I had the opportunity to see Point Of Fear last night at the Ritz Theater in Clinton, TN. Most of the audience was made up of locals, friends and family of the film maker and cast. It was a very giving crowd, and everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves. I, however, do not know anyone involved in the project. I also knew nothing about the plot or details. So it was brand new for me.
I'm impressed with the fact that POF was made for 5,000 in roughly 20 days. This was an ambitious project, and my hat is off to any first time film maker for being able to do that.
The premise was simple: 4 friends go hiking in the small mountain town of Pleasant Point. They arrive the day after a woman was found murdered. We meet a doctor known as the "fear doctor" who helps people get over their fears or phobias in an unorthodox manner. One of the friends has a fear of heights, and decides to go see him. The doctor, originally from Atlanta, lost his wife and child in a suicide and a car accident, respectively, and moved to Pleasant Point. The friend, Melissa, reminds him of his dead wife and then begins to believe its her. This triggers him to go crazy. He ties her up, holding her hostage, and then begins killing patients and others who get in his way. The remaining friends (finally) start to look for her. The movie ends with all of them in the woods in a final show down.
After the film was over, my first thought was "Did the end move slow due to poor writing, or for time?". I knew that Mr. Benjamin was submitting to different festivals, and that a lot of them are pretty strict on the length of a movie. I calculated that the film ran about 85 minutes. It was pointed out to me later that the film ran 99 minutes. So, that answered my question. Numerous horror films run at the 75-85 minute mark, (even theatrical releases... See "Darkness Falls") and this one needed to as well.
The premise was OK. But the execution was poor. There were WAY too many plot holes. Too many characters automatically "knew" key elements. One of the friends answers the phone at their cabin, and "knows" that it's from their missing friends cell phone. How did he know that? After the doctor kills a patient in his office, he cleans the floor with gloves on. It's his office. Why does he need to wear gloves? His fingerprints are SUPPOSED to be there. Then, after all of that, he leaves the murder weapon on the floor (a shard of glass....with blood all over it) and even leaves the body in a trunk to be found by the police. The sheriff, after finding a dead man in the river, immediately says "I'm gonna go talk to that doctor". Why? And even though it's established that the sheriff has been "eyeing him", he still doesn't know where his office or home is located.
But I'm nitpicking. My biggest problem was that the story turned into being "about" the doctor. Not the friends, or the hunt of their missing friend. Knowing who the killer was early in the film ruined the suspense for me. I didn't sympathize with the doctor. I wanted him to get caught. I also felt he was the weakest character in the film. I realized that Mr. Benjamin cast his brother as the villain, but that was the biggest mistake. Jason Benjamin was weak compared to most of the people he was acting against. He was also the wrong type. He looks way too young to have finished med school, have a family, lost the family, then move elsewhere. He may be in his thirties, but he didn't look much older than the friends that went camping. By the time we get to the end of the movie, EVERYONE the doctor has come into contact with, he kills. Not only did I feel that it got ridiculous, but that it was almost over compensating that we sat through the first 2/3rds of the movie without killing, then added it to make up for it. When we're there, at the end, we then have to see a flashback of the doctors family, his wife's suicide, ETC, ETC, when he just needs to DIE. Then, Mr. Benjamin gives him a monologue. The ending was just too painfully long.
The acting, for the most part, was OK. Austin Musick as Melissa was very good. I felt all of the friends did the best they could. Erica Bundy as Karen was the weakest one, but she was playing a stereotype. (The "horny" girl.) Which, threw me, because I thought at first they were all couples. Reggie Law as Mr. Mackey was actually my favorite. He had a fantastic character face, and was very natural with his acting. The sheriff was OK, but the rest of the "cops" were way behind in talent.
I feel that Mr. Benjamin has a very good "eye". His direction and editing was very good. It kept me interested in the movie more, actually. But I'd like to see him partner up with a "writer" sometime in the future. It's his weakest "talent".
I hope POF gets distribution. Others may like the story. I'd like to see what else Mr. Benjamin can do, and see how he grows as a film maker. Again, my hat is off to him. I give him kudos for directing and editing, but only 5 stars due to the lead, the script, and making me sit through a VERY long ending.
I'm impressed with the fact that POF was made for 5,000 in roughly 20 days. This was an ambitious project, and my hat is off to any first time film maker for being able to do that.
The premise was simple: 4 friends go hiking in the small mountain town of Pleasant Point. They arrive the day after a woman was found murdered. We meet a doctor known as the "fear doctor" who helps people get over their fears or phobias in an unorthodox manner. One of the friends has a fear of heights, and decides to go see him. The doctor, originally from Atlanta, lost his wife and child in a suicide and a car accident, respectively, and moved to Pleasant Point. The friend, Melissa, reminds him of his dead wife and then begins to believe its her. This triggers him to go crazy. He ties her up, holding her hostage, and then begins killing patients and others who get in his way. The remaining friends (finally) start to look for her. The movie ends with all of them in the woods in a final show down.
After the film was over, my first thought was "Did the end move slow due to poor writing, or for time?". I knew that Mr. Benjamin was submitting to different festivals, and that a lot of them are pretty strict on the length of a movie. I calculated that the film ran about 85 minutes. It was pointed out to me later that the film ran 99 minutes. So, that answered my question. Numerous horror films run at the 75-85 minute mark, (even theatrical releases... See "Darkness Falls") and this one needed to as well.
The premise was OK. But the execution was poor. There were WAY too many plot holes. Too many characters automatically "knew" key elements. One of the friends answers the phone at their cabin, and "knows" that it's from their missing friends cell phone. How did he know that? After the doctor kills a patient in his office, he cleans the floor with gloves on. It's his office. Why does he need to wear gloves? His fingerprints are SUPPOSED to be there. Then, after all of that, he leaves the murder weapon on the floor (a shard of glass....with blood all over it) and even leaves the body in a trunk to be found by the police. The sheriff, after finding a dead man in the river, immediately says "I'm gonna go talk to that doctor". Why? And even though it's established that the sheriff has been "eyeing him", he still doesn't know where his office or home is located.
But I'm nitpicking. My biggest problem was that the story turned into being "about" the doctor. Not the friends, or the hunt of their missing friend. Knowing who the killer was early in the film ruined the suspense for me. I didn't sympathize with the doctor. I wanted him to get caught. I also felt he was the weakest character in the film. I realized that Mr. Benjamin cast his brother as the villain, but that was the biggest mistake. Jason Benjamin was weak compared to most of the people he was acting against. He was also the wrong type. He looks way too young to have finished med school, have a family, lost the family, then move elsewhere. He may be in his thirties, but he didn't look much older than the friends that went camping. By the time we get to the end of the movie, EVERYONE the doctor has come into contact with, he kills. Not only did I feel that it got ridiculous, but that it was almost over compensating that we sat through the first 2/3rds of the movie without killing, then added it to make up for it. When we're there, at the end, we then have to see a flashback of the doctors family, his wife's suicide, ETC, ETC, when he just needs to DIE. Then, Mr. Benjamin gives him a monologue. The ending was just too painfully long.
The acting, for the most part, was OK. Austin Musick as Melissa was very good. I felt all of the friends did the best they could. Erica Bundy as Karen was the weakest one, but she was playing a stereotype. (The "horny" girl.) Which, threw me, because I thought at first they were all couples. Reggie Law as Mr. Mackey was actually my favorite. He had a fantastic character face, and was very natural with his acting. The sheriff was OK, but the rest of the "cops" were way behind in talent.
I feel that Mr. Benjamin has a very good "eye". His direction and editing was very good. It kept me interested in the movie more, actually. But I'd like to see him partner up with a "writer" sometime in the future. It's his weakest "talent".
I hope POF gets distribution. Others may like the story. I'd like to see what else Mr. Benjamin can do, and see how he grows as a film maker. Again, my hat is off to him. I give him kudos for directing and editing, but only 5 stars due to the lead, the script, and making me sit through a VERY long ending.