All Light Will End (2018)

Thrillers: weekend retreat killers

By: JWBM

A woman—who suffers night terrors from childhood—debates going on a trip to her home town for her brother's graduation. She finally makes the decision and a group of her friends gear up for the road trip to head to her parents' cabin. There, the culmination of her nightmares rears its head.

The film drops pieces to the puzzle and delivers some mood with dreams and flashbacks, though it's to the point where the mystery angle becomes unbalanced and it turns into a giant string-along. I mean, we get to see the lead's day-to-day, which is often a numbing, withdrawn experience as she's haunted by something inexplicable. Either from lack of direction or an undeveloped character, her face is like a pretty backdrop that rarely changes expression. Her dad—the local Sheriff—has a strange investigation going on around the small country town with his inept, out-of-place, comic relief back up that stands around cracking sarcastic jokes.

The story is so vague and rough around the edges for a portion of its duration that by the time it decides to pull out of a lower gear to create tension and suspense, they lost you to a maze of vagaries. It's far from predictable, yet it's like the writer went back in the script and took out every related clue that would have given away the twist. But at the same time it took the wind out of its sails and made the ride somewhat obscured, directionless, and head-scratching related to some segments after the fact. It's a prime example of just how challenging writing and then, in turn, telling a well-rounded mystery can be; it requires gravitating characters and a layered story you can get behind more so than crafty manipulation or smoke and mirrors. Eventually there's a violent finale in the vain of a horror showdown, however without the intricate motivations to make this reality believable, it comes across as shake-the-head ridiculous. 

"All Light Will End" has fragments of potential that might have instead worked better as a short mystery/thriller to keep the experience flowing like a well-greased machine. As a full length feature it lacks the kind of consistent and intriguing content to keep your eyes wide and your brain searching in the right directions.

Rating: 2/10

Director: Chris Blake
Actors: Ashley Pereira, Sarah Butler, Andy Buckley
Info: IMDB link
Trailer: YouTube link

House of Deadly Secrets (2018)

She makes a killer cherry pie

By: JWBM

A mother and daughter move into a new house that turns out to have a dark past. Meanwhile, one of the neighbors—a kind of Betty White meets Norman Bates—has the intention to see that they get out no matter the consequences.

This has the look and feel of a stepping stone movie where almost everyone involved already has their sights on the next project. It's somewhat dry and boxed in at times; the difference of a peak at a real home versus a department store catalog one. For a story about deep rooted issues related to obsession and dual personalities, it feels awfully pedestrian and like they were imitated from other fiction. Instead of having the character act out her motivations, she often narrates out loud and takes the punch right out of her supposed dark actions. I'm all for stories taking their time to build up suspense and character development, though it strikes too much of a balance in that she's able to conveniently recognize her own behavior as normal or strange when it suits the story. They made her jaded but sympathetic, which seemed like the only focus to details.

This is not an experience to constantly jolt the senses—it's more basic story-telling that explores one aspect at a time and then leads into the next progression. Though even with that, its layers are as easily visible and exciting as a glass ant farm with a few ants moving about and every now and again something happens that would alter their course. Minimalist stories can work either through mood, pacing, or the performances to keep the senses awake, yet this still feels somewhat lacking in an overall gravitating immersion that instead requires a few pauses and stretches to get through it.

The actors tend to read their lines and meet their marks without bridging that into something more than the script called for. For instance, the whole shaky relationship angle between mother and father felt slapped in for some forced drama; the reasoning was just a weak excuse to have resolution. The mother and daughter also acted more as a catalyst to the events than characters with layers or backbone. One of those, "I don't know what's going on, but this is crazy" kind of casual observers you see at the scene of a crime rather than someone with more stakes and involvement.

While the film was professionally made to an extent, the story was too easy at times. Watch it on a sleepy, rainy afternoon, though don't expect it to make your Saturday night more alive.

Rating: 3.5/10

Director: Doug Campbell (Locked Away; Bad Sister)
Actors: Patty McCormack, Angie Patterson
Info: IMDB link
Trailer: YouTube trailer

Cam (2018)

A world your ad blocker never lets you see

By: JWBM

Welcome to the world of online cam girls, where there's a melting pot of the weird, erotic, and downright playful. Looks, attitude, and going along with anything thrown your way by lonely men desperately tapping away on their keyboards will bring your ratings soaring to the top.

Things are going well for a south west gal who goes by the handle of Lola. Her friends and family might be uptight and clueless, though that doesn't stop her from transforming her apartment and evolving her day to day life around being successful at what she does. Right when she's lapping up a series of praises and tokens from her eclectic clients, someone takes over her account, pretending to be her to an unmistakable degree. In an online make-believe world of superficial friends and relationships, few may care that an imposer stole her identity, or that it's not actually her still one-upping herself.

Being a subject matter on the "darker" side of the web, this manages to keep it rated R with some light nudity and more of a fun and suspenseful environment, rather than being something as daring as, say, "9 Songs." Though there is an actual story to tell about something few might care to talk about after the fact. The film does a decent job setting up its premise, showing how this all works, then keeping your interest as the mystery unravels. The drama portion was somewhat light on its feet to tackle the double identity portion of it, or to show not all of it can be glamorous. The tension of it can be boiled down to a single, mostly predictable scene and then reset after that. The lead actress—Madeline Brewer—can be both bubbly and naughty to flesh out her Lola persona, while then transitioning to being tenacious to her work, to then getting herself back on track no matter the stakes.

The thriller portion, while it kept up a consistent pacing, and had some smooth transitions from one scene to the next, isn't going to be as mind-blowing or conversational as, say, an Adrian Lyne sexy thriller like "Indecent Proposal." It's also going to require you to put some pieces together yourself. For a film with some cheap thrills, it's subtle and not spelled out in a manifesto, which I feel still works with no issue to tie it together, but might not work for other viewers who want names, faces, and facts. However, the overall film still has some of its own personality, and ended up being a lightly tantalizing and diverting experience by showing something not normally explored.

Rating: 6/10

Director: Daniel Goldhaber
Actors: Madeline Brewer
Info: IMDB link
Trailer: Youtube trailer

Delirium (2018)

Probation has never been so strange

"Delirium" is mostly a dark mystery with some parts resembling the supernatural: the tone is a mix of the playful, suspenseful, and secretive.

The story follows a 30 something man, Tom, who was recently released from a mental institution for something dark occurring in his past. He's to carry out the next thirty days under a probationary period—ankle bracelet to boot—with the catch being he's going to be all alone in his parent's extravagant mansion to prove he's a sane member of society. Munching kid's cereal and jamming to dated '90s tunes might not help his case. It might be his first chance at having freedom as an adult. Will it last?

In order to keep the mystery going at all times, a bulk of the experience is a shake-up of your senses with perceived delusions: Is this imagined, or really there? Strange characters appear and disappear faster than your friendly neighborhood ghost, except these manifestations may have ulterior motives in store for Tom who bides his time exploring the seemingly endless rooms and hidden passages in his all-to-himself home. He seems to take it on with a grain of salt by living life with no restraints or rules, except he can't leave even when things start to get weird.

Topher Grace, as Tom, plays the character as a sort of bumbling dweeb that's lacking in most social aspects, or even other more complex attributes, such as someone dealing with genuine solitude, or building up to white-knuckle retribution. He lacks a more layered mental health issue that would have given this some gravitating ambiguity, not just dulling its edge with a game of peak-a-boo mirages whenever the lights go out or he finds a new corner to explore.

No doubt, Grace is likable and brings a sense of fun with his boyish charm and reserved nature, but it's at the expense of creating a relaxed environment that tends to lose its grip when it comes to summoning its mental demons. It makes him go from a happy-go-lucky fool, to hiding-in-the-corner scared. While no one would second guess his acting with what he's given, it still doesn't make either angle challenging to a viewer. He eventually falls into a little bit of potential lust, and then some love, though it doesn't feel believable, but rather tacked on for drama's sake.

The biggest shortcoming of "Delirium" is that it has one foot in, one foot out to a share of the tones and plot points it throws at the viewer. While it's a somewhat smooth experience and mostly a well-rounded film, it's not something so pivotal that it jars the senses or becomes memorable, other than passing the time for some entertainment that glides on the surface without necessarily digging far below for a greater reward.

As far as psychological thrillers go, it fails to keep you on the edge of your seat; the overall experience feels like it holds itself back and pads itself out till a bigger pay off that isn't as groundbreaking as it makes itself out to be. It guides you with a guessing game as to what genre you're actually dealing with. Other films, such as "The Shining," or "Session 9," made the is-it-real, is-it-all-in-my-head angle work from an overall ambiance that backed you into a corner with no escape, and with more concrete or impressionable aspects to unfold in the story. "Delirium" is neither terrible nor outstanding, but one of those inoffensive films with some of its own personality to stay afloat.

By: JWBM

Rating: 5/10

Director: Dennis Iliadis (Hardcore; The Last House on the Left 2009)
Actors: Topher Grace, Patricia Clarkson, Genesis Rodriguez
Info: IMDB link
Trailer: Youtube link

Looking Glass (2018)

A fresh start, a sour experience

By: JWBM

"Looking Glass" feels like the filmmakers switched places. Like a guitarist did a swap with the drummer, and the drummer is now singing. Music is produced, but something feels unnatural in how it all comes together. This attempts to go for a mystery-thriller vibe, but ends up coming with so little content—and then holding back that content to keep it mysterious—that its story feels thin, haphazard, and without artistic merit at times. It comes with little foreshadowing, character development, or bigger use of its setting. It plods to the point that, when something does happen, it feels like you're getting thrown a stale cookie for watching this long.

The movie in a nutshell: Need a change, so bought a motel. I cleaned and repaired stuff at my new motel. I'm an electrician after all! Guests come and go. Better with my hands than with small talk. I stay out late. The Sheriff pays a visit; he likes coffee. I stay in and watch people through a secret peep hole. Should I? The wife and I are hitting the sheets now. I still watch people. Should I? Let's see what happens. Someone threw a dead animal in the pool. I took care of it myself. I got a visit from the Sheriff; he switches to tea. I stay out late. Drama with the wife. Weird people. No more drama with the wife. The end. If you found that insufferable, consider saving yourself an hour and forty three minutes and thirty two seconds and skip this film.

The more you know the characters, the less you want to know them. Can't say it's solely the fault of the actors, but rather a faulty script, and even faultier directing and editing. The character of Ray—played by Nicolas Cage—has the personality of a no-frills, on-the-cheap Sears catalog lamp. Your choices are gray. Choose wisely. His wife—Robin Tunney, as Maggie—does little of anything exceptional or gravitating, except maybe exits the screen with different variations. There's an attempted backstory that simultaneously brings them closer but also creates a bridge between. However, one can't help but feel that it was cut and pasted in to create some forced tension. It eventually culminates into a heated moment to show off some potential acting skills; at that point it's a little too late. I could understand if this came with some building mood to keep it afloat. I mean, it made its attempts with the oddball locals with an undercurrent of... your guess is as good as mine, but it just ends up coming across as awkward in a let-me-position-my-index-finger-closer-to-the-stop-button kinda way.

Rating: 3.5/10

From Black to Red recommends instead: "Blue Velvet" to show how mystery, weirdness, and atmosphere coalesce into a memorable, intriguing, and exciting experience.

Director: Tim Hunter (The Far Side of Jericho, Control)
Actors: Nicolas Cage, Robin Tunney
Info: IMDB link
Trailer: Youtube link

In Darkness (2018)

A hitman and a blind woman walk into a coffee shop

By: JWBM

A professional musician, who's lost her sight as a little girl, lives alone in an apartment in London. As of late, there's been muffled commotion heard from the upstairs quarters where another woman, Veronique, lives. One night, the arguments culminate and Veronique ends up dead. Detectives arrive on scene to investigate and ask the blind woman, Sofia, if she has any information regarding Veronique's sudden death. Soon, Sofia gets slowly pulled into another world when it turns out Veronique may have had more than a few dark secrets.

This is a mystery-thriller that's all about that don't-look-back pacing and didn't-see-that-coming revelations. It's played out with more low-key jabs to earn points, rather than serving up a series of bigger blows. This starts out on a high: delivering pulsating, memorable music, a consistency of creative camera angles, and a certain atmosphere to cement itself as a murder-mystery. Natalie Dormer, as Sofia, comes with the most dynamic to her character. She plays a confident woman who takes on the world in one moment, and then in the next is overly hard on herself when taken down a peg by uncontrollable situations around her. She's a fighter and a survivor despite the odds—that's for sure—though there's a troubling underscore to her that one can't quite put their finger on.

The ultimate intention of "In Darkness" is to entertain. It's saddled between reality and a make-believe world never seen before, or possibly experienced again. It's full of tantalizing scenes and situations to keep your senses alive. Though think too hard on it, or go back for another viewing expecting deeper layers, and you might be disappointed. I mean, they pick a traumatic moment that makes little connection if paused and pondered on as to why that would have lined up the way it did. Instead of delving deeper, the characters just keep reimagining it in similar ways, as if that will make it more rooted as an event.

The main villain is a two-dimensional Jekyll and Hyde without the mental turmoil to solidify him: either doing the nice guy with a foreign accent bit, or the utterly evil guy who mysteriously preys on blind women, but nothing in between to cement him as a living, breathing person you may fear or respect through the barrier of the television set. There's also the go-between, soft-and-hard hitman, Marc—played by Ed Skrein—that's going for Mr. Charm. He has a light edge of danger, but is almost too safe and predictable in that he does exactly what you'd expect him to, and always shows up when needed.

What starts out on a high and with a share of great potential, winds down to a finale that doesn't materialize with stable legs once all of the smoke and mirrors clear. The film feels emotionally powerful at first, but ends up being just a flash, a bang, and ultimately a let-the-senses-go distraction for an on-the-fly, don't-look-back Thursday night.

Rating: 6/10

Director: Anthony Byrne (Short Order, How About You...)
Actors: Natalie Dormer, Ed Skrein, Jan Bijvoet, Joely Richardson
Info: IMDB link
Trailer: Youtube link

Regression (2015)

Satanic cults and dream-like sequences

By: JWBM

Hoyer, Minnesota: 1990. A father walks into the local police station claiming "he did it" and that "his daughter never lies" to the chief and lead detective. He's not exactly father of the year material, but his memory is a little fuzzy to say the least. His confession is related to an accusation his daughter made recently about being raped. She's shaken up enough to stay at the local church under the wing of the town priest till her dark and disturbing allegations come to light. This makes for a complex story that goes deeper and gets stranger as the more time presses on. It presents an "inspired by real events" scenario of satanic ritual abuse in the modern day that's linked to what happened. What you're about to see and experience took a town and part of a nation by storm reminiscent to the real-life—though controversial—book "Michelle Remembers" from 1980.

I have to admit, describing this movie in a general sense is going to come across as cartoonish. It's a story that's a tough sell in that it needs to be expanded on, rather than briefly summarized. However, talking around spoilers is another feat in itself. If you step back and take an overview, it's essentially what hysteria looks like. It's what separates the rational from the irrational. It's where facts start to fade and gaps are filled with loose interpretations and in-the-moment perceptions. The story has concrete aspects to it, no doubt, but it also has some abstract ideas as well that are better left played out like you were there yourself. That's the power of the direction here from Alejandro Amenábar ("The Others," "Open Your Eyes"). It could have easily fumbled out of the gate, or had your eyes rolling before the timer went off for the popcorn in the microwave. Though it managed to put you in the moment by moment to see what they see, and feel what they feel. Something like this doesn't happen in an instant, but in a series of instances.

This is mainly a crime-mystery with remnants of drama and shreds of horror. It presents itself as a who-dunnit with a snappy pacing: like you slowly pressed a hot poker to step up the heat. The revelations and situations come one after the other, and increasingly more paranoid and helter-skelter as it steps up the level of tension. There's aspects of crime, religion, and psychology that are mixed into a chaotic and ambiguous reality. It uses these unique flash backs and dream sequences that come across as downright chilling and creepy. The funny part is they feel more effective than outright horror movies that are actually trying to be scary. The amount of emotional uproar at times from the cast here concerning the confusing and conflicting circumstances lends credence to it all. From Ethan Hawke's transformation as the lead detective; to the grief-stricken and tormented dad; and even the son and his inexplicable denial and anger.

"Regression" is a tale that causes the mind to spiral out of control from the seemingly impossible and illogical. 'Could this all be happening right under our noses?' Our brain tries to rationalize through bits and pieces of evidence and stimuli: whether that be from the sensationalist media reports on TV; to how someone interpreted a trauma in an interview; to just a simple stare from a stranger in public, or a phone call with no one on the other end of the line. It keeps you on your toes and guessing as a viewer. There's no shortage. However, for a portion of the film, it gets to be a little bewildering and ungrounded at points in how ambiguous the tone is, along with the amount of subjects and circumstances thrown at you. It took me two different viewings to get my review straight. It presents a double-edged sword. You get plenty of grab-you-by-the-collar-of-your-shirt atmosphere and great performances out of the actors as a result, but you're somewhat grasping at the air at times till it decides to suddenly switch gears and wrap up its loose ends in a more stream-lined approach.

If you're looking for something to not only distract your mind but to make the heart race with some memorable, out-there moments, then this might be up your alley.

Rating: 7.5/10

Director: Alejandro Amenábar ("Thesis," "The Sea Inside," "Agora")
Actors: Ethan Hawke, Emma Watson, David Thewlis, David Dencik
Info: IMDB link
Trailer: Youtube link

Additional info: The book in this story, "In Satan's Name," feels like an inspiration from the real life book "Michelle Remembers" that details a young woman's account of satanic ritual abuse.

Happy Death Day (2017)

Nobody likes Mondays

By: JWBM

This is a tale about a normal day that turns deadly for a young, carefree college gal. For anyone else, they would be resting peacefully in the afterlife with an extra hole or two in their previous body. Though there comes the catch. She gets a reset: body back to normal; mind not the same. From there on out, that day—that initially started out like any other mundane Monday—turns into a battle to escape this recurring daymare.

"Happy Death Day" is not set up to be grab-my-heart scary, but instead plays out as fun and energetic. It's like a gateway film for someone who doesn't outright like the kind of horror that keeps you up at night, but doesn't mind a safe mix of mystery and suspense to take the reins. The film has a tendency to flirt with different tones throughout, whether that be light jokes, horseplay, or even venturing to light drama about reconciling. It's not a comedy like "Shaun of the Dead," but it's also not in league with balls-to-the-wall horror such as "Martyrs." It finds its home somewhere in a comfortable, don't-worry-about-the doors-being-unlocked middle ground. It's a well-packed feature that dabbles in the heres and theres without overly concentrating or being outright outstanding in either.

When this isn't being a homage to late '90s slashers with an emotionless, unwavering killer on the
loose with a memorable mask, the other side of this horror tale is a mystery. It uses the backdrop of "Groundhog Day" to replay clues to pick up on. This will make some repeating moments instantly annoying, while others—that are initially overlooked—turn out to be significant pieces to the story. It gives an element of attention to the film that would have otherwise just been a pretty girl being chased by a homely killer. The lead character, Tree—played by Jessica Rothe—does a decent job at carrying the many emotional shifts and turns this film takes the viewer through. She starts out as self-centered and unlikable—from signature eye rolls and sarcasm—to growing and adapting to the experience. It's very much a reactionary movie. One of those root-for-the-character films: the kind you could talk over and yell at the screen with a few rowdy friends.

"Happy Death Day" is an amusing, shameless movie that may get watched once and lost to the yesteryear. But that's the point. This is a slick Hollywood horror film that has all of the bells and whistles without bringing anything necessarily new to the table. The locations and shots are mostly on point. There's no grit or outright savage moments like you'd see in a typical pulse-pounding slasher. One scene easily and gracefully flows to the next. The movie is mostly safe, and you can count on it to be consistent throughout. There's a glaring formula, yes, but a formula that feels tight and worked through. If you're looking for something new that's more playful than it is challenging, this might be up your alley.

Rating: 6.5/10

Director: Christopher Landon ("Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse")
Actors: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, Rachel Matthews
Info: IMDB
Trailer: Youtube

Because of the Cats (1973)

Young, rich cats on the prowl for trouble

Well before the shadowy frat club in "The Skulls" there was a little mystery/crime/thriller from Holland in the earlier part of the '70s that shared a number English actors called "Because of the Cats." The story, which was part of a larger series of crime novels from the early '60s, in itself is simple enough, though how it's presented is somewhat elusive and enigmatic--with the audience never sure of where it's going or what's to happen next. In between it gives way to a number of different titillations and shock, to the point of being somewhat edgy for its day for a culture that was still getting used to racy cinematic assaults such as "Dirty Harry" and "The French Connection." Our crime fighters weren't always knights in shining armor as the waning flower generation seen.

A gang of young vandals with pantyhose stocking caps surprise a middle aged couple in their upscale home and take turns raping the woman in front of her panic stricken husband. These aren't your normal criminals doing thuggery but instead dress in suit and tie and speak like proper and educated students--as if they're out to a charity dinner instead. An inspector from Amsterdam named Van Der Valk is sent in to investigate the callous crime and from a series of clues gets lead to a click called The Ravens where a share are heirs to wealthy families in the most prosperous area of the Netherlands called Bloemendaal. From there, another group called The Cats are whispered about, along with a rich, well-spoken gentleman who you're never quite sure about under his overly charming demeanor. The inspector is determined to put a stop to them before the crimes escalate beyond control but finds himself with little evidence, oblivious but protective parents and tight mouthed suspects that are bonded to their friends through a secret cause.

The tone is a little jumpy in places: one moment somewhat upbeat and humorous, then in the next atmospheric and serious. The music is somewhat misplaced at times, with a theme song that's akin to a parade marching band with horns and drums. It can be slapped overtop of a scene whether or not the underlying part matches. This is missing some of the heart-racing chase scenes in car or on foot that are a staple to crime thrillers. Though this European film is quite liberal with sex and nudity, whether it be with forceful or consensual, or be it showing full frontal of men and women--more so on the latter. The inspector even drinks on the job and has a good time with a high class prostitute that gives him information that he couldn't have pumped out otherwise--killing two birds with one stone, he's a resourceful guy.

There are a hand full of memorable scenes that make this more than your run-of-the-mill crime story, from a group of women seducing a man in the ocean that includes full body underwater shots, to some scenes of cat carnage where innocent kitties are brutalized for shock value--not for real though! The film has a fairly quick editing style for the '70s when it was common to have more of a looser flow throughout. This is still caught somewhat in between where it has rapid cuts in one area and then becomes unnecessary to carry on with another for so long, especially towards the latter half. Some of the editing is cut so close that it doesn't make this as challenging of a mystery as it could have been. No one wants a picture to hold their hand, but it can dive into the middle of a scene without a sense of direction till sometimes well after the fact. It makes it so the audience are steps behind the detective instead of steadily moving at the same time for more of an engaging experience. This is still largely unpredictable as some of the clues come in the form of red herrings to throw one off.

This came out at a time when traditional religions were questioned and at the same time new factions were forming with experimental ideas and philosophies. This mixes self-awareness practices of body and mind with susceptible, spoiled-rich modern youth in the '70s. Just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should do it. They're an anomaly in that they have both responsibility and appear like standup citizens but at the same time are giving in to over-the-top vices at the expense of others. The two require a delicate balance and things can get out of control when it's tipped. In a way it shows how far some youth have lost their morals and scruples when growing up pampered and never having to earn what they were given with blood and sweat. Not to mention the parents have all of the money one could wish but little time to spend with family. The youngsters have no sympathy, regret or perspective to what they're doing. They mindlessly follow their click to be part of something but have no definable future from being stuck in the now. "Because of the Cats" was an interesting take on the crime genre that doesn't include the usual hip, slang spoutin' street thugs.

Rating: 7/10

Director: Fons Rademakers (Village by the River, Mira)
Stars: Byran Marshall
Link: IMDB

Blood Ties (2009)

Overeager students, shady faculty and a masked killer in the midst

Back in '85, a reporter named Michael Archer and his significant other were heinously killed. He uncovered a scandal that accused a football coach at Hollow's Pointe University named De Luca and a quarterback named Jake "The Snake" for the Red Devils for accepting a bribe from a rival school to throw the game. Eighteen murders and twenty something years later, a group of students decide to write a paper surrounding the subject to four staff member's panic who still work at the school. They're trying to figure out how to silence the students that made the connection when one of the shady staff gets brutally slain after hours at the school. The group of youngsters put their lives at risk to investigate further, as well as the remaining staff try to stop the slayings in order to save face from their past involvement that's resurfacing. Yep, no one here are police advocates, because their egos might just be bigger than the killer's blade.


"Blood Ties" was no doubt made by a couple of diehard, aspiring movie nerds that are probably so wrapped up in celluloid that the brightest light they've seen in years is the stage light shining down on their locked away set. The result is a pure cinema invention so far gone from the real world that it feels about as overly coincidental and far fetched to be a Scooby Doo like story for adults. Depending how easy you are, it still comes with a quicker pacing and, apart from some confusing plot twists, a share is laid out to do the work for you. These amateur students are brighter than detectives that have been at it for twenty years and connect dots in a short amount of time like it was a cakewalk between their rambunctious partying and jokes.

The performers have moments of being over-the-top and exaggerated and it's hard to say if they're just badly acting or it's on purpose--possibly both--to get an instant reaction from a viewer than a gradual one that will grow. Jason Carter is the most believable of the bunch as their British accented professor named Fredericks who taught them the ropes but is now their rival in the ring. The story feels like it combines parts of an episode of a soap opera murder mystery, a generic slasher, a softcore porno and a trendy National Lampoons movie into one. The tone feels all over the place: one moment cartoonishly surreal, raunchy with sexual references and drugs, the next serious with melodrama and danger, or be it sarcastic and tongue-in-cheek. The filmmakers show they have an array of potential for future projects but it feels like they tried to make several movies at the same time without always being tuned in as to how to put them together cohesively so the audience could get some breathing room and move at the same time as it's speeding by them.


This has a lot of personality but it feels like one too many inside jokes that aren't always enough for outsiders to fully enjoy what's so funny, cool or exciting. Maybe on the third time or with a cast member to shed some light from coming on too hard and too fast the first go. Some are obvious, such as "Star Trek" and "Star Wars" rivalries, but still feel too random and misplaced regardless. A frat party where a guy does magic tricks that converts money and makes a girl's top disappear, had to do with what again? Or just little odd comments and banter that seem to come out of nowhere. Their brand of humor feels like a YouTube video with an actual budget that's more for long time friends and family of the participants that would get them more than a newcomer.

I can see where "Blood Ties" was going: to give a little pep before they get to the usual darker elements, but the late transition over doesn't always make this tension filled, shocking or scary, not to mention the audience could really care less when the characters get knocked off because they were just pure and simple entertainment monkeys prior to switching over tones. After going through the filmmakers channel surfing for the first half, it narrows down to a more serious and steadier picture as shown in the trailer--definitely misrepresented before that--where upstarting ambitions, built up reputations, tarnished pasts and the innocent and guilty have their lives hanging in the balance from an omnipresent homicidal maniac with a mask and superhuman strength. Some answers come about with an over-the-top explanation while others are brushed under the rug for brevity's sake. It includes an ambiguous finale that seems more a sacrifice for getting your senses riled in the direct moment rather than lining up 100%.




Rating: 3.5/10

Director: Nathaniel Nose (Talent)
Link: IMDB

The Haunting (2009)

Moving to the outskirts never helped anyone's health

This gradually paced supernatural film from Spain gives a little twist on its own history and unfolds with a leaning more for human drama than popcorn entertainment. "The Haunting" is also a deeply involved mystery with several, sometimes cluttered layers that eventually narrow into a main point. It gives more subtle hints than outright telling the viewer what is going on at first to the point of a tinkle or a text message later and you could have missed a key element till they re-explain in the latter portion of the film.

Blanca is found barely alive by priests in a room with others dead around her. She awakens from a coma at an elderly age and gets released by a priest named Miguel de Azpeitia in the sanatorium she's been cared for at. Azpeitia picks up an old film clipping on the ground that Blanca dropped and confronts another priest about feeling guilty for sinning from a prior incident involving a prostitute who could produce miracles but was locked away against her will, only to end up killing herself. Meanwhile a maternity ward doctor named Francesca moves with her husband Pedro, months old baby Pablo and daughter Rosa to a large country manor that was used by a recently deceased bishop called Juan Lorenzo Prada but was a school some 50 years before that. Her husband is worried about her obsessively protective nature of the baby. He's at work while she stays home on leave, only for her to become worse and worse when she claims to hear unexplainable noises and has random hallucinations of little girls that lead her to the attic where something of a dark nature happened. The daughter and Blanca confirm her suspicions, though her husband and boss think that it's her mental health causing her to act erratic from someone lost that was close to her ten years past. Francesca believes differently and contacts Azpeitia through Blanca who looks into it with an investigation to unlock the truth and to possibly absolve himself from his past sin.

"The Haunting" deals with religious politics and hypocrisy in how saints come to be named and miracles made official to the public. The behind the scenes process is selective to the point of manipulation and misconduct. The film is also about letting go of someone from your past, along with trust from mother to son, to then husband to wife even when the odds are stacked against. The movie has some predictability and more than a few cliches but it also manages to throw in some unique qualities and red herrings to its story--some confusing, others a nice diversion--to where it will go next. Though it doesn't always treat its material as edge-of-your-seat gripping or more dangerous when something bad does happen. It seems like Francesca is more helped and warned than harmed to the point of dodging any physically threatening elements and aiming more towards righting those wronged. There are still a few confrontations but the film is more laid back in its delivery of how it gradually unfolds with a sense for drama and mystery than outright horror. It still gives enough pauses and layers to give room to think and develop even if it lacks a continually nervous or jarring nature. The acting--in Spanish--is adequate and believable but the weaving story and well-timed direction seem to be doing a little more of the leg work than having them lug this solely on their backs.

This carries a formula of the upstarting-family-moves-into-a-haunted-house subgenre--ominous signs, local priest, random appearances with ghosts pointing in certain directions instead of telling what they want, along with writing in blood on the walls and all--but it comes with its own individual backstory and characters that feel like people instead of devices put into scenarios to just produce a scream. This is a borderline case of an R rating with one sexually suggestive situation and a few scenes involving blood. Ghost fans just looking to turn their hair white might be disappointed as this isn't outright terrifying as it's more made to be steadily evolving and intriguing with more revelations than sensations. This still has a few chills and a certain secretive atmosphere that's for your eyes only till the truth is unlocked...but can it ever really be with such powerful opposition on both sides of the fence? There are some eerie sounding choirs accompanied with an organ that can be heard in the background that are more demonic than divine sounding. This uses a neat idea to connect scenes of past and present with old, scratchy film reels from the Franco era that gives a little twist on Spanish history that can be appreciated by others not from said country as well.

Rating: 7/10

Director: Elio Quiroga (The Dark Hour)
Link: IMDB

Knife Edge (2009)

Trying to live the quaint life can be murder

This British film is more of a mystery/thriller than a horror in the modern day with excessive gore and sex to titillate. It attempts to tell an old fashioned tale that focuses on primal human emotions such as betrayal, revenge and greed with a backdrop of the supernatural. Then it takes on relating points, such as obligations to your job and family with others trying to step in the middle of your progress and happiness for their own selfish gain.

A successful woman named Emma with a sixth sense in the New York stock exchange leaves it all behind to move to an English manor with her French husband Henri and her boy Thomas. She's recently pregnant and life is going extremely well at first, till she gets random, murderous visions and a pain in her abdomen. Her husband loses a business deal and runs into money trouble. He goes to her shady, drug using brother for a loan as he doesn't want Emma to worry about the bills of their new mansion. This is despite her not feeling welcome there anyway by a series of unexplainable nightmares and what-was-that noises. Her son has an imaginary friend named Tobias that might be more linked to the past of the house than the inventive mind of a bored kid.


A share of the interactions turn over to be tediously melodramatic as she starts to become erratic from both the enormous house with nothing to do inside and the strange happenings, along with her thought to be nice husband starting to lash out from getting stressed at work and home. This attempts to shift between if it's real or not, but instead of balancing out both sides equally to be intriguing like a good mystery should it can feel like a string along. The answers to the drama portion are often easily solvable--move, get a hobby, go back to work, honest communication, live less extravagantly--as the characters are hardly given enough pressing circumstances to truly feel trapped to their current situation or the viewer challenged enough to get enraptured/lost to their problems. But then, of course, money is the root of all evil and not many can go back from already having a bulk of it. The title character confides in her family and close friends with some being genuine but others posing as wolves in sheep's clothing.


Trying to cram all of the various threads into an hour and a half time frame didn't do a service to the viewer. The result is some of the revelations are too far fetched with one too many coincidences, though I can imagine if it was in novel form it could have been a diverting yarn without time constraints and with smoother transitions to suspend disbelief. It's still imaginative and attempts to be steadily engaging, but the execution wasn't always put together in a very entertaining order and manner. It feels like a fleeting television feature, despite this being the long awaited darker tale from Anthony "Waxwork"/"Sundown" Hickox after having a share of run ins with the action genre. For one, this has too quick of a pacing for its own good. The movie moves so rapidly at times as to breeze over building up an enclosing atmosphere. Though the camera seems to move just as much as the characters do with a share of panning crane and hand held shots that manage to give this a certain style. The house jumps right into doing odd things before a setup is even established around it to give it a shadowy personality. Not to mention Emma's special abilities of seeing events before they happen is stated in a random piece of dialogue to a new comer but doesn't smooth into establishing credibility; then it's oddly forgotten for a period and blamed on other circumstances.


It looks to be a clear cut case of botched editing but a share of this is a misstep in direction and a combination of being rushed, with the former salvaging what was left. The direction seems to over emphasize points but even then still not make sense or adequately express emotions, such as an extended stare/odd look or a line stated but then dropped by a closing scene. Some revelations take too long to come out to the point of losing focus or interest, and then others can be explained too quickly to lose impact. Some of the minor transitions between scenes aren't always flush, such as a character's demeanor/position slightly jumping around from an action just before it. In areas it feels exactly like they filmed it at different times. Even the performances come in and out of going from lively, overreaching, to just plain stiff or not accommodating a certain written line to themselves. Both the leading actors, Natalie Press and Matthieu Boujenah, have performances that fall in and out to the point of being unconnective to their situation and who they are. Hugh Bonneville, although without that much screen time, gives the most credible and consistent performance as the cheery friend of the family with another side to him. Joan Plowright, as the nanny, believably fits the bill and has a dual screen presence that you're never too sure about.


In theory, this shouldn't have been as lackluster as it turned out. I'd imagine reading the filled to the brim script, seeing the larger than life locations and hearing the enthusiasms of the filmmakers to do something slightly different in the modern day would have sold it beforehand. There's definitely potential here. Though "Knife Edge" is a film that frequently requires the viewer to compensate for lack thereof and mistimings. A portion of the performances, character motivations and even certain dialogue have too many areas where it feels forced and distracting. The story doesn't always maintain charging power and the characters don't always feel credible as a result.

Rating: 3.5/10

From Black to Red recommends instead: "The Others." This is a atmospheric drama/horror film that follows an English family who lives in a large house just after WWII that carries a dark past.

Director: Anthony Hickox (Waxwork, Sundown, Hellraiser III)
Stars: Natalie Press, Matthieu Boujenah, Hugh Bonneville, Joan Plowright, Tamsin Egerton
Link: IMDB

The Caller (2011)

A magnet for disaster

This is a drama/mystery/thriller about a woman named Mary (Rachelle Lefevre) who moves into a new apartment in the capital of Puerto Rico and is trying to start her new life over again after finalizing paper work from a controlling partner. Though the tiny island might not be the best place to make that happen. She goes to classes, talks to the friendly gardener George (Luis Guzman) and converses on an old land line phone--remember those?--with a woman named Rose (Lorna Raver) who's confused and looking for a man named Bobby.

The calls become more persistent and personal with the coincidences between them mounting up. Each woman thinks the other loco but try to find a middle ground for information that makes them at odds for the time line they share since Rose thinks she's in the late '70s. Rose tries to show she exists by describing evidence around the house to prove to Mary she's been there. Meanwhile other people demand attention from the curly haired blue-eyed wonder with her ex Steven (Ed Quinn) who's stalking her despite a restraining order. She manages to form a budding friendship with a teacher named John (Stephen Moyer) at the school from getting jumpy about supposedly seeing someone in her car. The audience isn't sure of the big picture at first and this just looks like a woman with the worst of luck. Though her new situation might just give her the know how and empowerment she needs to see a light at the other end of the tunnel...or possibly just a darker side of herself to do what needs to be done.

The viewer is thrown some distractions with the goings on in Mary's life, but the one with the greatest power to control it comes and goes. The pacing moves gradually to give the story some time to grow and to put together what's culminating. This could have played the is-she-imagining it, is-she-not angle a little better. Sometimes not so obvious clues happen and she believes, while other times, obvious things happen and she's oblivious. People are there one moment, gone the next and every time Mary tries to get her life back in order, she gets knocked back a few steps until the main realization fully sets in. What holds this back is the audience at points is given too much time to think of the possibilities, which for the cinematic experience expands your imagination no doubt and was definitely a neat idea but how the mechanics line up leaves some loopholes. Not to mention when some red herrings come her way to throw you off scent, as well as a series of what if questions happen at the same time that make this go from an exceptional case to astronomical, though amusing nonetheless even if it's not likely to happen to you.

The character development is a little bumpy in that the main actress will go from calm and rational to jumpy and terrified, sometimes with back to back scenes that make pinning down her demeanor and temperament a little inconsistent for relating points. The abusive and manipulative character Steven seems like a caricature ripped right out of an old Lifetime movie--don't ask how I know that--the way he does what he wants and especially when he wants because he's a testosterone fueled man with no one to put him in his place--he's just missing a flannel and a permanent beer in one hand. The setting in Puerto Rico is partly utilized though isn't concentrated on unless it pertains to the story. Nearly all of the characters are from different nationalities, much like the commonwealth's own history. On the other hand--like Mario Bava's ''The Telephone"--the phone ringing becomes a grating echo in your ear for both the intruding sound and for what's to come. The woman on the other end has a sweet but also disturbing voice that starts to become more and more desperate and dangerous and might not have been calling the wrong number after all.

Rating: 6.5/10

Director: Matthew Parkhill (Dot the I)
Stars: Rachelle Lefevre, Stephen Moyer, Luis Guzman, Ed Quinn, Lorna Raver
Link: IMDB

Hidden (2009)

Deeply wound in mood and mystery

This is a mystery tale from Norway--even with the title, which could be any number of things--that also includes some elements of a horror/thriller that revolves around a man who returns back to an area that brings back flooding memories and a new set of circumstances while at it. Is it the house or the woods or just the out of reach town that keeps perpetuating more terrible events? A boy is off urinating in the outskirts of a wooded area while his ride is parked in the road. Another boy, who appears to have been buried just prior, runs into the road and a semi-truck dodges him but hits and kills the passengers in the parked car.

Nineteen years later and Kai Koss' mom has passed away who he ran from all those years ago with some resentment towards her abusive ways. He's inherited her utilitarian house that seems to re-open old wounds when he steps inside and has some flashing haunts of her presence as if she's still there in the flesh to torment him. He goes to burn the whole house, just as he requested of her body to get rid of the reminder once and for all, but is stopped by the local cop, Sara, who takes his gas canisters yet gives an ear to listen to him if need be. Though he wanders about with little words and encounters the small town's folk who act somewhat coy, as if they have something to hide or a secret that is best not said aloud. He's trying to figure out why he's returned himself when there's a mysterious disappearance of a young couple that were last seen in his inherited house. The manhunt is on in the local wooded area to catch who it was or find some evidence, though it keeps pointing back to who else but the newcomer Kai. Throughout the ordeal he gets flashes of that night that happened many years ago and where the other boy, Peter, ended up, who went missing after the crash and reportedly was last seen near a waterfall with only shoes to show for it. Though Kai thinks differently.


This is a somewhat simple film that mainly concentrates on producing a steady mood and elements of mystery with not much else to get in the way. I have to say, it's refreshing to see a film that does what it does well despite being basic in execution. There are no explosions, unnecessary sex scenes, love triangles, excessive violence, just what was mentioned before. You can count on it since it knows what it wants and sticks its guns to it. Some portions do get a little confusing and trail off in whether it's relevant or not--most likely to throw you off scent--though the film unfolds gradually and has a certain balance and consistency to its framework. "Hidden" has an almost dream like quality, in that nothing is what it seems and can't be trusted that it's reality or illusion. Or is it a memory or present time at points? The enclosed wooded area makes those sentiments come to life in that the outside world doesn't exist but just this place and those characters and that dilemma that must be solved right now.



Like a reclusive celebrity, the movie is highly elusive about what amount of information it lets out at a time. Even the trailer is highly puzzling and seems to be edited to lure you in with the abstract rather than the concrete. There are McGuffins thrown left and right, mysterious phone calls and old photographs that can make your mind wander closer to the truth or farther away, it's hard to say exactly. It's an experience that may or may not be figured out by the viewer but it still manages to tap into different, unexplored sensations in the meantime. It's an enigma within an enigma that works that way all the way down to the wire when the credits roll and you're left with a puzzle to solve and a side to choose. That gives the film replay value to want to see if you're able to catch different clues on the next time around.



Rating: 7.5/10

Director: Pal Oie (Dark Woods)
Stars: Kristoffer Joner, Cecilie A. Mosli
Link: IMDB

Lake Mungo (2008)

A person not removed

This is a faux docu-drama with elements of mystery and the supernatural that revolves around a young woman named Alice Palmer who recently passed in her home town in Australia. She went missing in a local lake and the family doesn't want to let go right away or accept the inevitable. A decomposed woman's body is found, yet they partly drag out if it might actually be her and that her life couldn't have abruptly ended that day when there was so much more that could have been. Back at their house, there are strange noises, nightmares, sightings and even suspicious photographs to what seems to be her physical presence in the time that follows. The mother seeks out a psychic who wants to hold a seance. Secrets come out regarding the family after the fact, the psychic in question, as well as that involve Alice that no one else knew about her with immediate relatives and friends.

The slow, evolving pace is what makes this film work. It's not quick and upbeat or hip and trendy, but something that captures the scenery and her life in glimpses and flashes. There are a share of recorded mediums that it transforms from: some crisp and steady, some grainy and shaky. The latter comes with some eerie and unsettling scenes that eventually make your eyes scan the surrounding shots for hidden clues--nothing is what it seems is the impression. It has a very deliberate flow to the point of sucking in a viewer and getting involved to the point of forgetting that this is just a film. Though it's somewhat depressing watching a documentary film, even if fictional, about a young person that's life abruptly ends with only bits and pieces as to what she was up till that point. The story is concerned about her past and how it affects all that knew her now, but the mind still wanders into this dark territory nonetheless of what could have been.

The film gives off a general sense of regret and melancholia in that she keep things from them that were beyond her teenage years that caused her to silently suffer without anyone else knowing since she had very few to turn to or trust. The home video footage becomes instantly haunting that the person you're seeing no longer exists and little did she know of it at that time that it's her last images. The mother has the hardest time letting go and grasps on to any information, whether good or bad, about her daughter's life. The brother was also close and uses ways to cope with his late sister that some question whether it's rational or justified. The father and boyfriend speak with a little more pep that sometimes show glimpses of emotional restraint, as well as friends, co-workers and investigators who give their take.

"Lake Mungo" manages to keep itself interesting with a steady focus and share of revelations. Some of them feel a little manipulated, for fixating on one way for a period, then turning it around and that not being the case at all. As well as a few revelations jump forward a little quicker than others. Watching this gives off some reminders of the sad and wrenching film "Ordinary People," though there's still some positive, heartfelt and dramatic interviews that reflect human loss and then how to cope with the fact through a share of outlets that gives this a little bit of resolve despite its somber mood at times. Others who've had someone abruptly pass don't always get to share the after effects like they did, or to others that would have never known this girl in this particular place and time. Some areas are dry to give room to form an opinion, while others are leaning more towards the paranormal being possible without the other side getting a chance to breath. This isn't a film to just put on since the experience might linger and brood in one's mind or possibly turn over to being upset with the filmmakers for making it so realistic.

Rating: 8/10

Director: Joel Anderson
Link: IMDB

The Broken (2008)

Scared of your own reflection?

An English radiologist named Gina gives her father a surprise birthday celebration and during the festivities a mirror suddenly breaks. She gets a strange feeling at work as if someone was in her office. Then on the way home, she spots a woman that looks identical to herself driving her same car. She follows the look alike and enters her apartment only to see a photo with her image and her fathers. Puzzled, she leaves but gets into a car wreck on the way out. Gina wakes up in the hospital with a fuzzy memory regarding the crash and a sneaking suspicion that her boyfriend, Stefan, is not really her boyfriend. The doctors call it Capgras Syndrome, which can result from a brain injury. With the help of a therapist, she unlocks bits and pieces surrounding the accident. From a dripping ceiling, to more mirrors being broken and others acting strangely to her, Gina sees danger at every turn where more people are out to get her due to a delusion made worse by the crash or something else.

"The Broken" is mainly a mystery/suspense film that for a share of it does the genre justice with little nuances and slight shifts that make those films so gripping. Revelations come about as it gradually paces itself and the audience is let on to more and more of its secrets. Unfortunately the growth of the plant slows down and it eventually squeezes less and less of the nectar out of its storyline. After a certain point it goes from a kind of Hitchcock-esque pacing to a sort of extended Twilight Zone-like episode that pulls out a magnifying glass and inspects a tainted situation underneath everyone else's nose. Its drawback is that it's too light on some of the rules and mechanics and then motivations for its antagonists, which makes it more easy than encapsulating the full potential that it could have been. It had every right to be a thoroughly challenging classic but didn't take it that extra few steps. I liked the engaging experience it laid out but the more it's thought about, the more it comes with contradictions.

If one can look past that, the film's major strength is getting full use of its surroundings with an atmosphere to lock a viewer into the direct moment. It's not everyday that films can make one forget their surroundings and responsibilities. It's to the point where every other person and object becomes suspicious and paramount as a result. A neat idea is employed with abrupt flashes to remember the past and some surreal imagery to translate Gina's troubled state. This uses basic but still powerful mechanics due to built-up anticipation and careful crafting beforehand, such as deja vu, sleeping next to someone you immensely distrust, being vulnerable in the shower, and also someone you recognize that doesn't act like their old self, making you instead question your own self and mind. Needless to say, this has a share of creepy and unsettling moments, rather than going for the throat with its shock value. It's titillating at points but not always forceful like other horror films.

There's a share of stringed instruments that no sane person could listen to and not tense up. "The Broken" seems to be made to play on nerve endings by not letting the viewer relax for long till another pulsating situation arises. It has that down pat though it could have used a few more areas in its story that hint more at what's going on, especially for motivational reasons, otherwise the viewer is left too much in the dark as to what, how and why after the credits roll. It seems to be a film less for the theorists and more for those that appreciate the ride and surface sensations in the moment. I have to admit, for the most part, it did keep me from thinking outside of the box that it presents when I was actually watching it since there was always something either intriguing or rousing going on. This still works with a shred of ambiguity, but the scales are still tipped a little more away from the viewer. It mainly plays on a general sense of paranoia for those that are broadly suspect, as well as has some calculated areas for the logical minded, even if it doesn't go full steam ahead for the skeptic's sake.

Some parts carry a message of sorts, such as securing and appreciating your life as someone or "something" else might take over when you have your guard down. It's more of an undeveloped "what if?" question that will make some people fascinated just because of the idea itself as well as gravitate towards its heavy use of mood while at it. However, with some others I'd imagine it might leave a person more puzzled or frustrated without fully fleshing out a bigger picture from the questions it posed itself. It's not to the point of ambiguity like "Silent Hill" but should be kept in mind before stepping into its alleyway with dark and looming shadows that you might never figure out what's always a step behind or what they're doing there...

Rating: 7/10

Director: Sean Ellis (Cashback)
Stars: Lena Headey, Richard Jenkins, Melvil Poupaud
Link: IMDB

Mimic 3 (2003)

You'll never see them move in next to an exterminator

One could point to numerous areas of where this film doesn't play out like the first two and be completely right in that respect. It's not a special effects showcasing or a thriller with action packed scenes, as it plays out as a different kind of suspense feature. In one sense it does go for mystery for a majority of the time by giving snippets of clues till a final series of blows. This was handled by another director/writer and filmed in Romania, which gives the setting an off-look to portraying the US. "Mimic 3" tries to take a different route with the tone, pacing and story element, which fans should be all for to include diversity, but in its bold leap forward is still missing something to effectively further the series or completely encompass charging power on it own.

A 24 year old housebound man named Marvin, who was one of the last to get Stricklers disease 10 years ago, bides his time with voyeurism and photography outside of his high-rise apartment bedroom window. Yep, they did it on purpose with an indirect reference to "Rear Window" and all. His sister Rosy has a flair for the wild side, including getting high and hanging out with drug dealers, making her frequently spaced out and dressed in skimpy outfits. She brings a woman named Carmen over that Marvin spies on but they often get caught in awkward situations with his lungs burning from her smoke and perfume. He has no social life and snoops into other people's lives with a view from afar. Him and his sister think they saw a murder and report it to the police, though the detective, who has more an eye on his mother, believes it's a case of the boy who cried wolf and the girl who can't keep her mind focused. Soon enough Rosy and Carmen play amateur detective across the ways with Marvin only to look on helpless to the fact, until the murderers start to kill in the open and get closer and closer to his residence.

"Mimic 3" is essentially about one man who's locked up with little in the way of physical capabilities and then how he's able to overcome attacks against humanity on the outside even though he's one of the weakest of us in strength but not in conviction. Marvin often acts out the mannerisms of something like the "Rain Man" at points to give you an idea. In order to pull off a steady amount of on-screen power requires an amazing amount of range as an actor and the performer doesn't always nail it. He droops his shoulders, dodges physical touch and eye contact, not to mention can't live normally like others: all of which sets up sympathy. Not that much grows from him like other films that go for character development that starts as a seed and springs into a tree, as he essentially acts and maintains the garden and then perseveres despite outside obstacles. Nearly the entire film rests on the shoulders of the lead actor with his movements, emotion or how information gets passed solely through him. The biggest problem here is there isn't an equal balance of information and mysteriousness/wonderment to create a locked in driving point. As a result, a share of this feels like you're in the room with him but still a stranger.

The messages of the film don't come right out and say it, since little is told in the way of narrative, whereas the first two films had Dr. Tyler and then Remi to explain firsthand knowledge of what's going on, making those the more science fiction oriented films. In one sense, this doesn't retread like part two but in the other it's not always more contemplative despite its gradual flow that feels much longer than its hour and 17 minute run time. This is a subtle film where the messages are signaled from afar. It nearly takes the complete view point of Marvin to the point of only seeing things through his zoom lens, often times in the form of snap shots and then odd violin music frequently going like they're filming some 18th century aristocrat instead of some guy held back in modern times. It leaves a lot of questions open and it doesn't create the world of intrigue it wanted to like its predecessor "Rear Window" did. It takes a share of time before anything happens that is significant and this more or less plays on if he's imagining it or is it real and then why no one believes him. If you haven't seen the first two films, there's going to be more surprise with that sentiment, but otherwise it's not the best luring system for an acquainted viewer. The Judas Breed element is somewhat elusive as to why and how they're there, and then what explanation is told is said so quickly so as to miss the focal point. It makes the film wind down inconclusively and feel less part of the "Mimic" series, which is somewhat disappointing even if this tried to be different.

Rating: 4.5/10

Director: J.T. Petty (Soft for Digging)
Stars: Karl Geary, Alexis Dziena, Rebecca Mader, Amanda Plummer, Lance Henriksen
Link: IMDB