Before I get to my review of this one, I must address that, allegedly, a trailer for this graphic horror film was shown to a theatre full of small kids, gathered to see a kid's movie, who all went screaming for the exits. The cinema owners offered free passes to all present, as compensation. Curiously, in 2007, a similar event occurred, when The Hills Have Eyes Part II was allegedly shown to a theatre full of small kids, who all went screaming for the exits. The cinema owners offered free passes to all present, as compensation. ( Source: moviefone.com/2007/04/06/theater-accidentally-shows-hills-have-eyes-2-to-little-kids/ ) Even more curious, is another cinema allegedly showed one of the recent Saw sequels to a theatre full of small kids, who all went screaming for the exits. The cinema owners offered free passes to those present, as compensation. Sound familiar?
Several other times in recent years, a graphic horror film was allegedly shown to a group of small kids, who had gathered to watch a kids' movie, and the theatre owners gave them all free passes as compensation. These stories were widely reported by reputable sources at the time, and every year or two, when a really graphic horror film is released, it allegedly happens again, reported by all the news outlets.
It is nothing more than an urban legend. It's not real. No matter where you hear it reported, the exact same story goes around every year or two, the details are always, always, always the same, only the film titles vary: graphic horror shown to a group of kids, they are understandably terrified, theatre owners offer free movie passes as compensation. Don't be fooled into believing this urban legend.
Now, on to the movie review, and ..... Wow! It's rare that a movie genuinely disturbs me, due to its unsettling tone, but this film did that, several times over. I went into this one after having only seen one trailer for it a couple of weeks ago, not really even sure what the plot was about, and I think that is the best way to go into this, as cold as possible. Its deliberately slow pacing draws one in to its bizarre story of a crumbling family following the death of their less than loveable grandmother, and the sudden, accidental death of the young daughter ( in one of the most horrifying scenes in recent memory, one which will be stuck in my mind for all time. This film had two such scenes which are likely burnt into my mind forever. ) From then on, we're not sure if the mother, with her history of violence and mental instability, is slowly going crazy, or if it's the teenage son slowly going crazy, both from the death of his sister, and his mother's mentally fractured behaviour, or if there is some other force at work.
Very well acted by its trio of main leads, filled with low, ominous sounds, a complete lack of cheap jump scares, and an overall feeling of dread make this nearly unbearably, unwatchably tense, as does a complete lack of humour. There is not one single moment of levity in this entire film. Also, a completely self-contained plot, with zero references to other films drew me into the plot even more.
This is a rare horror movie which, while very good, it disturbed me to the point that I don't think I could ever watch it again. It's too unsettling. Highly recommended, just be prepared for a very quiet, unsettling, genuinely frightening plot.
Several other times in recent years, a graphic horror film was allegedly shown to a group of small kids, who had gathered to watch a kids' movie, and the theatre owners gave them all free passes as compensation. These stories were widely reported by reputable sources at the time, and every year or two, when a really graphic horror film is released, it allegedly happens again, reported by all the news outlets.
It is nothing more than an urban legend. It's not real. No matter where you hear it reported, the exact same story goes around every year or two, the details are always, always, always the same, only the film titles vary: graphic horror shown to a group of kids, they are understandably terrified, theatre owners offer free movie passes as compensation. Don't be fooled into believing this urban legend.
Now, on to the movie review, and ..... Wow! It's rare that a movie genuinely disturbs me, due to its unsettling tone, but this film did that, several times over. I went into this one after having only seen one trailer for it a couple of weeks ago, not really even sure what the plot was about, and I think that is the best way to go into this, as cold as possible. Its deliberately slow pacing draws one in to its bizarre story of a crumbling family following the death of their less than loveable grandmother, and the sudden, accidental death of the young daughter ( in one of the most horrifying scenes in recent memory, one which will be stuck in my mind for all time. This film had two such scenes which are likely burnt into my mind forever. ) From then on, we're not sure if the mother, with her history of violence and mental instability, is slowly going crazy, or if it's the teenage son slowly going crazy, both from the death of his sister, and his mother's mentally fractured behaviour, or if there is some other force at work.
Very well acted by its trio of main leads, filled with low, ominous sounds, a complete lack of cheap jump scares, and an overall feeling of dread make this nearly unbearably, unwatchably tense, as does a complete lack of humour. There is not one single moment of levity in this entire film. Also, a completely self-contained plot, with zero references to other films drew me into the plot even more.
This is a rare horror movie which, while very good, it disturbed me to the point that I don't think I could ever watch it again. It's too unsettling. Highly recommended, just be prepared for a very quiet, unsettling, genuinely frightening plot.