2011 Horror Part One

RED STATE

Dir - Kevin Smith

Overall: MEH

Kevin Smith's first foray into horror with Red State is an interesting move, but a far less interesting film.  In fact, if “crazy religious nutbars murdering people” is a film genre, that is more accurately where this belongs.  While the premise becomes increasingly dark and appropriate for such a film, it is also far from unique.  Diabolically presenting zealous extremism in a very on the nose matter, it is difficult to engage with the material outside of just being disgusted and annoyed with the lunatic, Bible-quoting antagonists.  Despite some tasty dialogue and every character in the film delivering at least one or six potent monologues, it is otherwise miles removed from Smith's normal work.  Replacing dick jokes and silliness with lots of overt unpleasantry and shocks, the whole Christian crazies villainy is rather obnoxiously up front.  Performance wise, Michael Parks chews gloriously into his scenery and John Goodman is in typical top form.  As humorous dialog is generally Smith's strong suite, switching gears this drastically seems a bit ill-fitting at best and just nasty and uncomfortable at worst.  While that might easily be part of the point, the end result ultimately fails to really connect.

 

ABSENTIA
Dir - Mike Flanagan
Overall: GOOD

Kickstarter-funded Absentia is writer/director Mike Flanagan's excellently minimalist, full-length debut.  The modest budget is certainly noticeable, but a number of moments could have easily been ruined with some terrible CGI, per example.  This "less is more" approach then allows Flanagan and his solid yet unknown cast to get about everything right in the actual compelling plot department, making it far more important to care about the character's ordeals than the creepy, supernatural occurrences going on.  Not that those creepy moments are not still expertly handled and effective, which they certainly are.  Flanagan manages to land the ending as well, which often proves a difficult feat unto itself.  An admirable achievement considering its meager production values, the apparent enthusiasm goes a long way in making this one of the more promising efforts from an up and coming filmmaker working wonderfully within such otherwise detrimental limitations.

LIVIDE
Dir - Julien Maur/Alexandre Bustillo

Overall:  GOOD

The writer/director team of Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo had previously delved pretty heavy into said loathsome torture porn sub genre with their debut À l'intérieur, but their follow-up Livide is thankfully a quite different, yet still sufficiently bloody ordeal.  Gruesome and over the top yes, but whereas À l'intérieur was a brutal, claustrophobic, modern times nightmare, Livide is a spooky and immensely more surreal experience.  As a slow burn, the viewer is challenged a bit by having to deal with the main character’s insulting lack of logic in the form of a "so creepy it's silly", Gothic mansion that they willingly venture into.  That said, some unmistakably chilling moments occur and the fittingly dark ending ups the eeriness even further.  One could argue that the film bites off more than it can chew with some noticeable plot holes in said finale, but the dreamlike execution gives these would-be issues a pass under such a controlled, moody presentation.  The film is effective where it counts and as a creepy and strange viewing experience, it is a memorable work.