Summary:
A photographer becomes obsessed with a man whom he thinks is a serial killer who preys on late night commuters.
My Thoughts:
This is one of the few Clive Barker movies I’ve seen. Where Stephen King’s name is one that will draw me to films (even if they’re a little schmaltzy), I’ve never really felt the draw of Barker’s books or movies; his subject matter is always a little more fantastical than King, and for whatever reason, I’ve found even the best of his stories (“Hellraiser”) don’t translate amazingly well to screen.
That being said, I am a horror fan, and it’s rare that a horror movie can surprise me; this one did. While I won’t say that this movie is bound to become a horror classic, I can say that I had a good time in this movie. It’s bloody and brutal, and while it’s not particularly scary, the twist at the end of the film is so bizarre that it’s pretty hard to forget. This was actually my second time watching this movie (the first time I watched it wasn’t that long ago, but this time I watched it with my brother- both of us get a kick out of horror flicks and we were looking for something to watch) , and I have to admit that the first time through this film I enjoyed it a bit more. The second time through, the plot holes and stilted dialogue really start to take center stage. I wouldn’t say this is a bad movie, but nor is it good; it falls directly in the middle. There’s some entertainment to be gleaned from films like this, but that entertainment is akin to something you’d find in Victorian penny dreadfuls.
“I’ve got a train to catch.”
Leon (Bradley Cooper, “Limitless”) is a photographer trying to get his work into an exhibit, but when he has a meeting with a gallery owner, she tells him his work isn’t gritty enough. Desperate to try to find work with a darker subject, Leon stays out late, trying to photograph crimes and shady people. After he has a close brush with someone who ends up murdered, he inspects his photographs and finds a strange man (Vinnie Jones, “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels”) lurking in the background. Thinking he’s onto something huge, Leon begins stalking this strange man, thinking that doing so might lead him to his big break. Also, Leon is dating an annoying girl named Maya (Leslie Bibb, “Iron Man”).
So first and foremost, the slasher scenes in this film are pretty great. This movie doesn’t really try to hide anything from you (as far as who the killer is) so I won’t either. The strange man Leon sees- henceforth known as Mahogany (his credit)- is a killer. He uses a huge metal hammer to bash people’s brains in. It’s incredibly gory (think Dario Argento on crack), and sometimes the horror aspects tend to be a little more actiony than horrific, but it’s still a ton of fun. Gallons of blood are spilled, and there are dozens of great, gritty practical effects. I will admit, some of the effects are better than others. When they tend to linger on the effects, they tend to look a little worse, but when the effects are shown briefly and cut away from, they tend to look pretty good. Most of the ‘good’ parts in this movie are really parts that are just plain fun, and the kills are certainly the best parts.
I don’t think anyone really turned in a remarkable performance. Even Cooper, whose earlier roles in movies like “Limitless” I’ve generally complimented, seemed to know that something was going amiss with this flick, and didn’t really give it his all. I feel like Vinnie Jones, who I’ve only ever really seen in Guy Ritchie flicks, always seems to play the same character: strong, silent bad*ss. Leslie Bibb was straight up annoying.
The ending, which I will refrain from revealing here, goes so far over the top that it reaches another level of craziness. We go from “American Psycho” levels of crazy to H.P. Lovecraft Cult of Cthulhu levels of crazy in about five seconds flat. The first time I saw this movie, I thought the twist was great (it certainly made me want to come back for a second watch). But the second time I watched this, I had been watching for hints and foreshadowing that told me that twist was coming. While there were a few hints, most of those elements felt a little shoehorned in, and, if I’m being honest, I feel like the ending is a bit farfetched, even set in the world this is set in. There are just too many plot holes for me to completely believe some of the stuff that goes on towards the end. One would need to suspend their disbelief to a point where it almost becomes ridiculous, but, if you’re willing to do that, the ending is pretty crazy.
Verdict:
This isn’t a good or bad movie. It has a few moments that make it memorable, and the slasher sequences are an absolute blast if you’re just looking for something gritty and violent. But if you’re looking for a movie that has a drum-tight script, solid performances, and class-A production design, well, you should probably look somewhere else.
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