Shudder has been down this lone sniper road before and arguably travelled it with better results in one of their earlier Exclusive and Original features, Downrange. In this instance, Night of the Hunted takes up the plight with Alice (Camille Rowe – No Limit) who is heading home with her work colleague / lover, John (Jeremy Scippio) when they choose to stop off at a petrol station; a decision that will make a drastic turn in their lives when they come under attack from a hidden assailant, armed with a sniper rifle.
As the horrifying events unfold Alice comes to the realisation that this is no mere stroke of the wrong place, wrong time and that she has been specifically targeted by a man with a violent vendetta. Alice can’t rely on her social skills to talk her way out of this predicament, but must rely on her wiles and the limited resources that a petrol station can offer, in order to have any hope of survival. All the while, she comes under psychological scrutiny from the shadows of both her past and the killer in the night.,
The Prognosis:
Director Franck Khalfoun has produced mixed results in his canon of work thus far, which has never quite hit the mark since 2010’s Maniac. With Night of the Hunted, a remake of Spanish film, Night of the Rat, is once again middle of the road affair for Khalfoun. While Rowe manages to portray a woman under siege, carving through the emotions of grit, determination, vulnerability and loss (and even tips the balance of audience backing at one point), the run of the mill is all too predictable, refusing to veer outside of the comfort lane.
Saul Muerte
Night of the Hunted is currently streaming on Shudder.
It’s a rare thing these days to reach the fourth instalment of a franchise and to say that it has not only surpassed its original enterprise but made a far richer experience as a result, but that is exactly what writer, director Stephen Cognetti has been able to achieve with Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor. By releasing himself creatively from the shackles of Abbadon Hotel, which marked the location of the three previous features and expanding the Hell House universe into another setting, Cognetti can afford to embellish his vision, and explore new terrain whilst still using the code from which he had initially begun his found footage horror genre journey.
When a group of internet sleuths, Margot (Bridget Rose Perrotta) and Rebecca (Destiny Leilani Brown) decide to embark on an investigation into the Carmichael murders and choose to stay at the family abode, they encounter a far sinister world that arcs back to the satanic rituals performed at the Abbadon Hotel. Accompanying them into the paranormal examination is Margot’s brother, Chase (James Liddell), who is struggling with his own mental issues, a component that throws questions around the stability of the group. The further down the rabbit hole of inquiry they go, the more they begin to turn inward, becoming mistrustful of one another and feeding on the phenomena that engulfs the manor.
The Prognosis:
Presented through video journals, the story unfolds through the four nights that the trio chose to spend at the Carmichael residence, all the while the audience knowing that none of the group would be heard from again. Did they simply disappear? Or did something consume their souls? Will the tapes uncover the truth to their disappearance? It’s a narrative that is no stranger to those familiar with the Hell House LLC franchise, but Cognetti still manages to weave a strong narrative out of it and emboldened by experience also produces a worthy tale to tell.
Saul Muerte
Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor is currently streaming on Shudder.
Demián Rugna has just directed his most ambitious and ostentatious movie yet. Where Terrified made certain horrorphilia fans sit up and take notice, his follow up feature, Satanic Hispanics was a little underwhelming. When Evil Lurks ramps it back up a notch with a haunting tale grounded in native folklore. Set in a remote village, the film follows two brothers Pedro (Ezequiel Rodriguez) and Jimmy (Demián Salomon) hear gunshots in the dead of night. When dawn breaks, their investigations lead them to a corpse, severed in two and then to a home of demon possessed man. There are rules around the removal of the possessed, known as ‘rottens’ to be held by experts, but with the afore-mentioned corpse, led to be one of these ‘cleaners’ and with the local authorities dismissing the case, the brothers are asked by the landowner, to help dispose the body themselves. In doing so though, they unleash a harrowing evil that slowly consumes and infects all that come in its path.
Once this virus is exposed, Pedro and Jimmy try to round up their family with the aim to get as far away as possible. Their choices lead them down a pathway to hell, exposing all the truths and fears that they have wished to lay dormant.
As the horror unfurls, so do the dwindling hopes of survival as the main narrative centres on Pedro’s pursuits in saving his family, but in doing so, unearths his own failings with brutal and mortifying ferocity. In many ways, in life, Pedro has dug his own grave, by walking away from life’s troubles, so when he is forced to confront them, he must do say in a test of his mettle, but Director Rugna, will wring out every ounce of desperation to push his protagonist to the limit, using evil as the insipid sponge to soak it all up and feed of his weakness.
The Prognosis:
It’s possible that Rugna has delivered one of the most unexpected sleeper hits of the year, but you won’t be fooled into a false slumber as When Evil Lurks is a dark expose on the frailties of humanity. It unleashes a melee of fears from the characters involved, and ventures to the brink of despair, and in doing so asks, ‘can humankind rid themselves of past traumas, or will they be forever doomed to repeat them, embedding the emotional scars deeper and deeper?
Saul Muerte
When Evil Lurks is currently streaming on Shudder.
As Mastemah opens, we’re presented with a disturbing, albeit poetically portrayed scene following a hypnosis session that sees a patient throw himself out of a high storey building, plummeting to his death. This singular moment sets up the narrative to pose a couple of important questions that run throughout the film; is this a result of hypnotic persuasion? Is there something darker that has a hold on the psyche? It’s a subject that is clearly of interest to director and writer, Didier D. Daarwin, who delves deeper into the subject with his protagonist/antagonist, Louise Wilmens (Camille Razat – Girls With Balls), a character who spends most of the film seemingly questioning her own actions and reactions that are presented. When Louise sets up her own practice in a remote setting, following the afore-mentioned events, one could view this as a time for healing and the isolation from a city lifestyle, but is there something more sinister at play?
To allow this internal journey to spiral forever inward and thus project manifestations outward, the character of Louise takes on a series of patients, primarily a brooding enigmatic male figure, Theo (Olivier Barthélémy) who embodies a stereotype of mysterious masculinity. The more embroiled Louse becomes in unpacking Theo’s mind, the more she succumbs to both hers and his sexual being. These perceptions murky the water to the point of confusion and winds its way down to a complex conclusion.Throw into the mix a mentor figure in Francois de Maestre (Tibo Vandenborre) who continually questions or queries and in some cases supports Louise’s actions, that the audience is further trying to figure out who or what is pulling the strings, so that by the time the climax occurs, we’re left floundering rather than grasping securely to what has been proposed.
The Prognosis:
There’s plenty to unpack in Daarwin’s vision, which much like the psychological mind can lead one astray. The issue is with the execution and in presenting a convoluted analysis, and in deliberately being aloof in what helms the theoretical, the audience struggles to be convinced and lost in the mix.
The late William Friedkin’s The Exorcist is widely considered to be one of the greatest horror films ever filmed. Writer William Peter Blatty would often describe his work as a dark, theological thriller, which aligns more with this writer’s assessment. It’s a chilling film that cuts to the core of the fine line between heaven and hell upon us mere mortals dalliance with every turning decision that we make. Until now there have been a further four features, and a tv series lending its name to the franchise with little success.
Enter The Exorcist: Believer helmed by Blumhouse and David Gordon Green hoping to turn their tricks and repeat the success of Halloween (2018) by resurrecting a favoured horror franchise for a new generation of followers.All the while true horror veterans smile through gritted teeth hoping that the director leans into the core of the what made these films so iconic and not get lost in the ether of his own meanderings. Producer Jason Blum certainly has faith that Gordon Green can weave his magic once more despite the obvious failings of the recent Halloween trilogies’ last two outings.
Part of this formula was to bring back the original features’ lead star ala Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode, and to also forget the sequels and pick up directly from the first outing. In this instance, the aim is to have Ellen Burstyn take up the role of Chris MacNeill once more and open up her storyline to venture forth into the demonic domain.
One look at the trailer however does not bode well as it smacks of the whole, let’s do the same as the first movie, but go bigger by having two possessed kids instead of one.
All opens well… as far as the dark and doomed are concerned, when Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr) and his pregnant wife Sorenne are on honeymoon. Following a blessing from a voodoo practitioner, tragedy strikes when an earthquake leaves Sorenne injured and doctors force Victor to decide between his wife and unborn child. Cut to thirteen years later and Victor is now raising his daughter Angela (Lydia Jewett) on his own in Georgia, with the passing of his wife. Victor has lost his faith and Angela is in search of the mother she never got to know, pushing her beyond the earthly realm in her pursuit. Angela teams up with her school friend, and devoutly religious Katherine to go into the woods in order to perform a seance. Three days later they turn back up and the possession begins.
From here on in, rather than sculpt the screenplay into a theological mystery, the creative outlet pad out the piece with unnecessary cladding, including trying to crowbar in the Chris MacNeill component with disdain and neglect of The Exorcist. It’s such a pointless direction that it smacks of a cash grab situation, for who should Victor call upon to aid him in his daughter’s plight, but Chris and what’s more, she’s now a supposed expert who acts as though she can resolve the situation with her own form of exorcism. Needless to say, it doesn’t go well and she is then sidelined to make way for a team of exorcists, from various walks of religious experts to cleanse the children once and for all.
The Prognosis:
Take a classic and pour gasoline all over it, light the match and watch everything that made it great burn before your eyes with a thinly veiled excuse for a sequel. At times it feels as though the creatives are laughing maniacally as they try to tweak out the nostalgia using memorable quotes to drag their hopes of a continuing franchise over the line into a money-making enterprise. Its only saving grace is to have Lesie Odom Jr as its lead as he paints a well-crafted portrayal of a father, lost in the struggles of being a sole parent and isolated from the world, consumed by grief and regret.
Don’t be fooled though, this is not an Exorcist movie.
A “Five Nights at Freddy’s” or “FNAF” (as the fans know it) movie has hit cinema and digital screens (getting a bizarre simultaneous release on US cable network Peacock), and holy pizzeria the fans are rushing to the box office. It’s now officially horror’s power-studio Blumhouse’s biggest opening weekend movie in its history. But anyone with kids could tell you that they saw this blockbuster coming.
Based on Scott Cawthon’s video game and series of novels of the same name this adaptation has taken 8 years to finally make it onto the screen. Bouncing from studio to studio until Blumhouse took on the project a couple of years ago.
So, the film…
Mike, a troubled young man haunted by the fractured memory of the kidnapping of his younger brother gets a job at a spooky closed-down family pizzeria, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza Place. Soon after clocking-on things start to go whirr, clunk, and bump in the night as the animatronic characters throughout the place appear to be more than meets the eye.
By the way, the involvement of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop in bringing these animatronic characters to life were a very welcome enhancement to the film, CGI would most definitely have been a wrong move here.
For any fans out there, this film relies very heavily on the novels as source material over the video game itself. Often touching loosely on back stories involving the various characters, so there’s enough in-joke nods to satiate FNAF fans. But the plot itself is pretty flimsy but as it’s aimed at younger horror fans that’s absolutely fair enough. Also there’s a bit of fun bloodless gore the kids will love!
The Prognosis:
It’s routinely spooky, the acting is solid, the jump scares are plentiful… that damn balloon boy, geez!!
Look if you’re flying blind going into this then you’re probably going to be a little let down but at the end of the day this film isn’t for you. It’s a fun filmic representation of a beloved horror game and book series that’s aimed squarely at the fans and young horror fans alike.
No doubt that after the success of the first one, there will definitely be more to follow.
Described as a suppressed footage film Subject is painfully constrained as it drip feeds paranoia, isolation, desperation and claustrophobia in a tightly wound up exposition. Director Tristan Barr who also stars in the feature essentially squeezes out every ounce of his experimentation into human frailty with the minimum amount he has at hand. The fact that his budget is tight, relies heavily on the delivery and execution, shifting perspectives along the way, and testing his character and the audience with every frame.
Dalensky (Barr) is a man about to serve a lengthy prison sentence but is intercepted by a secret government agency who offer him a deal in exchange for commuting his sentence. All he has to do is spend time in an isolated facility and monitor a strange creature. What appears to be a straight forward contract soon unravels to reveal the true question beneath it all… who is the real subject under scrutiny?
The Prognosis:
The real quality of Subject is from the approach that Barr takes on. To weave a troubled and tensely riddled piece though the constraints on show is cleverly told through a gradual process that steadily places its central character under the spotlight, By providing his audience with little clues to the history of his protagonist, Barr tweaks out the core of the matter, so that we are deprived of the full picture till the last. The journey to get there is equally magnified as he ramps up the tension. While it’s not ground-breaking, there’s enough energy on the screen and smarts in the direction to make this a bold entry into his experimental canon of work thus far from behind the camera.
It Lives Inside should be applauded for bringing a heartfelt Indian horror story to a wider audience. It certainly ticks all the boxes as it leans into its folk-inspired narrative in order to firmly grab your attention and delve into a tale of twisted and macabre origins.
Sam (Megan Suri) is an Indian-American teenager, struggling to fit into the westernised ideals and expectations of society, and favours this lifestyle to her cultural background, looking to curb her identity in order to ‘fit-in’.
This leads to a serious falling out with her former best friend, Tamira (Mohana Krishnan) and in the throes of their angst, they unwittingly unleash a demon that feeds on loneliness. The catch 22 for Sam is the further she strives to meet in with American idolism, the further she strays from her own kind and her background. In doing so, she becomes more and more isolated; a feast for the demon who haunts her.
The Prognosis:
Bishal Dutta tries his hand at a feature length directorial debut and serves up a fairly decent offering, Dutta plays to his strengths in order to produce his and co-writer Ashish Mehta’s vision, harnessing a story embedded with his own roots and cultural perspectives, whilst infusing with a contrasting world. Where he leans into the horror movie tropes, the heightened reaction received from the trailer doesn’t quite meet up to expectations. That’s not to say that you won’t be treated to a solid showing as It Lives Inside ticks along nicely and will entertain regardless.
There’s nothing more engaging than a movie that wears its heart on its sleeve, and for Director Nahnatchka Khan it’s clear from her work on writing and producing American Dad and Fresh Off The Boat that she has a fingers permanently on the comedic pulse. There’s a fresh energy to be found and along with the nostalgic vibes that she is going for in her latest outing behind the camera, Totally Killer.
Starring Kiernan Shipka (The Blackcoat’s Daughter) Totally Killer is a warped cross between 80s teen slasher and Back The Future of which there are continuous references throughout. There’s even a salute to the works of John Hughes and especially Molly Ringwald. The movie already speaks to my heart being a kid who grew up with all of these elements and more, infusing my love for the celluloid art.
Thirty years ago, “The Sweet Sixteen Killer” known for the amount of times he stabbed his victims, went on a killing spree in a smalltown, and was never caught. Now in the present day, Jamie Hughes (Shipka) is an ungrateful, cooler than cool teen, who’s Mum, Pam (Julie Bowen) is killed by someone carrying the same M.O. as the infamous killer, and is pulled off in a Screamesque way, ala Drew Barrymore, by offing a notable actress in the first reel. Thankfully though, Jamie’s best friend, Kelcey (Amelia Creston) has invented a time machine in the form of a photo booth. When Jamie tries to unearth her mother’s killer, she has to fight for her life, leading her into said time machine and then transported back to… you guessed it 1987 and just before the original killings began. She now has the opportunity to rewrite history, find and stop the killer, and save her Mum.
The Prognosis:
There have been some notable comparisons stated online between Totally Killer and The Final Girls, which on paper is understandable, but this Blumhouse produced flick has a very different energy about it, namely due to Shipka’s performance and the script which zings along at a highly infectious and engaging pace. Shipka is also supported well by her fellow cast members, namely through her teen Mum, Pamela Miller, played by Olivia Holt (who is herself moulded through the House of Mouse, starting with the kids’ series Kickin’ It). While some of the beats do misfire on occasion, it is the heart of the movie that lifts you up and guides you through an enjoyable whodunit.
Totally Killer is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
Having secretly shot the latest instalment in the V/H/S/ franchise back-to-back alongside V/H/S/99, Bloody Disgusting are set to release V/H/S/85 on the streaming platform, Shudder. This time around sees one of the pioneer directors of the franchise David Bruckner (The Ritual) with his segment Amateur Night return to add more flavour to the proceedings. It’s clear that Bruckner is going from strength to strength in his storytelling with a bent towards science fiction, evident with bringing Hellraiser before a contemporary audience. Bruckner’s V/H/S. Segment Total Copy is peppered throughout the feature and follows a group of college teachers pushing past their skillset into untapped territory. In doing so, they venture into a domain that slowly spirals out of control.
Joining Bruckner is a team of bold visionists, each with their own unique style spilling forth into an eclectic union of enterprising stories. My own personal liking leans towards Scott Derrickson’s (Sinister) segment Dreamkill; which is a psychic-bending, slasher frenzy that twists and turns delightfully towards a gripping climax. For fans of Derrickson’s work, there is an easter egg in there which arcs back to one of the characters from The Black Phone. Another segment I enjoyed was No Wake, directed by Mike P. Nelson (Wrong Turn) who feels as though he is in his element with his traditional found footage tale set on a lake retreat. We follow a group of teens who get more than they bargained for when they are slowly being picked off by a hidden assailant, and then pick up the tale further into the feature when we see the story complete from the assassin’s point of view. The other two entries are just as compelling with Natasha Kermani’s segment TKNOGD; following performance artists tackle technological gods and Gigi Saul Guerrero’s (Bingo Hell) segment, God of Death, taking you to the depths of Mexico in the wake of an earthquake which has awoken a once dormant God.
The Prognosis:
For its’ sixth entry into the franchise, V/H/S/85 is arguably the most diverse and compelling. It allows each director to spin their tale using their individual voices, without the detriment to the final reel. Enjoyable and fragmented to create a blend of disturbing, visionary narratives.
– Saul Muerte
V/H/S/85 is screening on Shudder from Friday 6th October.
Surgeons of Horror 