as long as you wake up and make that change.  One of the most interesting things about the Bill Williamson character is that he is the “extreme” of his belief system and is only doing what most other people wish they could.  It is through Bill’s extreme motivation and actions that a compelling story unfolds among the chaos of an action film.  Infamous director Boll (who has directed all three films) co-wrote this film with Fletcher (as they did with the previous film) and has crafted a trilogy of terrorist-style film that resonates because of its extremity.  Fletcher has crafted one of his most compelling characters and Boll’s film gives him a lot of space to craft a more well-rounded character especially since we see Bill as a father of a newborn with a girlfriend (Crystal Lowe).

Boll’s style of film is an acquired taste but there is no denying that his films push buttons and give you something to think about long after the credits roll and in his three decades of producing films you never know what you’re going to get but the ride is definitely a polarizing and interesting one.

Film Review: CREEP 2 (2017)

Writer/Director Patrick Brice and writer/star Mark Duplass return to craft the next chapter in their found footage/serial killer saga CREEP 2 (2017) in which we find our serial killer now calling himself Aaron (Duplass) now turning forty and in the middle of a mid-life crisis as he doesn’t know what to now do with his life.  At the end of the previous film he killed the real Aaron, an inspiration to him but he now films his killing spree to be more like a regular job instead of the fun hobby it’s supposed to be.

Sara (Desiree Akhavan) is an internet personality who has lost all inspiration for her show Encounters which is on its last leg.  Both Sara and Aaron are at a cross roads when Aaron hits on the idea of doing a documentary film in which he can reveal his true nature in front of the camera and show the world his true nature.  Sara answers his ad to film his story seeing it as the wake-up call she needs to jump start her career again.  Now, two people who have lost their inspirations will find it together in this twisted and imaginative sequel.

 This is a more interesting film since it is revealed right away to Sara that Aaron is a serial killer; she just doesn’t believe him and even though she comes to learn that he is eccentric and at times a “diva” she still finds him a captivating subject that she just can’t get away from.  In turn, Aaron finds Sara interesting because she is the first person where he’s truly been able to be himself and not hide behind all the fake personae that he’s created to justify his horrific actions.

This film has a lot going for it and is a much better film than the previous film in terms of story and execution and its truly chilling to see Duplass revel in the role of the misunderstood serial killer.  I hope they continue this fascinating franchise about the inner workings of a serial killer.

Film Review: CREEP (2014)

Jason Blum and Mark Duplass produce the found footage film CREEP (2014).  Duplass does triple duty as writer and star (along with Patrick Brice) in this film in which Joseph (Duplass) is a man dying and wants someone to film his story for his surviving child.  Aaron finds Joseph’s online inquiry and immediately takes the opportunity which will help him out financially.

Immediately upon meeting Joseph, Aaron thinks that there just isn’t something right with Joseph as he’s a bit eccentric and that not everything he’s telling Joseph adds up.  When Aaron’s car keys go missing he is forced to stay the night at Joseph’s house and things get even more strange prompting Aaron to get out of there as soon as possible.  But escaping Joseph’s house is just the start of Aaron’s problem as he soon learns that Joseph knows everything about him and been stalking him thinking that they are best friends.  Now Aaron must figure out how to handle Joseph’s unwanted friendship before things get really out of hand amid mounting danger.

The whole film is shot as if it was from Aaron’s camera as part of Joseph’s video but once Aaron leave’s Joseph it becomes Aaron’s way of coping with the strange situation he finds himself in and a document of what is really going on.  Duplass does an excellent job crafting a unique and creepy character while Brice’s Aaron is the every man. 

The film may not keep you on the edge of your seat in a suspenseful way but it more than makes up for it in terms of the “creep” factor so if that is the type of film you’re looking for then this one is it.