mvd102000

This movie should have been a really solid 8/10, maybe even a 9/10. It's shot incredibly well, the performances are all stellar, the characters feel unique, the sound design is amazing, and the editing is superb... And then you get about two thirds of the way through and it all starts unraveling.

This film borrows heavily from a few iconic horror films that have come out over the past 30 years or so - namely Silence of the Lambs, Sinister, The Black Phone, and The Conjuring. What those films deliver on, this film lacks, and that is sharp focus on resolving their stories in ways that don't feel convoluted or devoid of the tension they build along the way. Say what you will about any of those films, but they all do what they set out to and reward viewers for going on a ride, even if there are some bumps along the way. The end of this film was partially telegraphed about 20 minutes in, and what was added in the final few scenes somehow managed to simultaneously spoon-feed important elements of the plot to the audience while conversely leaving several vital loose ends that. I almost feel it's an accomplishment to get this ridiculously close to hitting the mark but completely blowing it.

It's worth a watch if you want to be 'in the know' with modern horror or just love some fantastic cinema from a technical perspective. If you're craving a well told horror or even psychological thriller, you will most likely leave annoyed and frustrated.

Before really getting into how I feel about this film, let me explain a few things. I'm not a fan of Rob Zombie, other than his work in creating this film. He's made a few songs I've enjoyed, but if I won tickets to a concert tomorrow, I'd probably just sell them. If he releases a trailer for a new movie tomorrow, I probably wont find out for another six months, if at all. Let me also make it clear that I am hugely critical and somewhat snobby in regards to my taste in film. I don't get a kick out of anything that's made to be low brow and campy, and Im very picky with horror. Now that that's out of the way, let me get into what this movie's all about.

Rob Zombie has somehow created a masterpiece out of a choppy, lucid nightmare of an idea. If you're well acquainted with classic horror films, you'll find a lot to be nostalgic about, but what could have been a simple homage was crafted into a unique new tapestry of horror. Personally, I found this movie to be deeply distressing, uncomfortable, gritty, and completely unapologetic. But it isn't my job to convince you to love it. Whether or not you enjoy the film is, in my opinion, largely based on the setting you watch it in, and how well you're able to suspend your own disbelief and just watch what happens. And at the end of it all, you may not enjoy it regardless. But if you do, there's no doubt it will have been because of the excellent picture Rob Zombie paints with an almost perfect cast. Please remember while watching - this in no way, shape, or form, is designed to be a comedy, or a horror/comedy combination film. If you find yourself uncomfortable after hearing what you thought was a joke, that was the intention. I feel as though this film actually digs into the human psyche and brings back with it the things that could only happen in our confused, manic nightmares. The entire movie just feels like a horrible nightmare someone had and worked into a film. Minus a bad actor or two, it really hit the nail on the head for me. It's disgusting, I hope you love it.