Movie Review - Mom & Dad

Mom & Dad

2017

The Cast

This story smacks of writer and director Brian Taylor having an idea... but not fully visualising that idea to it's maximum.  I believe the idea was this... what happens if you wake up one morning and you just want to kill your children?  And this is just what you get.

There's very little in explanation of the new drive parents, all over the globe, are feeling.  There's a couple of scene's which have telly's, monitors, and electrical equipment being affected by some electronic or magnetic signal.  But this is by-the-way and not looked at in-depth.  Instead, Taylor decides to focus all his attention on the results of the "infection".  This I reckon is a good idea as it shows a "slice of life" view of the event, which gives is a more realistic feel as this is how it would appear to anyone in this situation.

Though the story is pretty simplistic Taylor makes up for it with his direction.  He is adept at creating atmosphere, whether it be tension, suspense, or action.  He's also skilled at setting a rollercoaster pace throughout the film.  There are some really nice sections where he slows the killing spree down so as to build up the characters.  The basement man-cave-come-family-playroom is a good example.  Here, we learn a lot more about the Ryan's.  This gives the audience a chance to relate to the individuals whilst the characters themselves grow.  Another positive is the black humour, though there could have been more.  The best part of this for me is when Lance Henriksen appears because you have to remember that your parents are somebodies children.

As for the acting, well, it's no surprise that Cage plays Cage as Brent Ryan.  Luckily I'm a fan so I found his performance enjoyable.  Blair is great as the mother.  Her performance is quiet and understated.  For me, she was the scariest parent.  Her quietness gives her the air of being a thinker and a planner... I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of her.  The rest of the cast is above average and help to make the film better and keep it enjoyable.

I think the true horror of this film is the enjoyment... not of the audience, but of the parents stalking their kids.  They are having way too much fun.  This is both darkly funny and a little creepy and actually made the movie for me.

If you enjoyed The Happening then you will probably like this one too...  Though if you prefer your stories to be fully thought out and explained then I'd say stay away.  If you're still undecided, it's not a bad way to waste an hour and a half; though it may be worth you leaving your brain at the door...

I give this a Killer Mater And Pater A Quietly Lunatic 6.5 out of 10.

The Trailer

Movie Review - Children Of The Corn: Runaway

Children Of The Corn:  Runaway

2018

 The Cast

I've purposefully kept away from this franchise as I wasn't too keen on the original sequels, as they just reeked of profit making.  However, I found this to be a decent follow up on the original.  Though, after reading the reviews on IMDb, I find I may be the minority.  I also have to admit to having a sense of dread when I saw it was directed by Gulager and written by Soisson,  This is because I've recently put myself through the trial of watching the Hellraiser films again.  Though the first four are superior and are a vague continuation... the rest is just money making fodder... and Gulager acts in the latest, "Judgement"... and Soisson wrote "Hellworld".  Luckily my panic was unfounded. 

This is the story of Ruth (Millar) and her son, Aaron (Scott) who are trying to survive in an unfriendly and troubled rural America.  Years before, Ruth had been a member of the cult worshipping "He Who Walks Behind The Rows".  Then when she found herself pregnant she took drastic measures to save not only herself but her unborn son; so she burned the corn and the children living within it.  From then on, she kept to small towns and villages, sleeping in her truck and trying to make enough money to stay alive.  Though free from the horrors of the cult she is nonetheless scarred by them and her actions.  Suffering from a form of schizophrenia she suffers from visions of the murderous children.  These can be brought on at any time by a sight or a sound, especially the sound of locusts.  Then one day she turns up in the small town of Luther and ingratiates her way into a job working for a local mechanic, Carl (Andrews III).  Though there's something wrong in Luther...  There's a little girl skipping through the village leaving a deadly bloody trail behind her.

What I liked about this film was the slowness of the story.  A lot of the reviews on IMDb claim this film to be boring.  Though, I think that the Director Gulager uses this inactivity to build the atmosphere of the town.  This is a place where very little happens and where there's very little to do.  In this township, this has created a kind of quiet loathsomeness.  The customers in the diner like to whine and moan; most eat and sit by themselves.    Even the scenes at the school you notice that the kids don't run about or play happily.  This type of atmosphere can create hatred and bigotry, so it's not too much of a stretch to believe that the only coloured guy in town is despised and disliked.  Then when his true nature shines through you can understand a little about why he's unpopular.  This actually added a deeper underlying story that made the film for me.

The other nice thing is the dream sequences.  This adds a jaggedness and a slight confusion into the normality of things.  Knowing a little about schizophrenia, this is about as close as you're likely to get to some of the visions a sufferer may have, depending on their "phobia".  To be in the real world one second and then something triggers your mind to throw in a false vision the next... I wouldn't want this to happen to me.

These are handled superbly by Gulager.  I really did love the diner massacre, even this is done in ultra slow motion... it's nearly still photography, though not quite.  For a vicious and violent scene, it's beautifully constructed and shot.  Much respect to the Director and the Special Effects guys and gals.  There are also grainy shots of barren wastelands and barbed wire.  I initially hated these as they appeared pointless.  However, by the third one, I realised they were actually helping me to feel bleakness of the mood, as well as the bleakness enshrouding the village.

Then there's the acting which is well above par for a horror movie these days.  It was nice to have a cast who portrayed their characters well.  There are no minor roles in this film.  And I have to give credit to both the Director and the actress Sara Moore for making Pretty Girl a really eerie character... even though she's the most smiley and happiest person on screen.  Very nice transposition.  This, in turn, makes the second climax, which happens while the end credits play even more creepy.

I would recommend this to all horror lovers, especially those with a penchant for quiet and slow boiled horror.  If you like action-packed films then stay away...

I give this Spooky Stroll Behind The Rows a Schizophrenic Delusion of 7 out of 10.

The Trailer