Grotesque

There exists a metaphorical circle, and contained within said circle are all things orderly and right. The circle is known as control. This movie is so far outside of that circle. From the first absolutely cringe worthy scenes, until final credit scrolls past the screen it is utter chaos. This film knows what it is and leans all the way into it, embracing every bit of insanity along the way. I was mildly entertained watching this, but mostly I'm questioning my mental stability for having sat through the entirety of it. That probably qualifies as a pre-existing condition. My health insurance is definitely going to drop me, smh. I guess that's all for this review. I have to go now. My planet needs me.

I went into this with little to no expectations, but I had a fantastic time. It reminds me of something I'd write when I was 14, but I mean that in a positive way. It's so silly and so fun to watch. Mildred is an amazing main character, you root for her because everyone else is so awful and she's got some great lines and delivery. There are a few lines that are a bit cringe ("hello cruel world!") but for the most part this has good, snappy writing. I love the nonchalant reactions everyone has to her killing people, especially at the end. And for having a lower budget, I think it looks pretty good too! A lot of the shots and sets give off a nice atmosphere. The kills were so over the top I couldn't help but laugh, this whole thing is so camp. My only complaint is that I wish we could've seen Mildred kill those gangsters who botched her surgery. That felt like a weird add-on, especially when it was never addressed again. But overall, I loved it. Not a movie for everyone, but definitely a movie for me.

I like Higher Universe. They do a good job and I hope they continue to create new things with the same enthusiasm. That being said, I can't really recommend this movie to anyone.

It's like a friend asking you to watch their home made movie. I can enjoy the movie because I can see how my friend enjoyed making the movie, but how am I supposed to recommend that to anyone who doesn't know my friend? Production quality wise Grotesque is fine. Very watchable by no-budget indie standards. But when everything is done well, nothing really stands out.

The big sales pitch is the gore, but the vast majority of it is people being sliced by knives. Not that that in itself is a problem, there's just no catharsis. Things just happen like checking off items on a list. Even Mildred doesn't really have a character journey. She's not really loveable, she's happily spiteful and murders people at whim. Which, again, is fine, but it's a trait that turns on and off in a deus ex machina like manner.

Compare it to Hot Box, another Higher Universe film that features Elizabeth Chamberlain as Mary, a religious conservative that goes to a house party in effort to convert its party goers. Mary has a goal to convert people, but the story shows that she has a personality which is attracted to the party activities and she struggles to achieve her goal. By the end of the story her character has changed and developed because of her experiences. It's a notable story in a movie that has lots of memorable developing moments amongst its many characters.

Mildred could have her own developing story, but it wasn't built in. Mildred is sad because of her nose. Mildred loses her nose and kills people and this makes her happy. She eventually gets a boyfriend. That's about all we got. Mildred's direct antagonist, her superior at work, is more memorable because she has material goals and personality impulses guiding them. The real story of the movie is essentially the two or three scenes where her and Mildred directly interact.

I've harped on long enough. Grotesque is a nice indie film that was made by talented, fun loving people. It invites the audience to watch the fun, but it misses the mark on actually involving the audience to partake in the fun.

Imagine if you will a movie that relies heavily on prostheitic make up. A facial prosthetic that is right in the main view of the camera from virtually the first shot of the movie.

Now imagine that the prosthetic looks like a 3 year old made it out of modelling clay and applied it by throwing it at the cast member from the other side of a dark room.

Add the acting ability of a dead squirrel. Mix in the script work of someone who has never had a conversation with a human of any kind.

Now throw in a mix of "anyone that's willing to be in front of a camera" despite how they look or sound. Add to this a set that is clearly filled with less people than the situation calls for.

Right has all that soaked in? 6 minutes. That all happens in the first 6 minutes of this disaster of a movie. From then on it just gets worse.

Horrible camera work, horrible sound management, horrible cast, everyone involved in this wreck should be ashamed of this.

Dismissed.

This is clearly a B-Movie, and for people who love a certain kind of bad horror film, this is really great. The actors clearly had fun with their roles too, which I think added to the fun and the charm this film had. The acting wasn't the best, but nothing felt stiff or awkward.

Like the humour is obviously dark, but honestly it was a fun horror comedy that didn't take itself too seriously.

The plot was basic, but honestly satisfying, like you really rooted for the lead character, and her murder spree. So it's not going to be the best film you will see, but if its the kind of thing you'd go for. I think you'd have a lot of fun with.