Movie Review - Afflicted

Afflicted

2013

The Cast

So far, there have been only three "worth-watching" Point-Of-View Movies:  Cloverfield,  The Possession of Michael King, and Chronicle; of which, Cloverfield is the best of the bunch... until now...

When Afflicted started my heart sank and I reached for the remote.  There are way too many awful P.O.V. Movies out in the Horror genre so I was already in conflict with myself... should I turn off or should I give it a chance...

I am most certainly glad I chose to give it a chance.  It's just a shame it took me five years to get to watch it... thank you The Horror Channel for adding another movie to my expanding list of favourites.

I also have to admit I was dubious since it's a vampyre tale.  In recent times, vampires have not been what they should be (with sarcastic thanks to Stephenie Meyer).  However, I have to give a real and heartfelt thanks to both Derek Lee and Clif Prowse, who wrote, directed, and acted in a True up-to-date vampyre tome.  For anybody thinking of doing a vampyre novel or film then check out the Afflicted as this is how it should be done.

What Afflicted does it tell the story of Derek Lee, who wakes up one day doubting his life choices so he chooses to make a big change.  With the help of his best friend Clif, they decide to go on a world tour they had planned in school.  Clif will document the entire journey and post it online.  They promise their followers to visit any place they recommend and to do any dare they challenge.  However, in their first stop, Paris, Clif dares Derek to get laid.  Except, for Derek's lover for the night isn't exactly normal...

From here on in, Clif begins to document Derek and the changes he and his body is going through.

What makes this such a good film is the change in perspectives as Derek transforms.  In the beginning, there's worry as he's sick, unable to keep food down, projectile vomiting, and in pain.  This alters to wonder and awe as he realises his strength has increased; he can run at speed and jump great distances.  There then comes fear and anxiety when he finally realises what he must do to stay alive.  In the end, there's anger and hate as he hunts down the woman responsible for his altered state, looking for a cure.

Another good thing is actually the camera work.  This is the thing I usually dislike the most in P.O.V. Movies.  But Lee and Prowse are masters in this style.  It really takes off in the action sequences, the police chase is spectacular as the viewer is taken on a parkour of the town.  Even the added gunshots are worked brilliantly; adding blood splatter not to just the camera lens but to the floors and walls.  Unlike most films created by this technique, Afflicted looks as though the directors actually worked out every shot to its maximum benefit.  This reminded me a little of Chronicle in the way some of the shots were orchestrated and of Cloverfield in the working of the atmosphere.

Then there's also the little details.  The scene where Derek subjects himself to sunlight is painful.  The bubbling, erupting, and burning skin made me wince.

So the story is good, the direction and pace are heading towards perfection, so what about the acting...  Well, surprisingly both Lee and Prowse are really quite good.  Not fantastic but definitely well above average... and no ham or wood in sight.  Which is a good thing as they are the two main roles and appear in every scene.

So If you like horror flicks you really should consider watching this, if you haven't already.  If you like action flicks then you too should enjoy this Vampyre film.

I give this a Terrific Bloody Bite of 7.75 out of 10.

The Trailer

Movie Review - The Monkey's Paw 2013

The Monkey's Paw

2013

The Cast

This is another "Be Careful What You Wish For..." movie.  When Gillespie (Kelly) is fired from his job at the packing plant he besides to have his revenge on those he thought responsible.  So, that night at the bar, he entices Jake (Thomason) over and proceeds to tell him the story of the monkey's paw, which is sitting on the table.  Thinking it all to be a joke, he makes a wish to have the car in front of the bar.  Gillespie hands over the withered paw and says it now belongs to him.  When Jake and Cobb (Lang) leave at the end of the night the car is in the parking lot... alone... unlocked... keys in the ignition...  On the joyride, Jake swerves to miss a crocodile in the road and crashes into a tree.  Cobb is thrown through the windscreen and dies minutes later.  Shocked and afraid, Jake quickly wishes that Cobb wasn't dead... and this is where the fun starts.

Of course, there are only three wishes so with only one left Jake will have to be very careful about how he words his last wish.

I admit to hoping this would be along The Wishmaster lines but sadly it wasn't... and it wasn't as good either.  Though what this story had was lashings of realism, which created an environment for the curse to run riot in.  You have a business that's not doing so well.  A boss and husband who sleeps around.  A wife who knows something is wrong and wishes for her younger years and her love of that time.  A man complacent with his life, though he believes there's no prospects or advancement, life will be like this until he dies.  A man who's been through a lot and is in love with a woman who hates him and won't let him see his son.  All of this anchors the viewer in the here and now and gives them enough drama to keep them interested.

Add to this the element of horror, the supernatural, and murder and you have a good film.  Simmons does an admirable job with the direction and has a surprisingly subtle hand with using light to create the right atmosphere at the right time.  There are some really nice iconic and powerful part silhouettes, which he uses to create tension and suspense.  The pace, on the whole, is brilliant.  He keeps it at a slow crawl, which allows him to create a shiver of anticipation under your skin... though, at times it can be too slow.    For example, the beginning sequence at the plant.  Most of this isn't required.  I know it's there so the audience can meet the characters, however, it felt overstretched.  There's also a few scenes which are kind of superfluous, like the opening scene.  This is then retold in greater detail by Gillespie at the bar.  To be honest, it's not even a hook to draw viewers into the film. However, I did like the fact that Simmons cut away from some of the goriest parts of the film, letting the viewers imagination fill in the messy bits.

The acting is above average, though there are times when things get a little messy.  The worst being the ambulance scene at the climax of the film.  Thomason just can't seem to get afraid, anxious, and scared quite right and opts to shout and thrash about.  It's both Kelly and Lang who add power to the cast and film.  Lang is so good as the resurrected and murderous Cobb.  While Kelly does an ordinary Joe so well.  There's not one scene these two are in that even comes close to bad.  It's a shame that Dutton, who plays detective Margolis, isn't around a little more either.

I'd recommend this to horror lovers who like their macabre curses and evil manipulated wishes gone awry.  I will only be too happy to watch this film again, though it might take me a couple of years.

I Wish this to be an Eerie Supernatural Curse of 6.25 out of 10.

The Trailer

Movie Review - Septic Man

Septic Man

(2013)

Foresight Features : Starz Digital Media / Anchor Bay Entertainment

3.5 /10

This film is a missed opportunity.  The writer should have sped up Jack's transformation into the Septic Man, then let him loose on the township.  However what you have is a meandering story of Jack who gets trapped in a water treatment plant where two maniacal killers are using one of the sluices as a dumping ground for body parts, which is causing mass contamination of a township's water supply, and his transformation... along with an awful amount of vomit.

I watched this film as I had previously viewed Pontypool, which was written by the same writer, Tony Burgess.  That was an original horror movie based on a noise created virus affecting people.  On that, I took a chance on this.

... and wish I hadn't.  The two movies are similar in a couple of ways, as that they basically revolve around one man.  In Pontypool, it's the DJ in his booth, Stephen McHattie (who gives a cameo in Septic Man as the Mayor), who gives a believable performance and is helped with tight direction.

In Septic man, Jack, portrayed badly and unbelievably by Jason David Brown, is hindered with bad direction, from Jesse Thomas Cook, and strange and implausible characters, especially the killer brothers.  Even Molly Dunsworth gives a lacklustre interpretation of Jacks dowdy, browbeaten, pregnant wife; I've seen her in other roles, such as Haven, and she can do so much better.  And genre regular, Julian Richings, feels like he's turned up on site and read his lines.  It's nice to hear his original English accent.

This is a dull and boring film, for the most time, though the special effects when Septic Man starts to become are pretty nice and gruesome - respect to The Brothers Gore.  The scene where Jack peels back the skin on his arm is cringe-making.

There is so much of Troma's Toxic Avenger in this movie.  By the end of the movie, Septic Man looks like a more up-to-date, bigger budget, Toxi.  Regrettably, it's not as good.

Check out the trailer below, but be aware that this in itself is a work of art, and bears little or now resemblance to the actual pace and feel of the movie.

Bet you'd like to see that movie - Me Too!!!

Here's the film's opening sequence, probably the best part of the movie - and has NOTHING to do with the film or story at all.  Just another way to drag you into a crappy movie.