The Notorious Finster

I watched "The Notorious Finster" the other night and was blown away by this well-crafted and hair-raising film. It was one of the best offerings of the insane killer genre that I've seen. Finster is a thinking person's horror film, with sharp psychological insights, humor, wry dialogue, and a unique protagonist -- a woman crime journalist who has been on the serial killer's trail for years. Annie Sullivan, a fully-drawn character with demons of her own, is played by Amanda Evans, who is spot on in her portrayal of a boosey and self-deceiving, yet brainy and resolute pursuer of truth. Beautifully filmed and directed, Finster will keep you on the edge of your seat, from its grusome opening scene until it's truly shocking final twist.

Set in a rural backdrop, the cinematography is both captivating and well-crafted, seamlessly complementing the narrative without overshadowing the scene. Offering a unique spin on the traditional 'whodunnit' genre, the film delves into the dark psyche of a serial killer with a sense of empathy towards the victims and those ensnared in the killer's web of violence. Themes of alcoholism and obsession are explored with heartfelt depth, while the dynamic between Annie and Reyna adds an intriguing layer of complexity. The makeup work stands out as particularly impressive, adding to the overall immersion of the film. Despite its indie status, this film shines with its impeccable production quality, stellar performances, and masterful storytelling. It earns a well-deserved 10/10, showcasing the remarkable talent of its small team and budget, surpassing many big-budget counterparts in value and impact.

Henderson has elevated his delivery with this suspenseful movie. This is a great who-done-it storyline with unsettling, and sometimes untrusting relationships at its foundation. The gore-factor is relevant without it taking center stage. It is just enough to depict the scene without it being over-the-top. Henderson does a good job of leaving you wondering and unsettled until it all unfolds. Several scenes deliver a solid shock-value causing immediate reaction. One scene delivers a very intense dose of noxious imagery which left me watching with one eye peeking between my fingers. Totally worth the watch!

When I saw "The Notorious Finster," it was rated 4.0 with very few reviews and almost all of them were glowing and suspiciously high. But I gave it a shot. My rating of 3 should give you a hint of my impression.

The premise was actually interesting, but that's where the interesting part ended. Considering this was concerning a serial killer, you'd think there'd be a lot of killing...but, not really. The kills were really bloody, but mostly off-camera. The grossest part of the movie was when the lead actress made herself puke up a pill the killer gave her, and then drank it back up. I do not understand what the point of that was, but it was disgusting.

The acting is serviceable at best. Cinematography is rather dreadful, appearing to have been shot on a smartphone with the photographer's hand unable to hold still. The waving and shaking was incredibly annoying and distracting.

The biggest issue I had was the length. At almost two hours, the first two acts were a rather uninteresting buildup to the final act where the lead actress and the killer are alone together. They are two entirely different movies. Expand the first 2/3 into a slasher flick and the last 1/3 into a suspense. Add good actors, real film and an interesting script and you have two good movies. But instead, you have one meandering, boring, long low budget film that isn't particularly horror. I suppose for its budgetary limitations it's passable, but I was pretty underwhelmed.

Trying to find something positive, I do respect the actor whose throat was cut. It drives me crazy in these movies when someone's throat gets slashed and they just lay there and bleed to death. This guy actually grabbed his throat, trying to stop the inevitable. I respect that.

Overall, however, 3 is the best I can do for this turkey.

SETTING: Rural and stunning CINEMATOGRAPHY: Boozy, warm, and well thought out. It tells the story beautifully without taking attention away from the scene.

STORY: A dark, patient take on your typical 'whodunnit' serial killer movie. The film has a sense of empathy for the victims and everyone caught in the crosshairs of the killer and their violence. The theme of alcoholism and obsession are very heartfelt. Annie and Reyna are also a ton of fun to watch on screen together as an enabling, chaotic friendship that has an air of something more? Subtextual romance?

SFX: I thought the makeup in this film was very good.

SCOPE: This is definitely an indie film. I give it five stars not because there's no room for polish or improvement, but because I am INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED with the production quality, performances, and overall craft of this film for such an incredibly small team and budget. There are films out there with 10x the budget and about half the value.

This movie is worth a watch. Best paired with a rainy night and a warm blanket.