Film

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

This modern remake of the classic Wes Craven horror flick; ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street,’ unfortunately lacks any of the charm or creativity of the original as Samuel Bayer’s bland direction and Jackie Earle Haley’s eerie but not incredibly memorable portrayal of the beloved horror icon leaves much to be desired.

Plot Summary: A group of suburban teenagers all share one common bond, they are all being stalked by ‘Freddy Krueger,’ a horribly disfigured killer who hunts them in their dreams. As long as they stay awake, they stay alive…

Whilst the film definitely isn’t the worst remake I’ve seen in recent years, it most certainly is one of the most forgettable, as the film never really does anything interesting of note to give a reason for its existence (other than the production company wanting to make a large profit of course), as everything from the cinematography, to the acting, to even some of the CG effects, all come across as something from your average, low-budget slasher.

As mentioned previously, Jackie Earle Haley’s version of the ‘Freddy Kruger’ character is most certainly one of the better elements of the film. Although definitely not as memorable as the original (as Robert Englund will always be the true nightmare, in my opinion), Jackie does a respectable job of delivering his own take on the iconic character, making him more menacing and extremely creepy when on-screen as opposed to constantly cracking jokes. Freddy does still make the occasional quip every so often, however. The rest of the cast aren’t as quite as entertaining due to their limited direction and weak characterisation (as well as the poor screenplay), meaning Rooney Mara, Kyle Gallner and Katie Cassidy have very little to work with.

The film’s cinematography by Jeff Cutter is generally passable, as while not as impressive as his work on ’10 Cloverfield Lane,’ for example, is it most certainly not painful to look at throughout most of the runtime. However, one aspect of the film that is visually repellent, is the horrific colour palette the film goes for, as the film utilises an oversaturated blue and orange colour palette similar to that of a Michael Bay blockbuster, which doesn’t fit with the style or tone of the film at all.

Even the original score composed for the film by Steve Jablonsky, is a remarkably bland horror soundtrack with nothing really interesting about it, even with the classic “Elm Street Jingle,” in the background, the score really doesn’t add anything to the already boring atmosphere. The only element truly fresh to this remake is the enormous amount of jump-scares throughout the narrative, which is pretty much to be expected from any modern horror, nowadays.

As technology and filmmaking techniques have greatly evolved since the release of the original ‘Elm Street’ film in 1984, I was really expecting the film to get extremely creative with the ways ‘Freddy Kruger’ can invade people’s dreams and slaughter them, similar to the way they did within the sequels to the original film over the years. Sadly, the film pretty much recreates many of the iconic scenes from the original film almost exactly, without much thought or creative effort put into it. I did personally enjoy the new look for ‘Freddy’ though if I had to focus on a positive element of the film.

In summary, I was very disappointed with this remake, even after going in initially with very humble expectations, as aside from a few interesting CG effects here and there, the film simply isn’t memorable in the slightest. Employing the ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ title without understanding what actually made it such a popular and iconic franchise in the first place, leaving the film feeling like nothing more than a lethargic cash grab. Final Rating: low 3/10.

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The Cabin in the Woods (2011) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

A personal favourite horror classic of mine, Drew Goddard (Bad Times at the El Royale) directs his first feature film with this creepy yet hilarious original story. The plot alone is enough to watch this film, as without spoiling anything, it near enough becomes impossible to predict where this film is going. The more ‘The Cabin in the Woods’ unravels, the more interested you become, and by twenty minutes in I found myself incredibly entertained.

Plot Summary: A group of teenage friends all fitting the stereotypes of typical slasher victims, head-up to an old cabin deep in the woods for a weekend of partying. But, things soon turn-out to not be what they seem, as it appears someone, or something, is manipulating events…

‘The Cabin in the Woods’ is basically a dissection of horror films and the clichés that come with them, whilst also being a horror film at the same time. However, although the film does build-up a decent atmosphere throughout, the horror aspect of the film is easily its weakest element, as I always found myself laughing far more at its comedic scenes, rather than finding myself on-edge over during the tension-filled ones.

Being a typical horror story like this, however, always comes the risk of using young unknown actors for the teens, with the exception of maybe Chris Hemsworth, of course (who was mostly unknown at this point). Yet, I think the entire cast did a phenomenal job, especially Fran Kranz as ‘Marty,’ who got many laughs out of me and completely nailed the ‘Stoner’ type attitude, mostly as a result of the extensive prop and behaviour training he went through before filming in order to further fit his character. Richard Jenkins from ‘Step Brothers’ and ‘The Shape of Water’ is also great within the film as ‘Sitterson,’ as for his role in the story, I’ll leave that a mystery for now…

Many of the visuals in the film come off as your usual standard horror flick, alongside the cinematography by Peter Deming, which, of course, is nothing special. But, there is the occasional pleasing shot, or even a throwback shot to classic horror film every so often, with ‘Friday the 13th’ being the most noticeable. However, the actual design of the cabin set itself, as well as many of the creatures throughout the film, is easily one of my favourite elements, as the costumes are nothing short of incredibly detailed, and help give each creature it’s own distinct look and feel.

The original score by David Julyan is your standard horror film soundtrack, further playing into the idea of a dissection of the genre, and despite being rather bland it does back-up many of the eerie scenes regardless. The editing is also nothing phenomenal, but with a narrative this original and the writing being as hilarious as it is. I’m willing to give them a thumbs-up. Especially when you consider the last twenty minutes of the film, which is probably some of the most fun I’ve ever had watching a horror flick.

Another weaker aspect of the film is also related to the visuals, as the film was made on a smaller budget, the CG effects in many scenes is quite noticeable, and although it doesn’t completely ruin a scene, it can take you out of the film for a second or two. Thankfully, CGI isn’t used very heavily throughout the film. I also feel this smaller-budget might have had an impact of the runtime, as the film feels a little short to me and could’ve done with being slightly longer to further flush elements out.

In summary, I adore ‘The Cabin in the Woods,’ from the wonderfully crafted creatures to the way the story unfolds, to the various nods to previous entries in the horror genre. I think Goddard has made a flawless dissection of why we love horror films and the traits within them. Although not perfect, I’m still eagerly anticipating his next film and I really hope he keeps this trend of interesting filmmaking going. Final Rating: low 8/10.

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Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

One of the most insane action blockbusters and best soft-reboots I’ve seen in a cinema for quite some-time, as ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ delivers on nearly every aspect of what you would want from both an action film and a ‘Mad Max’ sequel, as the great cast of Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, alongside talented writer-director George Miller (Mad Max, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, Happy Feet), bring us an absolute visual feast which is sure to please any viewer in search of a unique and exciting thrill-ride.

Plot Summary: Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, Furiosa rebels against her tyrannical ruler in search of her original homeland with the aid of a group of female prisoners, a psychotic worshiper, and a rogue drifter…

From five minutes into the runtime to five minutes after the credits have rolled, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ is truly a thrilling experience. Utilising incredible stunts, plenty of action scenes and attractive locations/sets throughout the story, the film always manages to feel gritty and real (despite having an incredibly over-the-top tone). Surprisingly, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ was even confirmed to be a sequel to the original ‘Mad Max’ trilogy, meaning the film actually continues the story (in a way) from ‘Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome,’ and although I’m not a huge fan of the original films, this does make me excited for the future of this franchise if we can expect this kind of quality.

The whole cast of Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Rosie Alice Huntington-Whiteley and Hugh Keays-Byrne are all excellent within their roles, with Nicholas Hoult as ‘Hux’ and Hugh Keays-Byrne as the intimidating antagonist; ‘Immortan Joe,’ being my two personal favourites, as all of the characters are fairly likeable and somewhat interesting despite not being given much characterisation throughout the narrative.

The cinematography by Jon Seale really helps elevate many of the scenes throughout the runtime, however, as the film makes brilliant use of a variety of wide shots, all which look absolutely fantastic. Miller also really pushes the film’s varied and overly bright colour palette, giving each the desert a bright orange and blue look to make it more visually appealing, which later contrasts with the dark blues and blacks of the swamplands or the harsh reds and oranges when the characters are inside a vicious sandstorm.

‘Junkie XL’ (or Thomas Holkenborg) lends his hand to the original score for the film, utilising amazing guitar riffs to sound as if the soundtrack had been ripped straight from a classic rock album. Backing-up many of the fast-paced action scenes perfectly, which was surprising as this composer’s other scores are usually very forgettable. The original score is even given reference within the film, as we later see the character; ‘Coma-Doof Warrior,’ who plays an electric guitar aboard one of the vehicles.

The easiest criticism one can make when it comes to ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ is pointing out its lack of story and developed characters, and although it is true the film definitely does have a fairly simplistic narrative and relativity weak character moments. I’d argue this works to the film’s benefit, as the film does have plenty of great world-building, and fills the majority of it’s runtime with exactly what it’s audience desires to see, which is obviously the main goal of the film, as the film never pretends to be something that it isn’t. Another element of the film I don’t personally like is the editing, as although I understand the need to have quick editing to keep up with the film’s fast pacing and action. Most of the editing throughout the film feels very chaotic and even slightly messy at points, serving as a distraction from what’s on-screen more than anything else.

In summary, I truly adore ‘Mad Max: Fury Road,’ as although it may not be a masterpiece when it comes to filmmaking. It’s definitely up there with some of the best action flicks of this decade, as some unbelievable action scenes and stunts, a brilliant cast, and some outstanding cinematography, leave ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ a breath of fresh air for the action genre despite the film’s pretty basic story and bizarre editing choices. Now, all we have to do is just wait until George Miller brings us another exciting instalment in this franchise. Final Rating: 8/10.

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A Quiet Place (2018) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

John Krasinski’s directorial debut quickly puts him as one of the most intriguing upcoming directors currently working, as he directs himself, his real-life wife Emily Blunt and two very talented child actors, in this incredibly tense and original horror flick. Taking on a unique story that’s sure to spark an interest in any horror/thriller fan by its concept alone, and yet ‘A Quiet Place’ also manages to elevate itself over many other films within the horror genre through its attractive visuals and great sound design.

Plot Summary: In a post-apocalyptic world where noises can kill, a family of four must navigate their lives in silence after terrifying creatures that hunt by sound threaten their very survival. But, with a pregnant wife soon to give birth, now more than ever, the family must remain unheard…

Continuously throughout the runtime, ‘A Quiet Place’ builds on the concept of its story perfectly, focusing on the various ways the family has adjusted to their new way of silent life as everything from the family not using cutlery anymore, to the children using pieces of cotton pieces rather than wooden pieces for a board game, to even having the father place down paths of sand everywhere the family walks, all displaying the clear understanding John Krasinski has for this fleshed out world. Of course, with an idea such as this one, many of the film’s scenes can be nitpicked in small ways, but with a plot as unique and as engaging as this one is, I personally don’t feel these tiny issues take much away from the general experience.

Emily Blunt and John Krasinski both give amazing performances as ‘Evelyn’ and ‘Lee Abbott,’ with Emily Blunt being the true stand out of the cast, mostly due to her intense performance during one of the film’s most memorable scenes. In which, ‘Evelyn’ attempts to stay quiet whilst going through the agonising pain of childbirth, all the while one of the creatures stalks the nearby area. The two children within the film are also brilliant, being portrayed by Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe. Millicent Simmonds’ character; ‘Regan,’ is deaf, similar to the actress herself in real life, which actually benefited the rest of the cast enormously with helping them learn sign language as there is actually very little dialogue spoken throughout the film, due to the family’s restriction on making noise, so sign language is their main form of communication.

Charlotte Bruus Christensen handles the cinematography for ‘A Quiet Place,’ and does so extremely well, as the gorgeous shots really compliment the beautiful yet eerie and isolated locations of this new post-apocalyptic world, with a majority of shots containing large amounts of movement alongside the bleak yet still appealing colour palette of the film, which surprisingly allows more colour than many other modern horrors that rely mostly on dark greys and blacks.

Throughout the narrative, the film’s tense atmosphere never dies off, as Krasinski uses the fantastically unsettling original score by Marco Beltrami as well as the effective sound design/sound editing to their best extent, resulting in a compelling watch for any audience member, as the film almost feels as if it’s placing its audience in the position of the protagonists, dreading even the slightest sound. However, as great as the tension building is, the film does have quite a heavy reliance on jump-scares, similar to most modern horrors today, which does sadly drag down the film with how frequent they soon become.

Despite not having an enormous amount of screen-time, the creatures within ‘A Quiet Place’ are also quite memorable, as from even their first appearance, the film’s monsters are always both incredibly menacing and enthralling. This is not only due to the tense atmosphere they create whenever on-screen, however, but also due to their otherworldly design, which actually shares many similarities to the inside of a human ear, which is obviously very suitable for creatures that hunt only by sound. Interestingly, Krasinski actually portrayed some of the creatures himself whilst on set through motion capture, if only for a few scenes.

In summary, ‘A Quiet Place’ is surely one of my favourite films of 2018, as the film manages to take its audience through a tense yet still emotional story of parents attempting to protect their children in a newly dangerous world, all whilst featuring some visually pleasing cinematography and scenes brimming with tension whenever it can. The film even manages to contain a decent character arc for a few of the family members, propelling the film even further forward over you’re standard horror flick, and although there is a bit of an overreliance on jump-scares, as well as the odd narrative nitpick that stops the film from being flawless, ‘A Quiet Place’ is still an excellent choice for anyone looking for a gateway into this genre. Final Rating: 8/10.

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Baby Driver (2017) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

Beloved British action-comedy writer-director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) returns to the silver screen for another colourful and exciting masterpiece of filmmaking. As one of my all-time favourite directors, writes and directs another wonderfully crafted story, in this fast-paced and pretty thrilling crime flick.

Plot Summary: A talented young getaway driver (Baby), who uses music to drown-out the criminal world around him. Soon meets the girl of his dreams at a local diner, seeing it as his opportunity to ditch his criminal life and make a clean getaway. But, he must face the music when a doomed heist threatens his life, his love and his freedom…

As the story would imply, we spend a large portion of the film listening to our protagonist’s playlist just as he does, as nearly every scene with the playlist is timed exactly to the music, every tap, bang and screech. Whatever the location or character, the film never fails to make use of the catchy songs within the narrative, this is also where I have to mention the outstanding editing, as the film is always in sync with the songs, even through it’s cuts to other shots or scenes. The editing is always fast, fluid and perfectly on time, every time.

The film never really fails at being engaging for the audience due to the combination of the brilliant writing and acting, with the main cast portrayed well by Ansel Elgort and Kevin Spacey. However, my personal favourite of the cast has to be John Hamm as ‘Buddy,’ who is funny, charming and menacing throughout. This is unfortunately where my one criticisms of the film comes in, however, as Lily James’ character; ‘Debora,’ although likeable, is given little-to-no development throughout the story, and by the end of the film is nothing more than a bland love interest.

Feeling like a classic Edgar Wright project throughout the runtime, the film always uses a bright colour palette alongside the effective cinematography by Bill Pop, allowing the film to really leap-off the screen. This is also in credit to the brilliant stunts within the film however, as most of the driving in the film was done completely practically, with the main protagonist of the film; ‘Baby,’ even listening to the songs we as the audience hear during many of the scenes for the majority of his time on set.

As perfected as the editing felt whilst watching, the sound design was also extremely on-point. Nothing in regards to audio editing ever felt jolted or out-of-place, as each cut matches up perfectly with the last and works extremely well with the chosen songs, each audio effect always fitting into the scene no matter the location. Usually not a thing of note in these reviews, but this film did it so well I had to mention it. In addition to this, despite not using an original score for the majority of the film due to the huge list of iconic songs chosen, the original score by Steven Price is decent, despite not being very memorable.

In usual Edgar Wright fashion, the film is also crammed with various little hidden visual cues and jokes, many of these are just small things such as having the lyrics of the song ‘Baby’ is listening to spray-painted on the walls behind him. This may not seem like much, but the little details throughout clearly display that the director clearly has a deep passion for the film and has a keen-eye for attention to detail.

In summary, while ‘Baby Driver’ has always hit me as a more upbeat version of ‘Drive’ from 2011, Wright’s fast-paced crime flick is still an extremely well-executed film, having the usual creative flair we’ve come to expect from this director, in addition to an engaging story, fantastic editing and some brilliant songs chosen throughout. And with such high-fueled fun on display, how could you not love ‘Baby Driver?’ Final Rating: high 8/10.

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Cloverfield (2008) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

Personally, I’m not an enormous fan of found-footage horror films (especially when it comes to many modern horrors). However, ‘Cloverfield’ is a rare exception to this, as when this film was first announced, it was surrounded in mystery, as the images and clips that were released revealed literally nothing about the film’s plot. Now, years after its release, we know it’s a large-scale classic monster throwback, all brought-together with a dark atmosphere, clearly inspired by classic monster flicks, such as the original ‘Godzilla,’ ‘King Kong’ and ‘Gorgo.’

Plot Summary: After the U.S. Defense Department discover a videotape in the former Central Park, the located footage reveals a group of friends celebrating a surprise farewell party in the apartment of ‘Rob Hawkins’ in Lower Manhattan, that is until the footage continues on, and soon begins to show an event far more disturbing…

The film opens with a U.S. Defense Department logo, shortly followed by footage of our main protagonist and his girlfriend in bed. This blending of old footage mixed in with the new footage of the attack is a great way of giving some development to the characters, alongside breaking up the large amounts of chaotic action the film sometimes falls into. The film’s reasoning for this is explained early on in it’s runtime, as the current tape we are watching is recording over another.

Aside from Lizzy Caplan and T.J. Miller, the rest of the cast are mostly unknown. I would say they all did a decent job, as the majority of their screen-time is consisted of running and panicking as they make their way through the streets of New York, however. I really enjoyed Lizzy Caplan’s performance, in particular, as her character ‘Marlena’ gets thrown into an intense and painful situation later in the story. This also results in one of the most disturbing/memorable scenes of the film. Unfortunately, the characters aren’t given a huge amount of development, aside from a few short scenes throughout the film.

Being a found-footage film as it is, the cinematography within the film is almost entirely hand-held. Usually utilising a large amount of camera movement to block the audience’s view of the creature in the early stages of the film. Which does really help build tension and excitement, as well as add to the overall mystery that initially surrounded the film. However, the constant and aggressive shaking of the camera can sometimes become a little overwhelming, even if it does result in some thrilling action scenes. The film obviously also doesn’t have an original score due to its found-footage style.

Another element of the film I quite is the design of the monster, as the design seen throughout the film is very original and really gives off a powerful and intimidating feel, which does enhance the film’s visuals. However, one element of the visuals I don’t enjoy is the film’s colour palette, as it can make the film feel a little too much like a typical action blockbuster or cliché horror at points.

The film does also have plenty of memorable moments throughout, as the film’s narrative goes on, New York City becomes more and more destroyed. This allows our group of characters to make their way through the monster’s path of destruction, avoiding dangerous areas and making fantastic use of the large sets and CG effects the film presents on-screen.

In summary, I quite enjoy ‘Cloverfield,’ although it’s now become part of a strange almost anthology-like film franchise with the likes of ’10 Cloverfield Lane’ and ‘The Cloverfield Paradox.’ The initial idea of a simple found-footage monster film always intrigued me, and I’m happy to say director Matt Reeves, producer J.J. Abrams and writer Drew Goddard all did a decent job here, as even though weak characterisation and overly shaky cinematography do let the film down somewhat, great tension building as well as the film’s superb level of realism and some brilliant creature designs, keep the film interesting enough to enjoy. Final Rating: 7/10.

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Godzilla (2014) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

‘Godzilla’ has always been an interesting franchise to me, with the Japanese film series spanning over sixty years and introducing new directors, new production teams and new foes for the gigantic lizard to face time after time, with the franchise even devolving into more of a self-parody nearing the end of it’s run, ‘The King of Monsters’ was still (and probably always will be) immensely popular. So, of course, it was only a matter of time until America decided to once again try their hand at the iconic monster franchise.

Plot Summary: When scientists discover a giant ancient spore underneath the Philippines, they decide to preserve it for research for fifteen years until it eventually hatches. Now, with malevolent creatures from the inside threatening the existence of all of mankind, another ancient creature known only as ‘Godzilla,’ rises from the depths of the ocean to restore balance to nature once again…

America first attempted a ‘Godzilla’ film back in 1998, with many feeling the film differed far too much from the original source material. Featuring an awful redesign for the classic monster and no actual antagonist for him to face. Now, returning back to the classic formula but with a more grounded tone and some fresh creature designs, director Gareth Edwards (Monsters, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) does a mostly solid job with this remake, even if the film can sometimes focus far too much on the humans and other creatures within the story then ‘Godzilla’ himself.

Although much of the narrative focuses on the ‘Ford’ family, portrayed by Aaron-Taylor Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Carson Bolde, Bryan Cranston, and Juliette Binoche. With all the cast doing a decent job (Cranston being the obvious stand out with a few amazing scenes showcasing his true talent) their characters are given very little development, as although I do believe the human characters are an important element to break up the constant chaos from the massive monsters, the entire family of characters could have definitely used more characterisation when it comes to the writing.

However, in addition to the fantastic use of CGI throughout the film, the cinematography by Seamus McGarvey is actually pretty great, as while there are a few bland shots throughout the film, the majority of the shots involving the giant creatures are used to great effect, with an enormous amount of wide shots showcasing the creature’s true scale. Whilst the original score by Alexandre Desplat is also pretty effective, as although it’s nothing incredibly memorable by itself, it’s still very effective, backing up both the film’s exciting action, as well as some of its more unnerving, eerie and emotional scenes.

My primary issues are in relation to the film’s general pacing and diminutive amount of action set pieces throughout the runtime as although I usually have no issue with story or character moments over action when it comes to your average blockbuster, the film does build up a large amount of excitement towards the final battle between the monsters for a large portion of the narrative. Even cutting away from some action scenes to tease the audience early on in the film, and although the final confrontation is entertaining, I wouldn’t say it makes up for the amount of time it makes its audience wait.

In summary, despite its flaws, I actually quite enjoy ‘Godzilla,’ as although it’s by no means perfect and I do hope the inevitable sequel improves upon many of its flaws. The film is still engaging enough throughout to keep its audience engaged, despite its lack of action and rather weak characterisation. The film’s brilliant visuals and surprising grasp on realism during many scenes are probably enough to elevate this monster flick for most. Final Rating: 7/10.

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Serenity (2019) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

A film I only heard about very recently, ‘Serenity’ is a sci-fi mystery written and directed by Steven Knight, best known for his work on the smash-hit television series; ‘Peaky Blinders.’ Although I thought the film looked interesting initially, it has received a lot of bad reviews since it’s release from both critics and audiences alike, so I decided I’d give it a watch and decide for myself.

Plot Summary: When ‘Baker Dill,’ a lone fisherman who escaped from his past to a remote island, meets with his ex-girlfriend; ‘Karen.’ She begs ‘Dill’ to save her and their young son from her new, violent husband by taking them out to sea on a fishing excursion, where, when the time is right, they can throw him to the sharks and leave him for dead…

The story and setting of the film definitely feel very fresh for this genre, mostly due to the film seeming like more of a straight drama at first before changing drastically later down the line. ‘Serenity’ also delivers its narrative in a very unusual fashion, editing between scenes at a very quick pace. Keeping the story always in constant motion and placing small seeds leads to bigger reveals later in the runtime. Some of which only get small appearances for viewers paying close attention. Sadly, for these same viewers, the CGI on display here isn’t the most impressive.

Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Jason Clarke all give decent performances here, at points, however, they do feel a little ‘off.’ Whilst I’m sure this is intentional, as it fits with the film’s atmosphere, it can sometimes be distracting from the story itself. Particularly, I deeply enjoyed Jason Clarke’s performance as ‘Karen’s abusive husband: ‘Frank Zariakas,’ as here, Clarke portrays a completely different character than the ones we are used to seeing him take on.

The cinematography by Jess Hall is most certainly one of the highlights of the film for me, resulting in many beautiful and interesting shots. The film also uses the panoramic pivot point camera movement technique (spinning the camera around the actor) for many shots, similar to how the ‘Saw’ franchise does. Personally, though I’m not a huge fan of this technique, as it makes the film feel a little cheap. The cinematography also helps with many of the more emotional or tension-filled moments throughout the narrative of the film.

The original score by Benjamin Wallfisch really lends itself to the strange atmosphere of the film for the most part, aside from when the tension rises in a few scenes, as then I felt the soundtrack begin to feel a little generic and action-heavy. However, when you consider the twist at the end of the film, I feel the score could’ve taken some ideas from it into account, which would’ve perhaps made it a little more memorable.

When it comes to the editing, it can definitely vary, as in some scenes the editing can be a little messy or overly quick, for the most part, the editing is decent and the transitions between scenes are very effective. Even with the quick editing, however, the runtime is still overly long and could easily be cut down to at least an hour and a half. In addition to this, when the editing is combined with some unintentionally amusing writing, it can lead to some oddly comedic moments.

In summary, ‘Serenity’ is a very different kind of film, it begins as almost a character drama before completely spiralling into its science fiction mystery elements. I can see that if you weren’t prepared for the change in direction, it may come across as very sudden and out-of-place. Soon becoming a film not intended for everyone, but with some great cinematography and some occasional impressive editing alongside an incredibly strange atmosphere. I personally found some entertainment value in this film, but not much. Final Rating: 4/10.

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Winchester (2018) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

Although slightly better than some other modern horrors, ‘Winchester’ is nothing incredibly memorable. Despite the film’s story being based on true events and having some decent performances throughout, the film still suffers from mostly a bland atmosphere and enormous overreliance on jump-scares, resulting in a mostly boring experience.

Plot Summary: In 1906, ‘Sarah Winchester’ the firearm heiress mourning the loss of her family. Begins to believe she is being haunted by the souls of people killed by the ‘Winchester’ repeating rifle. So, ‘Dr. Eric Price’ is sent by order of her company to her ever-growing home in California in order to inspect her sanity, discovering for himself the disturbing history of ‘Sarah’s home…

A story like this isn’t anything new for sure, we’ve all heard the ‘based on a true story’ or ‘haunted by my past’ storyline a thousand times before. However, they were a few elements of this story I did enjoy, the main two protagonists of the film, that being ‘Dr. Eric Price’ portrayed by Jason Clark and ‘Sarah Winchester’ portrayed by Helen Mirren, are both given some depth. The same cannot be said for the side characters of ‘Marion Marriott’ and ‘Henry Marriott,’ however, as these characters are given no characterisation barley and do so little within the narrative I was constantly questioning their inclusion.

The film overall has an extremely bland look, as the dim grey colour palette alongside the mostly still and uninventive cinematography by Ben Nott make the film very dull visually. The original score by Peter Spierig also doesn’t benefit the film much as the soundtrack is you usual horror score with nothing really interesting about it, other than the occasional moment when it becomes uncomfortably loud. There is the occasional pleasing shot or interesting idea here, but it’s definitely few and far between.

Despite the location and the time-period of the film actually being some of the main draws towards it (considering most horrors are usually set in modern-day) and with the ‘Winchester Mansion’ being a real haunted attraction in America. I was very disappointed to find the location barley utilised, as aside from one short scene in the film where ‘Eric’ explores a dark hallway, what we see of the mansion is mostly confined to a few different rooms throughout the runtime.

The film also (as usual) has a heavy reliance on jump-scares, which means the film barely even makes an attempt to build tension. The film seems more in favour of fading out all of the audio before leading into a loud screeching sound while a ‘terrifying’ face appears on-screen. This is an issue with many modern horrors in all fairness, and feels like nothing other than laziness on the part of the filmmakers.

In summary, ‘Winchester’ is certainly not one of the worst horrors I’ve ever seen. However, it is a big waste of potential, as I feel a story set within the walls of the ‘Winchester Mansion’ could have been really interesting if the film would’ve gotten inventive with the iconic location they had at their disposal. But, as is, the weak characters, bland visuals and dull atmosphere add-up to a very forgettable modern horror. Final Rating: 3/10.

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Don’t Breathe (2016) – Film Review

/ Joe Baker / Leave a comment

Truly a visual treat when it comes to the film’s lighting and attractive colour palette, ‘Don’t Breathe’ is the second big-screen outing for director Fede Alvarez after he took on the extremely gory ‘Evil Dead’ remake a few years prior. Through its original story, incredibly tense atmosphere, brilliant cast as well as iconic horror director Sam Raimi on board as a producer, ‘Don’t Breathe’ manages to constantly remain both entertaining and thrilling in spite of nearly all its runtime taking place within a single location.

Plot Summary: When a trio of thieves break into an elderly blind man’s home in an attempt to steal the loan given to him as a settlement for his daughter’s death. They soon begin to realise that the old man isn’t as helpless as first seems, leaving the group to find a way out before it’s too late…

This simple yet unique plot is truly ripe for creating tense moments, as the film utilises its main location of the ‘Blind Man’s house to the best of its advantage. Having the trio of characters make their way through the house’s tight corridors and dark rooms with plenty of extremely close encounters with the blind old man. Even having to hold their breath at points so he can’t hear them breathe (as the title of the film implies). Alongside this, ‘The Blind Man’ also has a pet Rottweiler, which lends itself to creating even more intense scenes as the characters get pursed by the vicious canine. Who was actually portrayed by three different dog actors, named; Athos, Astor, and Nomad, respectively.

Stephen Lang, best known for his role as ‘Colonel Miles Quaritch’ in 2009’s ‘Avatar,’ portrays the film’s antagonist only ever known as ‘The Blind Man,’ and does a phenomenal job of it. Giving the audience an almost sympathetic view of the character through his innocent performance early on before then quickly becoming far more unhinged and incredibly intimidating every-time he is on-screen. The rest of the cast of Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette and Daniel Zovatto also give remarkable performances as the young group of thieves, despite their characters only receiving a small amount of characterisation near the beginning of the film.

The cinematography by Pedro Luque is surprisingly inventive throughout, as in addition to the film’s array of visually-pleasing shots. ‘Don’t Breathe’ actually uses its cinematography to allude to moments that come later within the narrative. In particular, in the scene where the trio first break into ‘The Blind Man’s house, as the camera glides through the various different rooms focusing on key objects or areas for reasons that are revealed later down the line. However, the real visual flair of the film is definitely the stunning lighting and colour palette as already mentioned, from dirty blues and greens to overly bright oranges. Each location (whether inside or out) is always given its own distinct appeal, sometimes even replicating what the audience should be feeling at that point, whether that is fear or relief.

Roque Baños, the same composer who previously worked with director Fede Alvarez on the ‘Evil Dead’ remake, returns to work alongside him once again. This time around crafting an original score which is both eerie and memorable, as the score uses metallic bangs and crashes to fit with the story’s location, giving the soundtrack a real personality similar to the film itself. ‘Don’t Breathe’ also uses its score very effectively, only placing it within more fast-paced moments after the tension has already risen, rather than overusing the original score in scenes where silence is mostly required.

When it comes to its runtime, ‘Don’t Breathe’ is actually quite short, as due to the film wanting to keep its viewer on edge throughout nearly the entirety of its narrative, ‘Don’t Breathe’ is cautious not to overstay its welcome, an issue that many horror flicks have suffered from as many horrors in the past have overplayed their concepts, eventually making them far less frightening/interesting by the time the credits roll. That being said, I couldn’t help but feel a few more scenes with our protagonists wouldn’t have gone amiss, as there were actually a number of more character-focused scenes shot for the film before inevitably being cut.

In summary, I deeply enjoy ‘Don’t Breathe,’ as this horror/thriller is, in my opinion, a genuine pleasure to watch every time. As, aside from desiring a little more characterisation for the protagonists, I have very few issues with this one, as Stephen Lang’s sensational performance, in addition to the film’s great visuals and large number of tension-filled moments, leave ‘Don’t Breathe’ one of the most memorable lower-budget horrors made in quite some time, and I personally am really looking forward to seeing what other stories director Fede Alvarez has up his sleeve, horror or not. Final Rating: high 8/10.

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