Bruiser

After seeing George A. Romero's new horror movie, I must say that I was a bit disappointed. With the man's background, I think I was expecting a bit more. The story concerns a man who is constantly walked all over by his friends, wife, boss, and co-workers. At a party, a woman is making masks for the guests out of the molds of their faces. She does his. As the night draws to a close, he sees his wife cheating on him with his boss and she tells him nastily that she wants out of the marriage. After dropping him off home, she goes out for the night. The next morning, Henry (the main character) wakes up to find the mask from the party on his face and cannot be removed. With this mask on, he seems to change personalities. He is no longer the doormat and will not be taken advantage of. So, he proceeds to go after all the characters in the movie who have wronged him and pay them back. I thought this was pretty tame for a Romero movie. I mean, it's several minutes between the paybacks and their not even that impressive. With this film clocking in at about 90 minutes, it feels almost double that with the slow-pace the story moves in. I found myself anxious for it to just hurry up and conclude. The only thing that did catch me was the ending was pretty interesting. However, I really would not recommend this strange, but tame horror movie.

The first 3/4 of George Romero's Kafka-esque, existential meditation on identity is so terrific, it's all the more frustrating that it falls apart with such a chintzy, uninspired last act. But until then, it ranks high in the Romero canon. It has a fascinating, irresistible plotline--similar to "Martin"--about one man's journey to discover his own identity, fine acting (particularly from Jason Flemyng and Leslie Hope, though Peter Stormare's goofy scenery chewing is an acquired taste), and beautiful production values, echoing the autumn of the protagonist's soul. (There is, in particular, one unforgettably haunting shot of shadows falling like tears on Flemyng's blank visage.) But Romero lets himself down with an unenthusiastic, the-well-ran-dry conclusion. It's as though he left the Toronto set to go back to Pittsburgh for the weekend when these scenes were shot. Despite those who claim that Romero's films are merely E.C. comic books brought to life, his films are always much deeper than that and reflect a very sophisticated philosophical view of life and the universe, in the manner of Greek or Shakespearean tragedy. In any event, this is a film whose reputation should soar about ten years from now.

In BRUISER, evidence of a surreal paranormal event is almost perfectly captured on film by George Romero. The film's protagonist, Henry, weakly worms him way through life until the morning he awakens to find a blank, white mask where his real face once was. At one point, it's suggested the mask frees Henry to indulge in his rage fantasies, and then to logically murder those who have wronged him. Henry's innate goodness won't allow him to kill innocent people, but it's interesting to see that Romero never apologizes for Henry's murder fantasies. Henry is, like all of us, capable of brutal, heinous acts, if only in our heads.

As an idea, Henry's "Faceless" identity is fascinating, as it is believed that Henry has psychically formed the blank face from the material of his submerged rage. The problem becomes when Henry, and the film, decides to become parody, amused by the circumstance of the Faceless-ness. Henry's revenge, when he takes it on the vile cast of his wife, his boss, and his best friend/financer, does not reflect Henry's rage. The revenge is muted and lacking real anger, though much is made of what Henry will do when he goes after these people.

Romero made possibly his technically-finest film only to lose the incredible surreal event that changed his believable, solid main character into a vengeance machine, which weakens the story and its conclusion considerably. The instant Henry understands that the mask is truly HIS face is a great moment, and there are moments in BRUISER that stand up well with the best Romero has done.

It should also be pointed out that Romero comes from another time and mentality in filmmaking, when the idea of sex, sex by naked people, on-screen, in all it's almost-realism, was not ignored and disregarded...namely the 1970s, when there was something to be said for people getting it on that didn't require cutaways and soft lenses. It's almost refreshing in these puritanical days of zero-actual-sex in films, and talk talk talk of sex in every medium, and the threat of sex on "real TV" shows, to find Romero willing to show a little legs over the shoulders. Even if everyone who has sex in BRUISER is unrepentant scum, that still doesn't change the fact that we, the viewer, are witness to sex that isn't a slow-motion fantasia starring Jeremy Irons.

BRUISER is a fascinating film that suddenly unravels at the end, like an old baseball hit too hard. Still worth it, just for the great attempt at something original by an original, in Romero.

I was sadly disappointed upon seeing George A. Romero's latest film, Bruiser. I bought it used on VHS with no doubt in my mind that it would at least be visually entertaining and a cut above the typical slasher film genre.

However, I found it to be a bore and totally disappointing. On the plus side, the movie does have quite a bit going for it. The theme of "identity" and having an alter ego of sorts that pretty much plays out subconscious actions, is intriguing. I found the first third of the movie to be creative and suspenseful, as it played quite heavily with the mixing of fantasy and reality in the mind of the disturbed main character. Yet, shortly after this brief "tease", the movie descended into a typically plodding tale of a serial killer bent on revenging those who wronged him.

I think many of us can relate somewhat to the main character of this movie: a person who has been stepped on his whole life, is fed up being taken advantage of and wants to do something about it. The movie would have involved us more if it dared to be different. Making us doubt the goings on in the main character's mind or blending the real with the unreal would have made for a more cerebral and provocative film.

I expect much more from Romero, who, in my book, is a virtual master of horror who gave us the always timely cult classic Night of the Living Dead, as well as a few other less prolific, but noteworthy horror movies. Yet there is no evidence of that Romero here.

The entire third act is set in a glitzy, highly cinematographic dance club with a blaze of color, lights and energy. Yet, Romero fails to take advantage of all this flash. He brings no visual excitement into these scenes, yet instead, cuts from scenes of performers to scenes of the killer and back again. This is from a man who has collaborated on films with Dario Argento and other horror masters. These final scenes would have been a great opportunity for Romero to show off some creative editing and faster pacing so that we could feel more of this energy and excitement.

I enjoy horror movies and will watch anything Romero comes out with in the future, despite the shortcomings of this film. Bruiser has a great premise, some wonderful dark humor and performances that transcend most others in this genre. The execution of the story and the action, however, seems to be missing much needed panache.

"Bruiser" tells the story of a man, lacking a personality, who wakes up one morning to learn that his features have gone blank as well -- how's that for in-your-face symbolism? An intriguing premise, to be sure, but our hero follows the path of other faceless avengers like Darkman and Hollow Man and is only interested in taking revenge on those who have done him wrong, thereby reducing this film to little more than standard action fare with a gimmick.

The fact that I'm a real Romero devotee and this film is his first in seven years made it all the more sad that my fingers had the occasional urge to press the fast forward button. I enjoyed the first ten minutes (my companion shrieked and turned pale when the woman got hit by the train) but I stopped wishing for the best after Peter Stormare's first annoying appearance (damn, I adored the guy in "Fargo").

More than thirty years after its release, "Night of the Living Dead" is still the film Romero's best known for. Although Romero went on to sporadically make jewels like "Dawn of The Dead", "Knightriders", and "Day of The Dead", his debut is and will remain the highlight of Romero's career. Films like "Bruiser", which went straight to video here in Holland, definitely won't change that sad fact. The big bearded man himself regards this film as his best work. I beg to differ. As will many others.

*1/2 out of ****