Category Archives: Movie review

Movie review: Black Friday (2021)

02 Wednesday Mar 2022

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There was a 21 year absence on the screen for Ash Williams between Army of Darkness and Evil Dead (2013), but the appeal of this character would generate a three season arc in Ash vs the Evil Dead shortly after, such was the hunger for more.
Behind Ash’s charisma though is the actor who portrays him, Bruce Campbell has drawn people into his aura ever since. So it is probably no surprise that Black Friday would be the seventh most pirated movie Stateside at the time of its release last year.

As the name would suggest, this horror comedy feature would be a sweeping, tongue-in-cheek stab at consumerism at its worst.

Our story centres on the storefront workers of a generic All-Mart store ahead of the biggest shopping event of the year across Thanksgiving weekend. There are real-life tales of just how barbaric these days can be, but the horror will take on new means as a mutant, parasitic organism lands at said store, and begins to consume both workers and shoppers alike.

The ragamuffin staff must learn to put aside their differences to not only keep shoppers at bay, but also fight for survival and somehow make their way out of this nightmare.

Campbell’s chops are fairly sedate in this one as the store manager and play-by-the rules kinda guy, Johnathan Wexler. A man that despite his appearance, truly does care about his co-workers. 

To beef up the cast, we have some strong players too, with Devon Sawa (Hunter, Hunter) as Ken, a down-and-out family man who is now separated from his wife and struggling to still be a dad to his two daughters; Ivana Baquero (Pan’s Labyrinth) as hard-hitting, streetwise Latino, Marnie; bumbling newbie, Chris (Ryan Lee) and takes-no-shit, and guy who gets things done, Archie (Michael Jay-White).

Amongst them, they must learn to vanquish this entity that seems to take over its hosts, and keeps on mutating to eventual epic proportions.

The prognosis:

The effects are pretty decent, and the acting is solid, but the laughs are few and far between and not even The Chin himself can lift this movie beyond mediocre.

This B-Movie inspired film doesn’t disappoint as far as keeping you entertained but neither does it deliver anything new or inspiring to lift its grisly head in order raise the roof, happy to sit in its own comfort zone.

If you’re looking for a bit of entertainment for the night with pizza and whatever your poison may be, then this will satisfy to a degree, but don’t expect anything outside of the box.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie Review: Hellbender (2022)

26 Saturday Feb 2022

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Shudder’s latest movie to hit the streaming platforms Exclusive and Original content is a triage powerhouse of creativity. Written and Directed by John and Zelda Adams, and Toby Poser (the latter of whom also take on leading acting duties) weave a coming-of-age tale of witchery.

Toby and Zelda play the mother-daughter dynamic, secluded in the mountainous range of North America, harbouring a secret that has been passed down from generation to generation. 

Their seclusion from society is for good cause, and the mother (Toby Poser) at first comes across as over-protective and even sinister as early events unfold. She even tries to feed her daughter’s interest in music by forming a rock band consisting of just the two of them. By the stories’ end, we discover that there is a method to the matriarchal madness.

As Izzy (Zelda Adams) ventures further away from her abode and her mother’s grasp, the more she begins to discover herself but at what cost?
Her first encounter is with Amber (Lulu Adams) who unbeknownst to her at the time has snuck into a neighbouring house to use their pool. There is an awkwardness to their encounter, harnessed by Izzy’s own fumbling curiosity. Izzy survives through the help of small talk and some of the quirky facts that she produces but like any dormant threat buried deep beneath the surface, there will be an explosion of emotions and ferocity that she may not be able to contain next time around. As her confidence grows, so does the power she tries to contain within.

The prognosis:

While there are elements that are trying to hinge on the independent mantra, feeling a little strained in its delivery, there are some notable moments that seep to the surface, making this a worthy film. It also demonstrates enough appeal to place the directing trio of Adams, Adams and Poser as names to keep an eye out for.

Both Adams and Poser also deliver strong performances to keep the audience engaged and willing to see how the balance of femininity will unfold.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: Studio 666

26 Saturday Feb 2022

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To say that I went into Studio 666 with low expectations would be a gross understatement. Foo Fighters are hardly known for their acting prowess, and their promise to deliver a horror comedy seemed to be a tough act to deliver.
Despite this, I was still lured in. Why was this?

Well, it has to be stated that Foo Fighters marked a significant point in my music journey through the 90s, and while their production output has been questionable of late, with some, including myself, thinking that the ink has started to run dry in their creativity, this rock outfit has been entertaining for many years now. They are entertainers and it is inherent in their bones.
So, was I entertained?

To begin with, my doubts doubled with a slightly cringy approach to getting the band into the studio house of horror with the guise of recording their 10th album. The creeks were deafening, and the horror tropes were overwhelming… but…

The further they ventured into the world, the more the bands’ characters and appeal began to shine. The jokes, which some critics have baulked at as being juvenile, genuinely had me laughing out loud. Something I didn’t predict at all. 

And then there’s the music, but not from the area that you would expect. The composition to the score is in the hands of a horror maestro, John  Carpenter. As soon as those pulsating rhythms take hold, you know that you are in safe hands when it comes to someone of his ability orchestrating the score. And what’s more, we even get a treat to his presence on screen in a truly apt cameo.

This alone is an indicator of just how well Grohl and the gang know their genre because there are some great nods to auteurs of the past. And possibly the greatest playing card in their final product, is the brave attempt to cast a light on the Foo Fighters darkest characteristics, mainly centred on Dave Grohl’s ego. Here is a man often cast as the nicest man in rock music, and yet there is a bubbling undercurrent that there is too much control going on. What Dave Grohl says goes and no one dares cast their wind against him. Foo Fighters has always been his vision, and with so much of a tight grip, there has to be questions about how the rest of the band react to that. This is the vein of the film and Grohl is not afraid to cut this open and expose the inner truths and turmoils lurking within. In doing so, Studio 666 throws both dark and light into the mix, combining these moments of calamity with comedy that zings.

The prognosis:

Yes, it was over-the-top and delivered on a huge platter that was hard to swallow, but they kept on entertaining and produced a fun-filled film. 

They are not actors, but neither were The Beatles.
Similarly, Foo Fighters have giving us a highly enjoyable film that projects their characteristics to the fore. 

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: The Jack in the Box: Awakening

19 Saturday Feb 2022

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Having established the rules within this world of the supposedly oldest jack in the box, containing the demon trapped inside, only to be released to gather six souls in order to replenish him.

Much like its predecessor this film doesn’t try to hide the fact that it is a low budget feature, relying on the strength of performance and the storyline itself. Both films are told in a secluded setting but this time around the narrative feels richer and more entrenched in the mythology surrounding it.

The prison-like setting takes place in a mansion with only an aisling mother, Olga Marsdale (Nicola Wright), her son Edgar (Matt McClure), the cook Frank (Jason Farries), and the maid, Janet (Michaela Longden). Joining them is Amy Proctor (Mollie Hindle) and providing our entry point into the estate as hired help. 

We learn early on who our antagonists are when Olga acquires the mysterious jack-in-the-box to aid her in her recovery. The ever-dutiful Edgar tuning into a Norman Bates-esque style performance…”Mother!”. McClure does a fine job here, showing a range of emotions from anxious and reserved, to unhinged anger and mania. It’s his portrayal that is the hook in this movie and keeps you wanting to know which way he will fall.

The Prognosis:

While the movie does walk the line of predictability and suffers under the restraints of the budget where it could do with a serving on the gore front to make Jack more threatening.
This can be forgiven due to Director Lawrence Fowler’s vision and attention to keeping the entertainment on the lust for power and the elixir of life. 

  • Saul Muerte

The Jack in the Box: Awakening is out now on DVD and VOD (Fetch TV, Telstra TV, Google Play, YouTube Store and iTunes) from Eagle Entertainment Australia.

Movie review: Texas Chainsaw Massacre

18 Friday Feb 2022

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The problem with the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise is… Leatherface.

What? I hear you bellow and cry? Texas Chainsaw Massacre is Leatherface and that is precisely my point. Having Leatherface as the poster icon for these slasher, body torture flicks has dampened the menace that the original 1974 Tobe Hooper feature had. The torment doesn’t lie with just his heightened and physical presence but with his entire f@#$ed up family.

Family or some sense of family has been key amongst this franchise and to unsettle this dynamic leads to ruin for any who encounter it. This is evident in Hooper’s sequel, albeit through a dark comedy gaze. It’s following sequels tried to replicate this energy but somehow missed the mark and since then the franchise has had more jump starts than a shitbox car with a malfunctioning alternator.

Leatherface is iconic for a reason but without his family support network around (as dysfunctional as they all are) he will either do one of two things, become a hermit, isolated in his own filth and depravation, or become a loose cannon, destroying everything in his path. This latest feature aims for the latter and for good reason as it has become such a winning formula for David Gordon Green’s Halloween franchise revival.

There was some promise in this latest release with Directing Auteur Fede Alvarez behind the resurrection, serving as producer, and teaming up with the original writers Pat Cassidy, Ian and Kim Henkel only added to the integrity.

Legendary Pictures who had secured the rights to the franchise were putting their trust in relative newcomer David Blue Garcia with his sophomore outing in the directors chair for a feature length movie.

The focus for the film would have Leatherface holed up in a house for troubled youths, only now the only occupant along with a mother-like figure who ran what was the facility, played by the fantastic Alice Krige. The rest of the place has become a ghost town filled with dilapidated buildings and the vision of a group of influencers hoping to transform this Texas town into a bustling business venture. Cue potential victims for Leatherface to rip through as these gentrifiers get more than they bargained for.

The issue is that there’s a half-baked idea going on here, and it rests too highly on the success and brutality of Halloween (2018) to fuel Leatherface’s rage, thrusting him solely in the centre of the carnage. When the movie does go for barbarity, it often hits the right notes of repulsion but too often it falls foul of old horror tropes, having it’s leads either hiding in the closet and  under the bed or trying to kick ass against the monster.

TCM even tries to replicate the harshness that trauma has on our heroines, that featured so heavily in Halloween by having one of the leads, Lila (Elsie Fisher) a survivor of a school killing massacre. This is brought in double fold by bringing back Sally Hardesty, this time played by Olwen Fouere, to tap into the whole hardened survivor ala Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode.

Another example however that the filmmakers are content in playing familiar notes and resting on the laurels that the Texas Chainsaw Massacre name and that of its emblematic figure Leatherface brings.

The prognosis:

This latest version is aimed at a new generation of audience.

Too often though, it falls prey to the usual horror tropes and offers nothing new.

Leatherface does go full on with the kill count though going Michael Myers with some brutal deaths, especially with the bus scene which was highly satisfying.

It also had some moments of humour that didn’t necessarily hit the mark.

For veteran horror fans hoping to see some descent bloodshed will feel satiated, but ultimately let down by the lack in depth to the fold as the film struggles to add any flesh to it’s now frail bones.

The rust has truly taken hold in this franchise and it might be too hard to get that chainsaw whirring to satisfaction again without some bold new approach.

– Saul Muerte

Movie Review: For The Sake of Vicious (2022)

18 Friday Feb 2022

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As I attempt to play fast catch up with my reviews, I centre my attention on the latest bout of streaming films that have been available on Shudder this year, starting with For The Sake of Vicious.

If I could sum up this movie in one word it would be, ‘relentless’

This home invasion movie takes things to the next level when a nurse, Romina (Lora Burke) returns home from a grueling day of work only to find that her night of torment has only just begun when she discovers a bruised and beaten man, Alan (Colin Paradine) tied to a chair in her kitchen with another  unhinged psychotic man, Chris (Nick Smyth) calling all the shots.
What starts out as a battle of wits among the trio as Romina tries to work out what is actually going on and why, shifts through some gnarly gears when they become the subject of bedlam as intruders begin to infiltrate the domain, to kill them all.

These intruders come donned in clown masks, demon masks, and cycling helmets, to add to their mystery and fuel the tension as they rip apart the house, chucking every available item except the kitchen sink at each other. This battle for survival in a domestic style battle royale keeps pushing the envelope and is brutal in its delivery.

The Prognosis:

Each character draws upon their internal strengths through an amazing ordeal that is gripping and intense throughout the narrative. I didn’t expect to be so gripped by this film, but the Directing and Writing partnership of Gabriel Carrer and Reese Eveneshen tantalise our expectations of just exactly how far they can push the action and keep the insanity of it all grounded in reality.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: Wyrmwood: Apocalypse

16 Wednesday Feb 2022

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It’s been 8 years since the Roache-Turner creative team took Australians and the world over on their Road of the Dead. This post-apocalyptic zombie, blood frenzy was a labour of love for brothers Kiah and Tristan, taking over three and a half years to produce through dedicated weekends to harness their vision. The passion is clear to see on-screen and is just as infectious as the shuffling dead that Wyrmwood is shaped on, shooting from the hip and punching you in the gut with its ferocious energy. Wyrmwood would produce a decent following through a heightened social media presence who latched on to the fun and mayhem that the Roache-Turner brothers produced. 

Fast forward to present day and they’ve finally come to fruition with the much awaited sequel to satiate the followers needs, but the big question is, does it live up to the hype? 

In many ways, the answer to that question is yes. swiftly followed by a but… 

The biggest and boldest move that Roache-Turner makes in the decision process for Wyrmwood: Apocalypse is to deviate a little away from the predecessors’ protagonists. That’s not to say that Barry (Jay Gallagher) and Brooke (Bianca Bradey) don’t feature but this time around the narrative centers its main narrative on a different trio of zombie apocalyptic survivors.

This may upset or turn off some fans of the original but from this writer’s perspective, it only expands the world of Wyrmwood for the richer, especially with the narrative choice following the return of actor Luke McKenzie, this time playing Rhys, not the Captain from the original film. He is in fact playing the Captains’ twin brother. This speaks volumes about the method that Roache-Turner took in making movies; if it’s broken, don’t fix it. McKenzie is an amazing actor, and here they have the opportunity to bring him back into the fold again. Yes. With a different character. But it’s a brilliant choice, as Mackenzie does not falter in this movie. He’s an amazing performer and his role of Rhys, the troubled soldier searching for a cure to the virus, whilst also being infected himself, and on a path to vengeance for the death of his brother makes him an incredibly complicated character, and engaging to watch. Rhys works almost as a bounty hunter rounding up survivors, and then bringing them to the scientists in the hope that they will find this cure, little realising that there’s more going on behind the scenes than meets the eye. This is what he slowly uncovers, the truth behind the facade and tips the balance as to whether he will side with the scientists or the survivors. Will he align with greed and power, much like his brother did, in order to fulfil his needs, or will he see that there’s a bigger picture here? 

Along the way he teams up with two young Aboriginal women, Maxi (Shantae Barnes-Cowan) and Grase (Tasia Zalar), with another brilliant piece of writing. It’s clear from the choices that Roache-Turner makes that he has his fingers firmly on the social pulse.

In an interview I had with Tristan a few years back, he mentioned that he had a deep love for indigenous culture. This is evident in the choices the filmmakers are making in casting these two women. They are not only powerhouses on the screen, with strength resistance, and smarts. They’re deadly moves are what made them ultimate survivors. Aboriginal culture is one of the oldest living cultures today and it shows how they are able to adapt and survive in the most brawling of circumstances, often in the face of white power. It is this white power that they are rising up against here as we follow these three characters falling in and out of alliances along their journey to meet their means. Throughout the narrative we are often faced with a case of not knowing what direction or what the resolution will be at the end of the film, which is again a great way to keep the audience engaged. 

So back to Brooke and Barry. 

We get a window or a snippet of their involvement in the story where things left off at the very beginning of the movie, albeit briefly, their resurrection into the film doesn’t necessarily come about until a good chunk of the way through which may have some fans a little miffed. I personally welcome it. I think the time and dedication that he’s put into building up the characters of Rhys, Maxi and Grace is worth it for us to become engaged in their storyline and when Brooke and Barry do surface again, we know they’re going to bring the goods. We know that they are going to be coming out packed to the max with a zombie army at their beck and call to take on the scientists and the structure of power that is wielding before them. 

The prognosis:

There’s fun quips and it’s full of arsenal attacks that is just a joy to watch. Roache-Turner is incredibly adept at weaving that fine line of humour, mayhem, carnage, blood and guts to satisfy its audience and they don’t fail here.
It’s a cracking watch and I should probably also say a big nod to Nicholas Boshier, who is an example of how to balance that fine line of comedy and dark energy on the screen in his portrayal of the scientist.

  • Saul Muerte

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Movie review: Scream (2022)

13 Thursday Jan 2022

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Back to Woodsboro we go.
As a horror fan (the original Scream along with A Nightmare on Elm Street are solely responsible – thanks Wes), this franchise has always been high on my list (is it the most consistent horror franchise?).
I love Scream 3 and 4 just as much as 1 and 2 for different reasons!
With Scream (2022), Wes Craven is sadly gone (still hurts) but so are the Weinsteins (still feels good) who as producers notoriously messed with production and the original vision of the first 4 Scream movies. 
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett have directing duties now, Kevin Williamson is a producer but not the writer and the trailer pitched a legacy style sequel that dropped the number 5 and lacked the meta humour and wit found in the original series.
Of course, I was excited, and I wanted to be hopeful BUT…
Like Ghostface leaping from nowhere, let’s cut to the chase.
Fans of the series have nothing to fear. Scream (2022) is not only lovingly true to the series but knows when to break those all-important rules to deliver something that also feels fresh.
Make this the last review you read to avoid spoilers. The marketing team have done their best to avoid giving away too much including how meta and witty the movie is, reflecting on the current state of horror, the Scream franchise, movie fandom, and legacy sequels (that number 5 was dropped for a reason and the movie is aware!).

The new cast are great (especially Jenna Ortega – The Babysitter: Killer Queen and Jasmin Savoy Brown – Yellowjackets) and the legacy cast get to do some of the best work they have done in the franchise. Bettinelli-Olpin & Gillett have discussed wanting to honour Wes Craven with this film.
The best way to do so that was to create a funny, scary slasher film that subverts expectations.

The Prognosis:
Consider the Master honoured.
Scream (2022) does just this with the directors maintaining their own style and voice.
The fans (dressed as legacy characters) at the advanced screening I attended, applauded at the end.
I joined them.  

10 Scream inspired movies

Retrospective: Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)

Movie review: Blood Red Sky

19 Sunday Dec 2021

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One of the most refreshing and rewarding movies to have been released this year has come from streaming platform Netflix; a British/German, vampire, action, horror movie from director Peter Thorwarth. It comes across like a Passenger 57 style movie, but instead of a kick ass retired secret service agent taking down terrorists aboard a plane, we’ve got a vampire in the mix. Thorwarth and his co-writer, Stefan Holtz do incredibly well to pack in the folklore and depth in character background into the screenplay. The writing duo aren’t too shy to steer away from flashbacks to ground the story further into the mythology that they are creating, particularly when it comes to their lead protagonist. This care to detail provides strength to their cause with significant payoff by the film’s conclusion.

To add to the drama we’re presented with a mother, Nadja (Peri Baumeister), who appears to be suffering from leukaemia; a naturally anxious person fuelled even more so by the need to care for and look after her son, Elias (Carl Anton Koch). The reason for their travel plans is so that Nadja can visit a specialised doctor to help her with her ailment.
There are a few elements at play here too which elevates the story above the usual action flick, with a look against stereotypes, especially when it comes to Farid (Kais Setti), a physicist who befriends Elias, and Middle Eastern appearance plays with our misguided expectations of him being a possible terrorist when the plane gets hijacked. Among the hijackers and leading the group is Berg played with the usual brutish klout by Dominic Purcell. His orchestrated team and all their best laid plans soon fall out, when they encounter the parasite on board. The moment this is unleashed, the turbulence soon picks up fast.

The prognosis:

Blood Red Sky relies heavily on its high energy, adrenaline-fuelled sequences, but thankfully it has plenty of bite too with well-rounded characters with heart, coupled with downbeats that have meaning. 

It pulsates with purpose and for that, makes you care about the outcome of the lead characters.

– Saul Muerte

Movie review: Last Night in Soho

18 Saturday Dec 2021

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Movie review: Last Night in Soho

It’s been a far cry since Edgar Wright launched his zombie comedy flick, Shaun of the Dead onto the big screen, and showered his audience with his fast-paced satirical style peppered with popular music.

In his latest outing, Last Night in Soho showcases his usual flamboyant style through his shooting on Steadicam and  editing technique. This time around he has a mixture of modern day and 1960s London  as his playground with the twist of murder mystery told across time transportation

Ellie Turner (Thomasin McKenzie) has dreams to become a successful fashion designer, so uproots from her quaint Cornish town to the big city and takes up studies at the London College of Fashion.

Her ambitions soon feel quashed however as she struggles to fit in with the in-crowd, and despite showing promise, loses faith and moves off campus to find herself. In doing so, she takes up residence at a small flat which holds a mysterious past and somehow opens up a portal into the past through her dreams. It is here she sees through the eyes of a confident blonde woman, Sandie (Anya TaylorJoy) who is the polar opposite to Ellie and an instant inspiration for her. It doesn’t take long for the swinging sixties lifestyle to consume Ellie, but beneath the surface something sinister is at play and uncovers a dark past that may well threaten her life.

The prognosis:

You can pretty much guarantee with an Edgar Wright flick that it will ooze style, and here it doesn’t fail. We have the catchy pop sizzlers along with the flamboyant, shoot from the hip cinematography to pull you into the story, which is ably supported by a strong cast that also includes Matt Smith, Dame Diana Rigg, and Terence Stamp among its fold.

Where Last Night in Soho falls short is through the narrative itself which despite the drama on show fails to grip and is a little weak and predictable. A shame as it struggles to hit the standard of Wright’s previous movies.

– Saul Muerte