So a slasher this week - Yay! I do love me a slasher!
A very atypical one though; Maniac avoids the conventions of following a group of potential victims (a la FT13th, Elm Street) or even one stand out victim (a la Halloween), instead we follow the killer; but even for that, this isn't a "hero killer" movie, not do we understand his motives (beyond "he's crazy") for quite a while.
On the subject of his crazy, the insanity is brilliantly written and acted - this is no hammed up 'conversations with himself' insanity; this is real non-linear crazy.
As he nails each of his latest victims' scalp to a mannequin (which is his MO) he does have a habit if conversing with himself, but he switches sides of the conversation rapidly; there is no 'call and return' preformed by two distinct personalities, just a jumble of thoughts that bleed into one another. At times these little monologues genuinely unnerving, not because if any particular content, but because you could easily believe them as the ramblings of a madman.
I also found the level of remorse interesting; at times he would seem genuinely sorry for his killings, even while performing them.
It's a shame then, that the story is so straight forward, and the killings so bland; well executed (by FX maestro Tom Savinni) but dull. The only real stand-out death being when Savinni himself (appearing simply because he already cad a cast of his own head) is shot in the head, causing his head to explode in a spectacularly over the top fashion.
There are some nice quasi-supernatural parts near the end, but they aren't enough to rescue the movie.
Despite a great performance from the lead, I found the whole affaire to be a little slow; I can see why this one has been re-made.
I enjoyed it well enough, but can't recommend it due to the pace.
Showing posts with label Insanity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Insanity. Show all posts
Saturday, 27 April 2013
Saturday, 22 December 2012
Antichrist - Lisa's Review
*** BIG FAT SPOILERS ***
I start this review still a bit gaping mouthed and hope I make more sense to you than I do to myself in this review. To be honest, I still haven't decided whether or not I liked the movie. One thing I do know for sure, is that it is not most peoples cup of tea. I think I got about three quarters of the way through and was on the 'not liking it' camp, but as it reached its climax, I began to appreciate a lot of aspects of the movie.
As the movie starts, it is very clear we're dealing with an arty one. Now I'm far from a fan of this kind of movie, so I don't expect to make much in the way of sense of the storyline. I do like how the movie is filmed though, I like the use of black and white. I like the separation of the movie into several different titled chapters. In places, I loved the almost musical flow of the script and the beauty of the location. Alongside the beauty we witness, there is incomprehensible violence and nastiness, which is very difficult to understand. It is shocking definately and had my eyebrows raised on a number of occasions, which I will go into later in the review.
As for whats going on in the movie. As we start, the couple who we follow through the movie (they are never named) are making love (all real sex apparently.. we can see why Willem Dafoe has been cast). As this is happening, their toddler son has climbed out of his cot, opened his baby gate and wandered to an open window. He climbs up and falls to the ground below. This opening scene is heartbreaking. As a mother, I probably found it the most difficult part of the movie as its a constant fear of mine and the sheer thought of anything happening to my son, almost drives me insane. This made me better understand the mothers actions as the movie progressed. The way the scene is shot, in black and white and slow motion, with a beautiful piece of music in the background adds to the tragic nature of what's happening. Its snowing outside and we can better visually see the toddler hit the ground below (although this isn't portrayed in a graphic or bloody way thankfully), we also see his stuffed toy bounce off the snow beside him. I had a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat.
I start this review still a bit gaping mouthed and hope I make more sense to you than I do to myself in this review. To be honest, I still haven't decided whether or not I liked the movie. One thing I do know for sure, is that it is not most peoples cup of tea. I think I got about three quarters of the way through and was on the 'not liking it' camp, but as it reached its climax, I began to appreciate a lot of aspects of the movie.
As the movie starts, it is very clear we're dealing with an arty one. Now I'm far from a fan of this kind of movie, so I don't expect to make much in the way of sense of the storyline. I do like how the movie is filmed though, I like the use of black and white. I like the separation of the movie into several different titled chapters. In places, I loved the almost musical flow of the script and the beauty of the location. Alongside the beauty we witness, there is incomprehensible violence and nastiness, which is very difficult to understand. It is shocking definately and had my eyebrows raised on a number of occasions, which I will go into later in the review.
As for whats going on in the movie. As we start, the couple who we follow through the movie (they are never named) are making love (all real sex apparently.. we can see why Willem Dafoe has been cast). As this is happening, their toddler son has climbed out of his cot, opened his baby gate and wandered to an open window. He climbs up and falls to the ground below. This opening scene is heartbreaking. As a mother, I probably found it the most difficult part of the movie as its a constant fear of mine and the sheer thought of anything happening to my son, almost drives me insane. This made me better understand the mothers actions as the movie progressed. The way the scene is shot, in black and white and slow motion, with a beautiful piece of music in the background adds to the tragic nature of what's happening. Its snowing outside and we can better visually see the toddler hit the ground below (although this isn't portrayed in a graphic or bloody way thankfully), we also see his stuffed toy bounce off the snow beside him. I had a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat.
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