Gorehounds Unite!

 I just want to point out that the rating and review of this film was near impossible to come up with for one reason. This film is of such high quality and the acting is so good that it appears to the viewer as though it was filmed for a budget of  $1,000,000 or more. Of course I know this isnt true (Im told it was shot for about $7,000 which is unbelievable....this film literally looks like a million bucks)but yet its impossible to gauge with the other films I have reviewed. It would be unfair to this film to lump it in with the big studio films yet unfair to the really low budget films in the rest of my reviews to put it with them. So as it is this review stands alone and cant be compared to the other reviews on the site.

 Ok so lets get into the review then.....I got the DVD in the mail and my jaw hit the ground as I looked at the cover art for this film (seen to the left). It was such a simple design that had this gorgeous woman covered in blood staring from the cover of the DVD. Well this didnt even begin to prepare me for what I was about to experience when I popped this DVD in. Immediatly as the film began I could tell I was in for an experience not soon forgotten....The film introduced us to the beautiful Marina Shtelen as "Sara" and the over his head Bank Robber "Trip" (Steven Pritchard) as they settle into a really seedy motel for the night...soon you realize this isnt going to be nice quiet night of rest for the two. Sara is mouthy and rebelious (in a teriffic performance I might add) teen who's been taken hostage by Trip. Needless to say Ill leave the story there for fear of giving anything away as far as plot goes. I will add that there is another character that comes into the story later on whos played by Aaron Boucher.

 The plot was originally adapted from a play as far as I know and it lends itself perfectly to being an Indie film, With only 3 characters and one set it couldnt be any more perfect to adapt to the big screen. This is a very character driven story and luckily they had some very talented actors to pull this off. (Im unsure if these were the same people who played them on stage or not)

  The second you see the film playing you realize the film was shot in beautiful 35mm....something  I miss seeing as it has that cinematic feel to it that is usually lacking in the Independent shot on camcorder scene. The set they built of the motel is perfectly done and is indistinguishable from a real hotel you would find just off the highway in any state you go to. You know the type, Seedy and Dirty, with outdated curtains and furniture as well as kitschy art on the walls. The kind where when you check out you need to take a long hot shower.

 The plot while it felt original and new had a few problems for me. It jumped from a very real feel to unrealistic to highly unlikely...yet I can overlook that aspect of most films, still there was a few times where all I could was say cmon now. Luckily this doesnt ruin the flow of the film at all and actually adds to the whole grindhouse feel of the whole project.

 The characters were well written and the dialogue was some of the best Ive ever seen in an independent feature not written by Tarantino or Rodriguez. The only other gripe I had was that none of the characters were likeable...you never really felt comfortable with them or trusted them....this was probably in the writting and it actually works for the movie but I would have liked to feel some sympathy for the characters here and there.....then twist that. Speaking of twists......This film is full of them. I actually figured out the final one out before it happened but it was no big deal because I was still reeling from the sudden unexpected outburst of violence on the screen. Im telling you it was a shock....and because I wasnt expecting that it made it that much sweeter. The film also had alot of subplots left unexplored and questions unanswered....I would have loved to see 15 minutes added to explain some of these.  As a word of warning this film is very violent in nature but the violence is important to the story as well as used to the greatest possible effect. This film is a shock to the senses that hits you like a slap to the face and wakes you up to the fact that this is something special very rarely seen in independent cinema these days.

Everything felt right for the most part on the film as the director (Andrew Moorman)seemed to have a firm grasp on what he wanted to see on the screen as well as on the actors performances. The camera work was a thing of beauty and you can see the love the director and actors had for this film in every shot It has a very deliberate pace and feel to the film which Id love to see more of in the near future.....If he can do this amazing film for the price thats reported as the budget then hell hollywood has alot to explain and they need to hire him NOW!

 This film is just proof that if you put enough love and respect into something you care for that budget really isnt a boundry at all. This was done for the love of the story,the genre, and the fans. Hollywood could learn alot from these filmakers....and they need to fast.

 This film is an edge of your seat, nail-biting, adrenaline rush that will leave you screaming for more! It harkens back to the good old days of the 70's when directors were looking for those boundrys we werent supposed to cross and jumping over them. You get the feeling you did in the days of the grindhouse theaters and films where you never knew what they were gonna throw at you next...so you sat on the edge of your seat in anticipation. Heres to hoping this film gets the recognition it deserves....Its bound to be the first of a new era of lowbudget films that are just begging to be discovered. Destined to be a midnight movie and cult favorite for years to come!

  If the reception it got at Horrorhound weekend where it was an official selection is any indication we will be hearing alot about this movie in the very near future....and thats a very good thing indeed.

 RATING:

 5 out of 5 Severed Heads