Strange Title for my review. Strange movie. Four kids (with only one cell phone between them) break down in spooky rural area. Infected bats are about, one bite makes you a flesh eating zombie. Okay.
The premise has all the earmarks of being a slow to boil thrilling tale but like it's music, it's all screechy violin noises and no substance. The young people had no individual character traits, most of the dialogue seemed poorly improvised and though Director Ti West has several 'swelling' moments ultimately they lead nowhere. Again we have character who behave as though they've never seen a horror film.
Now let's get to the "Wait --What" moment. The film begins in a cheap 1950's studio where we are introduced to a Dr. Demento-type TV host of horror films. Tonight's movie is the Roost. Those sections are in black and white and suffer, purposely however, through tacky sets, props and that hokey dialog we have come to know from the Creature Features of our youth. It was completely incongruous and unnecessary to the plot of the four kids of the story. The styles didn't even match, the chemistry was wrong and pulled the viewer away from the intended tale. I cannot believe the film maker started out this project with that in the original script. It seems tacked on.
I kept it on because I was doing things around the house having given up after the first 30 minutes (during which time little happens. Not much happens at all.
I do think director/writer Ti West is talented and will be looking down the road for his next film.
The premise has all the earmarks of being a slow to boil thrilling tale but like it's music, it's all screechy violin noises and no substance. The young people had no individual character traits, most of the dialogue seemed poorly improvised and though Director Ti West has several 'swelling' moments ultimately they lead nowhere. Again we have character who behave as though they've never seen a horror film.
Now let's get to the "Wait --What" moment. The film begins in a cheap 1950's studio where we are introduced to a Dr. Demento-type TV host of horror films. Tonight's movie is the Roost. Those sections are in black and white and suffer, purposely however, through tacky sets, props and that hokey dialog we have come to know from the Creature Features of our youth. It was completely incongruous and unnecessary to the plot of the four kids of the story. The styles didn't even match, the chemistry was wrong and pulled the viewer away from the intended tale. I cannot believe the film maker started out this project with that in the original script. It seems tacked on.
I kept it on because I was doing things around the house having given up after the first 30 minutes (during which time little happens. Not much happens at all.
I do think director/writer Ti West is talented and will be looking down the road for his next film.