With a cast of barely serviceable non-actors and a threadbare budget that presents itself frequently, this largely unseen slasher outing should probably be an absolute mess. However, thanks to excellent direction and a plot that gradually unfolds one layer at a time, Unhinged is actually a thoroughly decent film that emphasizes suspense over splatter and ultimately ends up being a modestly original and highly enjoyable romp.
All of the components of 80's slasher fare are present here, but despite the killer's point-of-view shots and creative uses of sharp implements, it's clear that director Don Gronquist had something different in mind for Unhinged. The body count is notably small, especially for a film that touts its splatter roots on the DVD cover, but as a result the bloodier bits of the movie are played for maximum impact, and end up being rather impressive and gruesome set-pieces. The bulk of the film is devoted to developing the characters and wringing every bit of tension out of the set-up, and in this respect Unhinged stylistically lands much closer to Halloween than Friday the 13th (although please don't take those references as an assertion that this humble affair is anywhere as great as either of those films).
The basic scenario isn't anything earth-shattering: three young girls on a rustic road trip get into a car accident and wake up under the care of seemingly benevolent hosts in a strange house, only to slowly discover that things in the abode aren't as benign as they seem at first. The twist Unhinged throws into the mix is that the kindly samaritans who take the girls in are a homely spinster and her witchy wheelchair-bound mother, both of whom are hiding sinister secrets that come to light as the girls delve deeper into their back-stories.
The film takes its time rolling out each bit of the unsavory truth, and hardcore splatter enthusiasts will probably be disappointed that they won't see a murder until 40 minutes in. The payoff may not be as spectacular as that lengthy sustain seems to promise, but it's still a suitably graphic scene with a grisly punch that comes as a pleasant surprise after such a subdued and lengthy build-up.
The emphasis on character here shouldn't be as engrossing as it is, especially since we're dealing with strictly amateur actors, but the sordid origin tale for the spinster and her overbearing matriarch is grim and unsettling enough to command our attention. While the acting is certainly stilted at times, the performances by both of these twisted matrons are effectively creepy and somehow more realistic because of the limited experience of the actresses. Ditto with our trio of buxom lasses who find themselves entangled in the twisted happenings, none of whom seem to have any idea what acting is, but still give everything they have to their roles and come across as authentic and realistic characters.
The musical score is especially nifty, even if it blatantly apes Goblin at times, and while the soundtrack is clearly the product of a low-budget composer, it ends up being yet another one of the film's examples of how people with good ideas can adeptly deliver above-par work without a huge bankroll.
The last 10 minutes of the film pack in all the gore Unhinged has been saving up, and there are some truly gruesome and fun grand guignol touches as the plot reaches its twisted conclusion. The final reveal is a suitably shocking and unexpected turn, and the savage murder that parallels it is by far the most brutal scene in the film. The accompanying monologue by our outed murderer reaches into absurd heights of silliness, but the sequence as a whole puts a satisfying punctuation mark on this effective and surprisingly solid outing.
I'm a bit skeptical of the "Banned In The U.K.!" label on the promotional materials, however. Other than two blatantly gratuitous scenes of frontal nudity and three murders, there isn't a whole lot in this film to offend the sensibilities of anyone who is even remotely familiar with the crop of splatter films that arrived during the same era as Unhinged (this isn't Make Them Die Slowly by a long-shot). Even if that claim is more than a gimmick, watching the film with that in mind is bound to lead to a let-down for ravenous gore-fiends. The killings in Unhinged are certainly delightfully graphic, but it is the overall dearth of violence in this film that makes those scenes so powerful. Anyone expecting a wall to wall gorefest may not walk away from Unhinged as pleased as I was.
Even if the film doesn't live up to its bold insistence of infamy, there is still plenty about it to recommend. Unhinged may not be the bloodiest movie you've ever seen, but those who don't mind reveling in atmosphere and suspense between bouts of carnage will find a real gem here.
All of the components of 80's slasher fare are present here, but despite the killer's point-of-view shots and creative uses of sharp implements, it's clear that director Don Gronquist had something different in mind for Unhinged. The body count is notably small, especially for a film that touts its splatter roots on the DVD cover, but as a result the bloodier bits of the movie are played for maximum impact, and end up being rather impressive and gruesome set-pieces. The bulk of the film is devoted to developing the characters and wringing every bit of tension out of the set-up, and in this respect Unhinged stylistically lands much closer to Halloween than Friday the 13th (although please don't take those references as an assertion that this humble affair is anywhere as great as either of those films).
The basic scenario isn't anything earth-shattering: three young girls on a rustic road trip get into a car accident and wake up under the care of seemingly benevolent hosts in a strange house, only to slowly discover that things in the abode aren't as benign as they seem at first. The twist Unhinged throws into the mix is that the kindly samaritans who take the girls in are a homely spinster and her witchy wheelchair-bound mother, both of whom are hiding sinister secrets that come to light as the girls delve deeper into their back-stories.
The film takes its time rolling out each bit of the unsavory truth, and hardcore splatter enthusiasts will probably be disappointed that they won't see a murder until 40 minutes in. The payoff may not be as spectacular as that lengthy sustain seems to promise, but it's still a suitably graphic scene with a grisly punch that comes as a pleasant surprise after such a subdued and lengthy build-up.
The emphasis on character here shouldn't be as engrossing as it is, especially since we're dealing with strictly amateur actors, but the sordid origin tale for the spinster and her overbearing matriarch is grim and unsettling enough to command our attention. While the acting is certainly stilted at times, the performances by both of these twisted matrons are effectively creepy and somehow more realistic because of the limited experience of the actresses. Ditto with our trio of buxom lasses who find themselves entangled in the twisted happenings, none of whom seem to have any idea what acting is, but still give everything they have to their roles and come across as authentic and realistic characters.
The musical score is especially nifty, even if it blatantly apes Goblin at times, and while the soundtrack is clearly the product of a low-budget composer, it ends up being yet another one of the film's examples of how people with good ideas can adeptly deliver above-par work without a huge bankroll.
The last 10 minutes of the film pack in all the gore Unhinged has been saving up, and there are some truly gruesome and fun grand guignol touches as the plot reaches its twisted conclusion. The final reveal is a suitably shocking and unexpected turn, and the savage murder that parallels it is by far the most brutal scene in the film. The accompanying monologue by our outed murderer reaches into absurd heights of silliness, but the sequence as a whole puts a satisfying punctuation mark on this effective and surprisingly solid outing.
I'm a bit skeptical of the "Banned In The U.K.!" label on the promotional materials, however. Other than two blatantly gratuitous scenes of frontal nudity and three murders, there isn't a whole lot in this film to offend the sensibilities of anyone who is even remotely familiar with the crop of splatter films that arrived during the same era as Unhinged (this isn't Make Them Die Slowly by a long-shot). Even if that claim is more than a gimmick, watching the film with that in mind is bound to lead to a let-down for ravenous gore-fiends. The killings in Unhinged are certainly delightfully graphic, but it is the overall dearth of violence in this film that makes those scenes so powerful. Anyone expecting a wall to wall gorefest may not walk away from Unhinged as pleased as I was.
Even if the film doesn't live up to its bold insistence of infamy, there is still plenty about it to recommend. Unhinged may not be the bloodiest movie you've ever seen, but those who don't mind reveling in atmosphere and suspense between bouts of carnage will find a real gem here.