Movie Review - Surrogate (2022)

Surrogate

Directed by David Willing

Released by Indie Rights

Year of Production: 2022

Blu-ray/DVD Release Date: September 2, 2022 (digital only release)

Plot Synopsis:

A ghost horror about single mother and nurse Natalie who falls mysteriously ill and struggles to stop her family from being destroyed.

Trailer:

Review:

One of the coolest feelings a reviewer can experience is the rush they get when a movie or book wildly exceeds their expectations.  This probably sounds dorky, but I offer no apologies for it:  the situation can be a real high.  Granted, it doesn't happen too often, but I have to make note of it when it does.

I got a toned down version of that rush when I finished SURROGATE, a recent horror offering from Australia.  This tidy ghost story doesn't revolutionize the genre, but it is well made and a lot of fun to watch.  

SURROGATE is one of those movies you will want to experience at night with the lights out.  Part mystery and part horror, the film relies on good old fashioned suspense and a couple of jump scares to entertain its viewers.  It does not drag anywhere and has a wonderful pace; there's no fluff scenes put in for length, and I never felt bored.

The film has a strong cast that includes Kestie Morassi of WOLF CREEK fame and Jane Badler.  If Badler looks familiar to you, it's because she played the iconic bad-bitch Diana in the science fiction show V.  It was a real joy seeing her onscreen again.  Up-and-coming actress Taysha Farrugia also does a great job as Morassi's daughter; I expect we will be seeing more of her in the future.

My favorite aspect of SURROGATE is that it knows what kind of film it wants to be.  As I mentioned earlier, it is not trying to reinvent the wheel...it just wants to entertain you.  Which is exactly what it does.  Don't go into it expecting a ton of gore or special effects (there's a little of both, but not much), and you will be pleasantly surprised.

My sole complaint about the film [[SPOILER ALERT here...you were warned!]] is that the ghost of the little girl looks a bit silly with the blue tint they chose for her skin.  Thankfully she is not seen much, so that is very forgivable.

SURROGATE is a slick little horror film that will be a welcome addition to your pre-Halloween viewing.  It is available on a couple of streaming sites (including Amazon Prime) so clink the link above for more information to view.

Scott

Movie Review - Barbarian (2022)

 

Barbarian

Directed by Zach Cregger

Released by Twentieth Century Studios

Year of Production: 2022

DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: (Unknown)

Plot Synopsis:

In town for a job interview, a young woman arrives at her Airbnb late at night only to find that her rental has been mistakenly double-booked and a strange man is already staying there. Against her better judgement, she decides to stay the night anyway, but soon discovers that there is much more to be afraid of in the house than the other house guest.

Trailer:

Review:

Writing reviews can sometimes be a difficult undertaking, particularly when your opinion doesn't match the majority.  I say this because I have received less-than-nice emails in the past when the opinion in my review didn't match up with somebody else's thoughts.  Hate-mail is nothing new to me, and I certainly don't let it sway my opinion...but I do feel odd sometimes when so many people laud a movie or a book and I wasn't impressed with it.

Such is the case with BARBARIAN.  I saw this movie in the theater a couple of weeks ago, and I left questioning what in the world I had just seen.  I admit I enjoyed it as a whole, if only because it kept me wondering what in the world could happen next...but there are a few things about it that really put me off as well.

The first half of the movie was strong.  The chemistry between leads Georgina Campbell and Bill Skarsgård was very believable, and I enjoy seeing both actors onscreen no matter what roles they are playing.  Likewise, the suspense was top-notch; it built slowly and kept me squirming for long periods of time.  Even the plot was mysterious and tense.  With each new startling revelation, I kept gearing myself up for a huge climactic ending.

Unfortunately the second half of BARBARIAN is where things started going downhill for me.  

I am not going to reveal any spoilers, but let's just say things start to go ape-nuts pretty quickly during the second half, but that's not necessarily a good thing.  Some of what occurred (including a particular flashback) felt forced...as in, added to the story as an afterthought.  I know the reason the writer(s) left it in the second half is to keep from giving anything away, but that's where it failed.  It felt too out-of-left-field.  

Additionally, the "big reveal" of BARBARIAN was a bit of a letdown.  I felt like I was watching two movies as the second half progressed, as if the writer couldn't decide which way to take the plot.  And when the big climactic ending came, it came across more as a joke than suspenseful.  In one particular moment that was meant to be dramatic, the audience in the theater actually burst out laughing.  This is never a good sign in a serious horror movie.

With all of this being said, I am actually looking forward to BARBARIAN reaching home video because I would like to give it another shot.  Maybe my expectations were too high...or maybe I just wasn't in the right frame of mind.  I don't know.  But given the amount of positive hype it is still receiving, I probably need to doublecheck it and make sure my initial assessment is still sound.  Afterwards, I'll try to circle back here and do a follow-up, or "second take", post.

If you have seen BARBARIAN, drop me a comment below and let me know your thoughts.

Scott

Movie Review - They Crawl Beneath (2022)

They Crawl Beneath

Directed by Dale Fabrigar

Released by Well Go USA

Year of Production:  2022

DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:  October 4, 2022

Plot Synopsis:  

Young police officer Danny (Joseph Almani) is working on an antique car at his uncle’s remote ranch when a major earthquake hits, pinning him under the vehicle and leaving him bloodied, alone, and with no way to call for help. Just when he thinks the claustrophobic nightmare can’t get any worse, something truly horrifying emerges from the fissures in the ground, forcing Danny to engage in a brutal fight for his life—and his sanity.

Trailer:

Review:

I will be honest:  I did not have high expectations going into this movie, and that was primarily because of the trailer.  For some reason, the trailer felt...off.  I can't put my finger on it, but something about it made me leery to see the finished product, even despite the fact that this film boasts practical special effects.  But I decided to push my hesitation aside and give THEY CRAWL BENEATH a look.

Despite my misgivings, the film is actually pretty good.  It is not a great horror flick per se, but it is fun and intense, and definitely worth a watch.

One major sticking point for me from the trailer was the acting:  it looked very subpar.  I quickly realized that is because the producers chose the most wooden scenes in the movie to use in the trailer.  There were MANY other scenes they could have used which would have showcased that acting chops of lead Joseph Almani and his costars.  Almani does a decent job in the scenes that lead up to the chaos, but he really cranks things up when life-or-death gets involved.  I had no problem believing he was indeed in danger.

The story of THEY CRAWL BENEATH is not overtly original, nor does it have to be.  This is one of those movies that knows what it is up front and doesn't try to reinvent anything.  I think that's another reason I appreciated the film as a whole.

The special effects are decent but not great.  I was hoping for more gore, but there's very little here.  Also, I would swear there are two scenes of computer generated effects, both that involve one of the titular creatures bursting out of someone's body.  I'm not one hundred percent sure, but they look like they could be to me.

I really enjoyed how suspenseful the film gets when Almani is trapped under the vehicle.  He does a great job fleshing out his character's faults while trying to free himself; he has to fight a lot of self-doubt and grasp at several things as he tries to find a reason to keep trying.  This intensity is a big part of what made the film so fun for me.

THEY CRAWL BENEATH has two negative aspects that I have to mention; these are not detractive enough to keep me from recommending it, however they are worth noting for anyone interested in viewing it.

First, the cover art is very misleading.  Ninety percent of the film takes place inside the shop, and nobody walks around outdoors with a rifle.  This isn't a big deal but I feel slighted when covers mislead me like this.

Second, the trailer gave me a very distinct TREMORS feel, which is what I assumed the film would be like.  Thankfully I never got that vibe inside the movie itself, but I almost didn't watch the film partially because I thought it was going to be a rip-off.  This could mislead other viewers and keep them away as well.

THEY CRAWL BENEATH is a lower-budget creature-feature that is sure to please most fans of horror fare in one way or another.  It does not pretend to be something it isn't, and it never tries to convince the audience it is anything other than an intense, albeit somewhat-shlocky, thriller.  What it lacks in budget, it makes up in heart.  I don't feel that it will win many (if any) awards, but I still recommend watching it nonetheless.  

Scott

Welcome to the new home of Shattered Ravings

Thank you for tracking me down.  As you can see, SR is on a different URL than before, which means all my previous content (nine years worth) was lost.  Yup, that's right...I was hacked.  For whatever reason, my site was taken over and now I cannot get it back.  

But upward and onward, right?

Shattered Ravings is still around, although it has been very low-key for the past few years.  This is my fault, of course, but I plan to rectify that soon.  

Very soon.  

As in, right now.

This site is a work-in-progress so please excuse the mess while I work to build up some entertaining content for you.  I have a couple of reviews in the works right now, and I'll be having a give away very soon as well.

So for now, welcome back!  And in the immortal words of Veronica Corningstone..."Thanks for stopping by."

Scott