The Void

"The Void" is one of those horror movies with a big (capital "M") Mystery at its center, but let's just see if you give a damn about it by the time the film finally gets around to (badly) explaining it. This film is all build up, dropped hints, and dangled carrots. The problem is that it never gets around to just being a damn movie.

The premise, which I don't think I could explain if I tried, is clearly overly ambitious for the filmmakers to pull off. It's part "Hellraiser," part "Re-Animator," part "Event Horizon," part, I don't know, "Halloween II?" There are people trapped in a hospital, Klu Klux Klan members lurking outside, a devil worshiping doctor, mutant zombie corpses, a woman giving birth, a useless nurse, a Libertarian. Everyone shouts a lot and for a long time the hostages are their own worst problem. Then they go exploring the murky depths of the hospital and boy, does the exposition begin. But the exposition never makes any sense, and to this day I'm still totally in the dark about who all the hooded figures walking around were.

I like my horror cerebral if it's done well, but if it's not, then I'd prefer something dumber but actually scary.

Grade: C-

I am shocked, seen too many "80s feel" horror, or so called, which are either poorly filmed or the acting is painful.

Just heard about this and thought "oh not another" but happy to say this is very good, its not going to win any Oscars for acting, the script is not Shakespeare, but what it try's to do it does well.

The practical effects for the most part are great, The Thing/Hellraiser type, on a very low budget.

Story is in realm of Hellraiser/Phantasm/Event Horizon, seen those? you will get my drift.

Its ending does leave questions, but also left me wanting to know more, and I would happily watch a second film if they stick to this way of making them, maybe a bit more money spent but keep away from CGI.

Overall I am impressed, they should be applauded for going old school and doing it well.

I attended a screening of The Void at the Nevermore film festival in Durham, NC. It was a remarkable throwback to classic John Carpenter-style films. I hesitate to list too many details about it, since the feel of the film is very much like a nightmare that might be spoiled if you go in knowing how it turns out. I can say that the creature designs were some of the best I've seen on film in recent years. The feel of the film reminded me a great deal of Silent Hill, perhaps because it shares a lot of the same influences.

My few criticisms have to do with the screenplay. The filmmakers do a good job of leaving some mystery, but there's a bit of exposition I felt like I missed that would explain why some of the people take the actions they do. Even so, that didn't detract from the film enough for me to stop enjoying it. It's a minor miracle how nice the film looks given its low budget. The production design was just outstanding. Considering how ambitious the feature is, I think missing the mark by a bit in certain areas is forgivable.

I'm floored by the poor reception this movie got. It's a loving throwback to horror classics with modern polish, clearly influenced by HP Lovecraft and body horror classics like Hellraiser and The Thing. If you like "classic" horror - i.e., horror before CGI and jump scares replaced practical effects and slow dread - you owe it to yourself to watch this movie.

It does drag a little bit at the end, but the opening and middle are fantastic. I would have given this movie a 10/10 if the denouement had been done more efficiently. But honestly, it's very watchable right up to the credits.

This movie has some of the best damn body horror I have EVER seen, period. I don't know how much of it was accomplished by practical effects, but it does seem like a lot. The acting is mostly good, and the pacing, while slower than most modern horror movies, is brisk enough that I didn't get bored.

I really wish horror movies like this were still getting made.

As much as one might try to watch each movie unconditioned, unprejudiced and ready to judge it for what it is, it's really hard to tackle a title such us the void and not to expect another B horror movie filled with cliché and disastrous acting. Luckily, it takes but a few minutes to realize "The void" is something else, a bold take on cult movies with a very limited budget.

If there's something "The void" stands out for, that's its Lovecraftianish feel. You've got the cult, got the creatures, got the parallel dimension, got the eerie atmosphere that spans through the whole film, with a story that tells you just enough to keep you hooked and, at the same time, unaware of what it's going on. Sure, it's got its holes, and contradictions, and its unexplained events, as is to be expected of any indie flick mimicking a Lovecraft universe, but the film is so well paced and the action so packed, you can't but overlook them and let you drown in the thick nightmare and the gore fest.

With acting performance that don't let down (except for a few exceptions -ahem, Ellen Wong-) and a solid music score, "The void" won't win big awards or be labeled as movie of the year, but it's probably one of the most pleasant surprises 2017 will bring us, we who long longed for a flick drinking from 80s classics such us The thing or Reanimator.