HERE AFTER (2024)

September 12, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. Screenwriter Sarah Conradt must think mothers possess superhero emotional strength, if we are to judge by her two most recent films – this one and MOTHER’S INSTINCT (also 2024). In this feature film directorial debut from long-time producer Robert Salerno, the mom is really put through the ringer – and we are right there with her.

Claire (Connie Britton, “Nashville”, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, 2004) beams proudly as her fifteen-year-old daughter, Robin (Freya Hannan-Mills), plays piano in church. Claire also rolls her eyes when her ex-husband/Robin’s dad (Giovanni Cirfiera) walks in as the performance nears conclusion. We learn Robin has been non-verbal since age 5, yet she’s a talented enough pianist to be invited to audition for conservatory.

Claire and Robin have a loving mother-daughter relationship, although Claire seems a bit overprotective at times. Things turn bonkers when Robin is involved in a horrible bicycle accident and is dead for 20 minutes before being miraculously resuscitated at the hospital. Claire is relieved her prayers were answered, however, as so often happens with ‘miracles’, there’s a catch. See, Robin can now speak. Only that’s not the catch. Claire begins to notice Robin’s personality is nothing like it was before the accident. Is this due to the trauma or something more sinister from beyond? I believe the film’s title provides a clue.

Religion is on display throughout the film and in many forms. Also on display is Connie Britton’s RWF (in contrast to RBF). Ms. Britton excels at a constantly ‘worried’ look, and is well cast to play the mother role in a film written by Sarah Conradt. Of course, we do discover why Claire has been carrying around all this guilt. It’s also the reason why Robin initially stopped talking at an early age. The final act works off of a tremendously interesting premise, and some will find the execution a bit too artsy for this type of movie, while others will appreciate the approach.

Opening in select theaters and on digital September 13, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

RED ROOMS (2024)

September 9, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. Many of us (perhaps too many) are drawn to the dark side – topics that dig into the ugly side of human nature that Mr. Rogers mostly avoided in his neighborhood. A quick look at the popularity of true crime shows provides proof of the fascination that corresponds to those who don’t subscribe to the golden rule. Writer-director Pascal Plante has a track record of film festival success and his latest fits the mold – fascinating to watch with a twist that may have viewers questioning their own assumptions.

Ludovic Chevalier (Maxwell McCabe-Lokos) is a demented serial killer on trial for the murder of 3 teenage girls, ages 13, 14, and 16. He is facing multiple additional charges including sexual abuse, necrophilia, torture, etc. He used ‘red rooms’ to film these atrocious actions and then sold the recordings for profit. The opening statement from prosecutor Chedid (Natalie Tannous) stuns us with details of crimes, as well as informing us that 2 of the 3 tapes will be shown to the jury. Suspect Chevalier sits quietly in a glass cage as the court proceedings take place. However, the serial killer is not the most interesting character in this story. Seated in the gallery as close to Chevalier as possible is Kelly-Anne (Juliette Gariepy) and Clementine (Laurie Babin). We learn that it’s common for serial killers to have groupies … not unlike rock stars, movie stars, and professional athletes.

Each day, Kelly-Anne and Clementine grab their courtroom seats and take in the show. The two form an unlikely and shaky friendship. See, Kelly-Anne is a model and high stakes online poker player. She has a sophisticated, AI voice-activated computer system in her high-rise apartment. In comparison, Clementine is a simple woman convinced that Chevalier is innocent because of his warm eyes. She feels a bond to him, and assumes Kelly-Anne shares this bond and belief.

Filmmaker Plante starts us off in a similar fashion to other courtroom dramas, however this one is also part dark web tutorial and psychological case study – not to mention a peek at cryptocurrency and hacking. Like Clementine, we assume we understand Kelly-Anne’s motives, but there is an old saying about when we assume. As the story develops, it’s the psychological aspects that hold our attention. Stone-faced Kelly-Anne only rarely offers cracks in her façade, and Plante manages to add tension to online poker and dark web auctions.

This was filmed in Montreal in French language, though we get only minimal shots of the city. Instead, much of the time is spent on close-ups of stoic Kelly-Anne and those eyes that are so difficult to interpret. Almost no gore is shown here outside of a single screen shot inside a red room, and the atrocities are wisely left to our imaginations. However, there is one quite disturbing sequence that finds Kelly-Anne in a specific costume for one day in court. I’ll admit to having to Google Kelly-Anne’s username to realize that ‘Lady of Shallot’ is a reference to a Tennyson poem. The end could be described as a twist (depending on your own previous assumptions), and yet also open-ended enough to generate plenty of analysis and debate. Pascal Plante has delivered quite a smart and complex character in Kelly-Anne.

Opened in select theaters on September 6, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE CROW (2024)

August 22, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. It’s been thirty years since Alex Proyas directed THE CROW (1994). Unfortunately, the cult favorite is forever remembered as being the set on which lead actor Brandon Lee (son of the legendary Bruce Lee) died an accidental and tragic death. Along the way, there have been lesser sequels. There have also been so many rumors of a re-boot over the last fifteen years, that I remained a bit doubtful until the opening credits actually began to roll.

Director Rupert Sanders (GHOST IN THE SHELL, 2017) and co-writers Zach Baylin (KING RICHARD, 2021) and William Josef Schneider have avoided the “remake” label, while offering their version of the comic book series from James O’Barr. Bill Skarsgard (Pennywise in the IT movies) and pop star FKA twigs (HONEY BOY, 2019) play Eric and Shelly, the star-crossed lovers who meet at (and escape) drug rehab. Their freedom initially leads to some smooching and giggling and a shared bathtub and bed. Of course, things change for the doomed lovers quickly when she is reminded that some really bad people who work for a really bad man are trying to kill her.

The villain is played by the always-dependable Danny Huston, who has mastered reserved on-screen evil. His billionaire supernatural demon dude puts a hit out on Shelly because of an incriminating cell phone video. When his henchmen succeed in killing Shelly and Eric, the latter finds himself in purgatory learning lessons from Kronos (Sami Bouajila). It turns out the crow will guide Eric to put the wrong things right … which means brining Shelly back to life.

Eric’s afterlife revenge mission takes up most of the film, and violence is around every corner. You should know he is basically invincible, although he does feel pain. So those many bullet holes need to heal as quickly as possible. Eric goes goth (similar to what Brandon Lee did) and sports a black duster that would make Wyatt Earp and Blade envious. A beautiful Opera House serves as the setting for a John Wick-esque parade of violence and bodies … all synchronized to the stage production. We never really know why there are so many henchmen at the opera, but it allows the bullets to fly, the sword to swing, and the blood to flow.

The film clearly falls way short of a Marvel budget, but filming in Prague brings an element of interest with some previously unseen locales – a real plus for the film. It’s a gothic love story of revenge from beyond the grave, so the dark nature of the material is accompanied by some of the darkest lighting you’ll ever see in a movie (although not quite as much rain this time). To top it off, the crows that lead Eric are very cool. Let’s not kid ourselves, it’s a (very) messy movie, but it plays to its audience.

Opens in theaters on August 23, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

ODDITY (2024)

July 18, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. For me, the best horror movies aren’t a factor of jump-scare after jump-scare, but rather of the level of lingering unease and ominous atmospheric dread they generate. Writer-director Damian McCarthy has accomplished just such a movie with his second feature film.  Oddly enough, ODDITY could be described as a murder mystery cloaked in supernatural horror, yet I believe most horror fans will welcome this one from the edge of their seat.

Dr. Ted Timmis (Gwilym Lee, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, 2018) works at a psychiatric asylum, and a late-night call with his wife Dani, finds her informing him that she’ll stay the night alone at the house they are renovating. A knock on the door, followed by the stranger’s warning, sets things up for us. Debating whether to open the door, Dani is told that she’s not alone in the house and the stranger identifies himself as Olin Boole (Tading Murphy, THE NORTHMAN, 2022), a former patient of her husband’s. He says he just wants to help. For reasons never explained, Dani sleeps in a tent in the unfurnished great room – although a tent is typically used as protection from the elements, and she’s inside the house. She’s not affected by weather, yet other elements are afoot, and the vinyl tent offers no defense.

The story then skips ahead over a period of time, and finds widower Ted in a new relationship with Yana (Caroline Menton), who prefers not to sleep alone in the now renovated house where the wife of her boyfriend was previously murdered. Meanwhile, Ted wanders into the creepy mystical trinket store where Darcy (Carolyn Bracken, THE QUIET GIRL, 2022) works, and makes an innocent remark about having her visit sometime. Darcy is the blind twin of Dani, and her short blonde hair stands in stark contrast to sister Dani’s previous long, auburn tresses. Darcy claims to have certain powers as a medium, and we can’t help but wonder if she has thoughts of avenging her sister’s death.

The elements of Irish folk horror work well here. These include a rundown asylum with a creepy orderly, a frantic one-eyed stranger pounding on the door, a remote house with a woman staying alone, and a trap door in an expansive house replete with staircases and corridors. The only thing missing is a skittish dog. However, the piece de resistance is the “gift” Darcy brings Ted and Yana … a trunk containing a large wooden mannequin. This terrifying work is not a gift anyone would welcome from the psychic twin sister of one’s murdered wife.

Some of the best scenes are exchanges between Yana and Darcy (Ms. Bracken is exceptional here). Their verbal jousting is filled with intrigue, all while we are left to ponder the history and meaning of the bizarre mannequin, a family heirloom. That terrific opening sequence sets the stage, and the film gets even better from there. Director McCarthy, editor Brian Philip Davis, cinematographer Colm Hogan, and Production Designer Lauren Kelly work together to create an eerie tone filled with tension … and yes, there is even a well-placed jump-scare for those in need. This is one of those low-key horror films that we can hope finds an appreciative audience.

In theaters beginning July 19, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE EXORCISM (2024)

June 20, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. It’s been 23 years since Russell Crowe won his Oscar for GLADIATOR. Some of his personal struggles have been well-documented, and although he may no longer be an A-list actor, he remains a talented and prolific one … especially these past couple of years. I’ll admit to still finding him fascinating on screen, as he’s usually fully committed to the character he’s playing.

There’s more to this one than another mesmerizing Crowe performance. If you don’t already know, be advised that it’s a film-within-a-film derived from real life. Only not the usual “inspired by a true story” like we are accustomed to. Nope. The writer-director is Joshua John Miller, who is the son of the late Jason Miller, who played Father Karras in the classic horror film THE EXORCIST (1973). Co-written with M.A. Fortim (“Queen of the South”), once we know Miller’s roots, the film takes on a whole new relevance. So … “This time, it’s personal” … actually fits!

Crowe plays Anthony Miller (there’s that last name again), an actor looking to re-establish his career after grieving for his wife’s death left him an alcoholic and addict. Out of rehab, he’s also trying to reconnect with his estranged and rebellious daughter Lee (Ryan Simpkins, Ty’s big sister, BRIGSBY BEAR, 2017), who has recently been kicked out of school. After the mysterious death of his lead actor (which we witness), director Peter (Adam Goldberg, appeared in A BEAUTIFUL MIND with Russell Crowe) casts Anthony as the Priest, despite, or possibly because of, his troubled past. See, Peter’s movie, “The Georgetown Project”, appears to be pretty much identical to THE EXORCIST, right down to the two-story house set and the bits of story we pick up.

The film co-stars Blake (Chloe Bailey, R&B artist and big sister of Halle) as the possessed one, and Joe (Sam Worthington, The “Avatar” franchise – more to come) as a fellow Priest. Hanging around the set as the Catholic church consultant is a Priest played by David Hyde Pierce (“Frasier”), whose presence is necessary as we see Anthony’s crisis-of-faith and possible demonic possession mirroring that of the character he’s playing – likely due to the unpleasant childhood memories of his time as an altar boy. For those who know, Adam Goldberg’s performance as Peter will recall the stories of William Friedkin’s demanding and demeaning directorial style on the set of the 1973 horror classic.

The acting, especially Crowe and Simpkins, is stellar, although we can’t help but wonder why Sam Worthington’s role wasn’t beefed up a bit. As with most horror films the sound effects are exaggerated, though this one seems overboard at times. Still, with the added weight of the “behind-the-scenes” backstory, there is plenty here to keep us engaged … though one would be hard-pressed to label it a son’s tribute to daddy.

In theaters June 21, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

STING (2024)

April 11, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. The trailer for this one makes it clear that it’s a monster movie in the vein of those Friday late night creature-features I stayed up watching as a kid … whenever I wasn’t grounded from watching TV. Australian filmmaker Kiah Roche-Turner has set this one in Brooklyn and it takes place almost entirely inside an old apartment building (the only exceptions are shots of the ice storm occurring outside).

Roche-Turner may have delivered the latest creature-feature, however, it’s not one of those that inspires empathy towards the creature. Twelve-year-old Charlotte (get it??) is on one of her adventures through the air vents of the old building when she captures a little black spider. A pet spider may be uncommon, but keeping secrets from your mother, Heather, (Penelope Mitchell, HELLBOY, 2009) and stepdad, Ethan, (Ryan Corr, THE WATER DIVINER, 2014) is right in line with the actions of an adolescent frustrated by the responsibilities of having to watch her newborn brother while the frazzled adults go about earning a living.

The film’s opening shows Charlotte’s sweater-knitting grandmother, Helga (Noni Hazelhurst, TRUTH, 2015), battling dementia and calling the exterminator after hearing loud noises in the wall. The story then flashes back four days to when Charlotte first finds the spider. Frank (Jermaine Fowler, RICKY STANICKY, 2024) sprays the building, but even as a pest expert, he doesn’t suspect what’s about to happen. Relative newcomer Alyla Brown (TRUE SPIRIT, 2023) performs superbly as Charlotte, and is stunned when the pet spider she names Sting mimics her whistle when it’s due for another meal of crunchy bugs, which leads to exponential growth.

Although it’s not necessary, there are additional elements to the story that occur around the whole rapidly-growing spider. Charlotte’s stepdad is the building super and an aspiring comic book artist. In an effort to bond with her, Ethan illustrated the story she created about her biological father, whose deadbeat nature mother Heather has withheld from her. Their neighbors consist of lonely widow Maria (Silvia Colloca, VAN HELSING, 2004) and oddball science geek Erik (Danny Kim, “Born to Spy”), the latter of whom exposes Charlotte’s clandestine arachnid pet to the parents. The final player here is frugal and grumpy Gunther (Robyn Nevin, RELIC, 2020), who apparently owns the building and lives with her sister Helga. Ms. Nevin has a face made for horror films (and I mean that as a compliment) and gets to go full out in her one big scene with Ethan.

 As you’d expect, some of these folks meet a grisly end, while others are more fortunate. There are enough kills for those that lust for such moments, and enough creepiness and chuckles for everyone else. It does take a while for the arachnid rampage to begin, but there’s enough suspense to keep us around.  Most will appreciate Brad Shield’s cinematography as the camera worms it’s way through the claustrophobic hallways and air ducts of the building. The origins of the spider might be missed by those who aren’t paying close attention, but it’s a brilliant touch. And even though it’s a bit of campy horror, the dayglo red used in the fake blood is among the worst you’ll likely ever see. The film is quite a bit different from the 1990 cult classic ARACHNOPHOBIA, but the lesson in keeping moth balls on hand could someday come in handy. Over the opening credits, “What a Way to Die” by The Pleasure Seekers acts as a foreshadowing of events, and in keeping with the film’s title, there are a couple of “stingers” for those who stick around.

Opening in theaters on April 12, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

STOPMOTION (2024)

February 23, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. The art of stop-motion consists of bringing hunks of clay to life and telling an interesting story. It’s excruciatingly slow work requiring meticulous attention to detail.  The first feature length film from animator-turned-writer/director Robert Morgan is co-written with Robin King, and pays homage to this distinct art form. Of course, since it’s a horror film, it also makes good use of the adage … an artist being consumed by their art.

Aisling Franciosa (so memorable in THE NIGHTINGALE, 2018) stars as Ella Blake, who is assisting her mother (Stella Gonet), a renowned stop-motion artist, with her “last film”. Arthritis has seized mom’s hands and so she barks orders at her daughter in frustration of her own limitations. Once out from under her mother’s controlling ways, Ella finds her own space in an old apartment, where she begins to pursue her own vision. Soon she’s visited by an odd and inquisitive little girl (Caoilinn Springall), presumably from the neighborhood. The girl labels Ella’s work “boring” and proceeds to tell her own story about Ashman, who haunts a girl in the forest over three nights. Ella is captivated, and we quickly recognize she is in the midst of a slow descent into madness … unaware of who this little girl actually is.

Director Morgan first introduces us to Ella over the opening credits. The flashing lights in a nightclub play visual tricks, and Ella alternates between good and evil looks (think of the two-face syndrome in “Seinfeld”). This is an early clue about the film’s path. Morgan also provides contrast between the stark working conditions of the studio (whether it’s mom’s basement or Ella’s apartment) and the more lively and colorful clubs and parties where she hangs out with her boyfriend (Tom York). Adding to the film’s visual treats are some unusual camera angles courtesy of cinematographer Leo Hinstin.

The final act features some extreme gore, so be prepared. It’s rare for a film to feature raw meat, a dead fox, maggots, and mutilation, but few films have successfully blended the use of stop-action animation with live-action drama. Aisling Franciosa has the instincts to convincingly portray a troubled artist when the wires are crossed between reality and creativity. Getting creeped out is all part of the show.

Opens in theaters on February 23, 2024

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Posted by David Ferguson

NIGHT SWIM (2024)

January 4, 2024

Greetings again from the darkness. Over the years, there have been many movies reinforcing why we should “be afraid of going in the water.” This includes CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (1954), DEEP SEA BLUE (1999), OPEN WATER (2003), and of course, the all-time classic, JAWS (1975). Beyond the ocean, swimming pools always create a level of anxiety for parents, because most kids can’t imagine something that’s so much fun carrying any type of danger. Thanks to horror producers Jason Blum and James Wan, writer-director Bryce McGuire and co-writer Rob Blackhurst have expanded their 4-minute 2014 short film and try their darndest to make a backyard pool the source of supernatural evil.

Fresh off her Oscar nomination for THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (2022), Kerry Condon stars as Eve Waller, and Wyatt Russell (EVERYBODY WANTS SOME, 2016) co-stars as her husband Ray, whose major league baseball career has been cut short due to the early onset of a degenerative disease. The family finds a spacious home with a swimming pool in the backyard, and the kids, 15-year-old Izzy (Amelie Hoeferle, THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES) and her younger brother Elliot (Gavin Warren, “Fear the Walking Dead”) are thrilled to leave the gypsy life of baseball behind and finally settle down and make friends. As viewers, we know something the family doesn’t. The opening scene (expertly filmed) shows us a tragic event that occurred in this same pool a few years back. Nothing is given away, but it’s an ominous start featuring some fuzzy bunny slippers.

Once the Wallers move in, each of them have their own encounters while swimming. Eve, Izzy, and Elliot each get spooked, while Ray immediately begins to feel better and more energetic. Ben Sinclair (SPIN ME ROUND, 2022) adds a dose of humor as the pool servicer, while also informing the family that it’s a natural spring-fed pool. For some unknown reason, Sinclair’s character only gets one scene – a definite flaw in the filmmaking. The Wallers throw a neighborhood party and, no surprise, it goes sideways. From here, things get progressively worse (and sillier) as a supernatural entity or demon is clearly having its way with the family.

Cinematographer Charlie Sarroff (SMILE, 2022) does nice work with the pool, especially the underwater scenes at night … although the night isn’t the only time bad stuff happens. Other than the kinda funny idea that a swimming pool can possess evil, the film clunks along by touching on numerous ideas, some of which are creative, only to leave us hanging on most. The backstory of the house and swimming pool is investigated by Eve, and that alone could have injected a heavy dose of drama and creepiness. Instead, we get a couple of glimpses of a hokey looking presence … and we can’t help but wonder why this family keeps sticking their hands in every skimmer and drain opening – much less why they insist on swimming alone at night.

It feels like a pretty intense and more complete story is lurking just beneath the surface here … as there are some good ideas, as well as believable performances from Condon, Russell (who nails a couple of punchlines), Hoeferle, and Warren. Similarities to the horror classic POLTERGEIST (1982) are evident, and that’s a pretty lofty goal. Producers Jason Blum and James Wan have recently finalized the merger of their two production studios, Blumhouse and Atomic Monster, so we can expect regular releases of horror films from the group. The expectation is there will be more hits than misses.

Opens nationwide in theaters on January 5, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

DREAM SCENARIO (2023)

November 30, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. David Bowie’s 1975 song “Fame” has a line, “Fame … what you get is no tomorrow”, and that stuck with me during the second half of this terrific and wild film from Norwegian writer-director Kristoffer Borgli (SICK OF MYSELF, 2022). Borgli not only tackles the issue of sudden fame and the weight that goes with it, but he also comments on ego and today’s cancel culture. Subtext runs throughout a film that feels descended from the mind of Charlie Kaufman and/or Spike Jonze.

Oscar winner Nicolas Cage is perfectly cast as Paul Matthews, a bland Evolutionary Biology professor, living a satisfactory life with his wife Janet (the always strong Julianne Nicholson) and their two daughters Sophie (Lily Bird) and Hannah (Jessica Clement). As for his career, Paul, always dressed in a sweater and green jacket, is frumpy and awkward and an undistinguished faculty member who speaks frequently of writing a book, though he never actually writes anything.

Things change quickly for Paul as he begins showing up in people’s dreams. As in his life, Dream-Paul doesn’t do much other than ‘be there’, but as the number of people who experience this grows exponentially, Paul becomes a celebrity … leading to the publicity machine we’ve witnessed many times in real life. Basically, Paul goes viral. Cage masters the delivery of this line: “Have you been dreaming about me?”, and it’s the point where we recognize he is delivering an outstanding performance. When do-nothing dream-Paul turns aggressive and violent in folk’s dreams (now nightmares), his experience shifts dramatically. Cancel culture kicks in and Paul becomes an outcast or pariah. Filmmaker Borgli could draw from numerous real-life situations where teachers have been dismissed for absurd reasons … OK, maybe not as absurd as actions in a dream, yet the concept is the same.

Borgli was surely inspired by Spike Jonze’s excellent ADAPTATION (2002), which featured Nic Cage in a dual role (as Kaufman and his fictional brother). Although this isn’t technically a dual role, Cage certainly gets to carve a wide swath through the film and through dreams … and he appears to be having a great time doing so. Supporting work is provided by Dylan Baker, Tim Meadows, Dylan Gelula, and Kate Berlant. Michael Cera has a humorous sequence as a PR agent at a marketing firm that is trying to cash in on Paul’s newfound fame as a “dream influencer”. We even see capitalism at work in a further attempt to create an industry out of this flukey situation.

The brilliance of the film stems from Borgli presenting this as an entertaining comedy-horror film with ‘everyman’ Paul at the center. It’s a clever idea that is not-so-subtle in its willingness to show us how easily cancel culture can spin out of control and how monetizing our addiction to attention can go wrong. One specific thing that I admired in Borgli’s approach was how he made Paul a normal guy, and yet, he’s one of those who always believes someone has wronged him or stolen his work – despite the fact that he never actually produces any work or takes his own risk. There is so much to like about this film, not the least of which is one of Nicolas Cage’s best ever performances (even in David Byrne’s oversized suit).

Opens in theaters on December 1, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

VINDICTA (2023)

October 5, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Sometimes low budget horror movies work, and sometimes they don’t. As a general guideline, the less complicated they are, the better the chance of successful entertainment. Director Sean McNamara (THE KING’S DAUGHTER, 2022) is one of the more prolific directors you’ll find. His work includes TV series, videos, short films, and feature films. He currently has 15 projects in the hopper. Sean is a busy man.

With a script by Ian Neligh and Steven Paul, this film offers moments of hope, but mostly it’s too ambitious … a rare criticism these days. Trying to tackle too many story lines creates a mess in the exact place a decent little genre film could have been born. Elena Kampouris (MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 & 3) stars as Lou, a rookie paramedic just out of training. Fire Chief Rick (Sean Astin, THE LORD OF THE RINGS franchise) reluctantly assigns her to a first ride in the middle of riots, protests, and fires in a rough part of Seattle.

In addition to the mass chaos in the city, there is a masked killer on the loose – one who thrives on vicious and violent attacks. Suspicions arise when the same building burns that burned five years earlier, killing a mother and son. Fortunately, Lou is not a typical newbie. She possesses fighting skills and is fluent in Latin and Mandarin. Latin comes in quite handy since the killer scrawls his messages in Latin, leaving Lou to assist Detective Russo (Travis Nelson) with clues in the case.

In addition to her skills, Lou is also the idealistic daughter of retired cop played by Jeremy Piven (“Entourage”). The two are so close she even has a bobblehead of him on her car dash. Lou still blames her 9-year-old self for not saving her mother’s life, no matter how many times people remind her she was just a kid. Perhaps you are starting to sense the issues with the film, and I have yet to mention the corruption and greed at the heart of the killer’s mission of vengeance. One nice touch is the mask … it’s Michelangelo’s David, and it’s plenty creepy, even if most of the characters here don’t come across as real people. Elena Kampouris is to be commended for giving her all to the role, but the writers and the film likely would have benefited from the KISS approach,

Opening in select theaters and on digital beginning October 6, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

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