Hunger (2009)

The threshold for civility

This is a low budget, single location horror about human beings put in a pitiful situation to see how long they can keep civil. The experiment is controlled with only one goal in sight, so the events unfold more gradually than a natural occurrence as the characters have to get adjusted to their pseudo environment if they choose to give in. Movies like "Saw" and even "Kill Theory" in the same year treated their captives with a little more engaging, over-the-top games and personality than this, which leaves the more measured out "Hunger" with more of a message but still left with some areas that are better described in theory than actually played out for the cinematic experience.

A woman, later named Jordan with a medical background, wakes up alone in the dark with another female screaming for help. Soon enough there are five total in the same dire situation with no clue as to how or why they're there. The lights turn on to reveal a different room that has barrels of water and a hole for sanitation. Meanwhile a man is shown operating controls and cameras and jotting down notes to his own superior satisfaction, as if he knows what's to happen next. Yet, little does he know what the final result will yield... The captives try and pick up common clues amongst themselves as to why they're there when their true answer comes when they find a scalpel and a message along with it: "The average human body cannot last for more than 30 days without food."


This shares a formula of past efforts, which can take away true shock, though it actually tries to take the torture subject more seriously with a little more to think about than its past counterparts in horror that spilled all its guts in the first scene. That might have been refreshing for more of a psychological experience, except the issue is this single location film doesn't fully shed its skin to be more than just a concept and seems to play it so basic at times to the point of keeping the audience unconcerned. Their dreariness is felt except to the point of tedium for the viewer as well. This gives little snippets about themselves to keep up some kind of mystery element but they aren't always given enough to make them steadily captivating. The medical background of Jordan feels more included to provide answers than an inherent trait. Even potential for a drama angle feels rudimentary about who they are up till then.


There are flashbacks for a tragic event with the kidnapper. The transition of what made him get to the present point or why he never let it go is eluded to the point of being somewhat far-fetched, especially considering how orderly and productive he is in present state. But, on the other hand, probably rightfully so as it might bring into play logistics and it does give a self-fulfilling reason albeit a lunatic one. A few goals and some false hope occurs but aren't enough to be a driving point as a layover till the desperate hunger begins. If you happen to watch the doom and gloom local news, you'll realize how vile people can get, though double that with the desperate set of circumstances by this point here.

There are some noticeable inconsistencies when it skips ahead some days with not only their clothing and appearance but their behavior as well, which can take one out of believing it's all really happening. For a low budget film there's still less areas to compensate on than others that have patches left and right for their lack of production. The performances come with some hits and misses--such as some scenes being over or underplayed--but are mostly adequate for what they're given with a basic script that doesn't always come with a full outline of where they're coming from.

The message of "Hunger" doesn't seem to be about putting fear into a viewer to where it can happen to them. The events go from modest beginnings to balls to the wall for what the captives are capable of. It shows once someone gives in or reaches that point there's no going back. When people act terrible all of the time those with restraint and conviction stand out instead of what should be the other way around. That sentiment gives this film a certain level of hope for a horror film, albeit still a small shimmer for humanity's sake.

Rating: 5.5/10

Director: Steven Hentges (Jacklight)
Link: IMDB

The Killing Jar (2010)

Bullet hole with your coffee, sir?

"The Killing Jar": the "jar" being a small town diner and the "killing" being people trapped inside with their fate up to a gunman. This begins by familiarizing the audience with these simple town folk just out for a late night bite at their favorite greasy eatery with jukebox, stifling heat and cheap prices. After hearing a radio broadcast about four murders of a husband, wife and their two children, the patrons--couple, waitress, deputy, cook, truck driver and passer through--speak their disgust but go about their business and shoot the breeze.

You get the hardened boss/cook (Danny Trejo), who's overshot vocal tone and miscued body language indicate he quickly filmed some scenes at different times than who he's interacting with. The young couple aimlessly use a video camera and talk about idle dreams. The most natural and credible performance is by the passer through (Harold Perrineau), who is a salesman that just wants to get back home but he'll need a strong cup of brew. The truck driver and deputy keep it familiar as if this is the same routine. A Rockabilly type (Michael Madsen) eventually enters. He's demanding and acts suspicious, which upsets the waitress and causes the deputy to get into a threatening confrontation, which sends Madsen's character over the edge. He can go from spaced-out, henchmen-confident to sympathetic and unsure but not always clenching the transition in between to make it all credible. The moment he storms back in with a shotgun, you lean forward in your seat for hopefully the real start of the adventure.

The rest tries to maintain an intrigue and build up to a twist ending, though apart from a few abrupt and bloody deaths it feels like one giant tedious string along without a major purpose or relatable reward, with the exception of the simple but capable waitress being offered the opportunity and courage to get out of the rut she's at in the restaurant and in her life. However, with everything padded and piled around her to equally get coverage of everybody else, she's not consistently at the focal point of attention to realize this till the latter portion. The gunman kills for no apparent reason other than being provoked. All of a sudden he gains some kind of higher righteousness and uses a skill-set from a past profession to interrogate the patrons and a revelation comes out about the news report involving the murdered family.

On paper this reads like a good idea to produce a low budget movie concentrated on story and characters than one-liners, extravagant sets and location changes. But since the film is so claustrophobic, the flow, character interaction and direction tried to continually throw off the cinemaphile who studies all the details and tries to figure out the puzzle beforehand, though it did the opposite as it didn't fluidly come together to put the audience in the direct moment or believably rationalize with their motivations enough to wholly care that this could actually happen where innocents are being killed in this far away place. It shows how much some filmmakers are willing to go to guard their secret twist, even at the expense of the rest of the picture. It also didn't help that they tried to clash quirkiness and sarcasm amongst sentimental moments, such as Jake Busey's character looking laughably tacky with a weaselly grin mixed with pseudo introspective shots that pan around the diner possibly to throw the scent off. "The Killing Jar" had the right ideas going in, just some of the wrong execution as the flow came in and out in waves.

Rating: 4/10

From Black to Red recommends instead: "Hostage" from 2005, which had an ensemble cast, gravitating performances, mysteriousness and a number of thrills.

Director: Mark Young (Tooth & Nail)
Stars: Michael Madsen, Harold Perrineau, Amber Bensen, Jake Busey
Link: IMDB

Open House (2010)

No one said who it could be open to

A woman named Alice (Rachel Blanchard) is selling her house after a divorce and her agent is showing it off to potential buyers while she still lives in the residence. A person sneaks in and hides--hey, it's an "open house" isn't it--and awaits her to come home, not because this person wants to dodge the pesky realtor, but to meet her face to face and use her dwelling as a slaughterhouse for whoever comes in contact with it.

You're introduced to David (Brian Geraghty) and Lila (Tricia Helfer): a couple who make a sadistic partnership, as the female is spontaneous and seductive, and the male is the silent planner type. Lila arrives at the home after the bloody fact with a friend of Alice already being killed, but doesn't know David has the homeowner Alice locked away instead of slaying her too. Lila is gone during the day and David plays Mr. Nice to the traumatized Alice with some Stockholm Syndrome to smooth her over for a possible change of heart.

Death after death is shown by both David and Lila with the weapon of choice being a kitchen knife and video camera rolling to catch the memory. Though this comes with no real point and has more forced scares going on than your neighbor's cheap garage setup during Halloween. This tries far too hard to make you uneasy without actually providing anything to substantially pull that off with, such as cueing the high pitched and grating music too early or late, or just the pacing having drastic ups and downs. Like "The Strangers" attempted, there's no background motivational factor to these perfectly normal looking villains except to show every now and again they have moments of anger and control problems. Not to mention there's only a quick little character backdrop on the victims but nothing that would make you care in the slightest. That might have been fine and dandy to creating fear of the unknown, but this is also missing the element to put you in their shoes if it was being any more minimalist. Could this happen to you when selling your house? From the tone of this movie, probably not, as the camera never bothers to leave the home and show someone enter at their own risk, or even get a questioning look through the blinds from a neighbor to put you on edge or their sadistic plans on ice. The safety barrier of the screen you're watching it on is never pulled away.

For a film aimed towards horrific murder it's awfully polite and melodramatic by trying to play on what you wouldn't expect serial killers to act or look like as one is glamorous and model-esque and the other polite and clean cut. The tone tries to be two things at once: gruesome and personal. It shows the deteriorating relationship between David and Lila, as well as the growing one with David and Alice. You'll get the side that's warm and caring to each other, and another that delivers point blank killings to everyone else. The camera follows around David and will literally sit on him doing everyday household things as if something substantial is going on between the lines. As if you're supposed to feel bad but forget that he's a maniac underneath that wholesome '50s look because he's lonely and cooks a mean dish. The interpretations left up the viewer rely on luck than truly being open to them. The paper thin storyline all the while drops little hints, but strings you along by being so vague as to lose the audience's attention long before its conclusion. They could have told me who really shot Kennedy at the end and it wouldn't have saved this.

"The Stepfather" did something similar where he pretended to be somebody he wasn't and when after he was done with the people just disposed of them; the horror being that it's a cycle and he'll only do it again. "Open House" tries to dodge what you wouldn't anticipate if you watch horror films, with not only the characters but the drama-like story line that pushes away from tried and true conventions, though somehow it couldn't maintain the juggling act as basic as it was.

Rating: 2/10

From Black to Red recommends instead: "The Collector" from 2009, which was much more effective for a recent trapped in a house movie that balanced fear, mysteriousness and suspense.

Director: Andrew Paquin
Stars: Brian Geraghty, Rachel Blanchard, Anna Paquin, Tricia Helfer, Stephen Moyer
Link: IMDB