Dir - David Bruckner
Overall: MEH
Though assuredly pleasing for fans of what was once delightful about Clive Barker's Hellraiser, the 2022 relaunch by David Bruckner still has unmistakable imperfections that tarnish it. Lingering in development hell, (nyuck, nyuck), for quite some time, what came out of various directors, writers, producers, and other studios brainstorming a new angle to take is a story that is completely unrelated to Barker's initial The Hellbound Heart novel. In this respect, it should be seen not as a reboot but as the franchise's first sequel in decades to bypass decades worth of sub-par, direct-to-video installments that kept the brand alive only with increasingly diminishing returns. Even with the non-major company Spyglass Media Group behind it, this Hellraiser is a slick, high-end production and it follows in director Bruckner's trajectory of critically favored works in the genre. As is all too often the case though with horror, the opening is expertly handled and sets up the property's familiar components in an enticing way only for the wheels to start flying off as convoluted plotting gives way to a predictably bloated finale that seems to back itself into a grandiose, meandering corner. Visually it is quite exceptional with a more seamless blend of digital and practical makeup effects than usually seen, plus the updated Cenobites still make an appropriate, enticingly grotesque impression. It is a shame that the story was not allowed to scale itself back to win us over in a more rewarding way, but the low risk, "go big" approach is at least understandable if not altogether ideal.
Dir - Michael Giacchino
Overall: MEH
Dubbed the first "special presentation" for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the brisk, fifty-three minute Werewolf by Night adapts the 1972, Jack Russell version of the character which originally ran for five years as its own title. It is also the studio's first unabashed horror excursion, shot in black and white and focusing on a group of monster hunters who are gathered together in competition to wield the Bloodstone; an amulet which seems particularly useful against otherworldly creatures. Man-Thing also shows up which is fun. As the title character and Elsa Bloodstone respectfully, Gael Garcia Bernal and Laura Donnelly are well-cast and likeable, taking the material serious enough with one or two mandatory quips thrown in for good measure. The same cannot be said for Harriet Sansom Harris' camped-up, one-note villainess, but most of that character's lackluster obnoxiousness is due to the underwritten nature of the running time and not so much the actor's performance. It does take a damn long time to finally unveil Russel's lycanthropian form and despite practicle makeup being used which is always appreciated, it comes off a little half-cooked, as if they stopped one step before the full-blown, totally beastly transformation was complete. Besides the only surface level, Golden Age of Hollywood presentation and more strict horror genre adherence, this is the same ole MCU stuff for better or worse, where mild violence, one or two swear words, CGI, incessant music, a few tears, plenty of jokes, (and plenty of schlock), hit all of the requirements.
Dir - Lucky McKee
Overall: GOOD
Indie genre filmmaker Lucky McKee's latest Old Man is an understated bit of psychological madness that makes the most out of its single, log cabin location and almost an exclusive two person cast. Remarkably simple premise wise, such a troubled character study hinges on the two leads with Stephen Lang and Marc Senter expertly delivering a series of emotionally complex monologues to each other that play with the audience's expectations. Throughout his entire career thus far at least when not penning the script himself, McKee has worked with a different screenwriter for all of his projects and the one here by relative newcomer Joel Veach finds a way to make this type of unnatural movie dialoging seem eerily in place since there is a mysterious tone that basks in its patience to unease. Humor and good ole fashion suspense building are played with, often at the same time and just as the audience can almost relax when the characters do, there is still an unshakable aura of Twilight Zone-esque mystery that cannot be shaken off. The musical score is a bit too manipulative at times and the narrative reveal at the end is probably easier to spot than intended, but this is still an impressive, no nonsense slow-boil offering that works both as a performance piece and as an unsettling enough head-trip.
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