Unrest

Cori English is a new med student working with cadavers who feels there's something strange about the body of a young woman the med students have to dissect. She senses the woman has a back story that involves something evil and with the help of a medical colleague (SCOT DAVIS), she goes about an investigation.

So much for the logic of the plotting before things begin to happen that make no sense whatsoever. The horror depends on whether you're frightened of the undead aspect of the story--supposedly featuring real cadavers for the medical sequences. When the most sympathetic and respectful student dealing with the dead is murdered, you have to wonder what the deal is.

The most professional member of the cast is DERRICK O'CONNOR as Dr. Blackwell, with SCOT DAVIS running a close second. Cori English is a bland leading lady as the investigative med student but the rest of the cast is adequate enough for this low-key horror film.

Summing up: Even a few surprising twists can't save a poorly scripted suspenser. No rational explanation can save the back story about spirits--some nonsense about sacrificial rites to an Aztec God--from being more than a little illogical.

"Unrest" is a film that I had heard about through the horror film community, and I was truly excited about the project. Film-maker Jason Todd Ipson had a decent following, and the buzz about him and this film, was boiling over... When opportunity knocked, I purchased the movie and anticipated an evening of pure terror. First, I must say that the cinematography looks great. Ipson has a keen eye for what makes a scene creepy, with a top-notch lighting scheme and brooding camera angles. The acting is well above average, with solid performances from the entire cast. Yet, the concept is the part that drew me in... The idea of a group on med students whom unearth the dark past of one of their cadavers is both original and scary. Ipson corralled all the right elements, but falls short with the screenplay, which seems to sputter and stall before any real horror transpires. As a whole, I think it has it's merits, and Mr. Ipson should have a promising future.

Unrest focuses on a young girl (very hot young girl) named Alison who is a med student assigned to doing biopsies in the name of education. The problem is the person she is about to work on dabbled into some occult issues and now her soul is not at rest. I really hate when that happens don't you!!! All I can say is as you will see me say about a lot of films at this fest is missed opportunity. This movie had the potential to be a very effective and creepy movie but in the end turns out to be a shallow example of what could have been done with the subject matter at hand. You will see lots of dead bodies in this film, unfortunately they are that way not by a benevolent spirit ripping people to shreds but because we are dealing with a medical school and cadaver carving is part of the studies.

Not to say we do not get some kills as we do and sometimes the film does seem like it may take us to a freaky place but unfortunately it never gets to where you would like it and ends up turning into a by the numbers modern day hodgepodge of ideas. I really was into this movie for the first half but by the time we get to anything really interesting going on (despite the very interesting beginning sequences) most people will have more than likely checked out.

I would have to say that this is a prime example of a rental title. To see this at a theater I felt cheated but to have seen this at home it would not have been all that bad. In the end I give Unrest the infamous: 5/10: Average. It has its ups and downs and a hot lead but even that cannot save it from middle of the road horror. Rental material for all those interested, just do not expect anything great!!!

One of the "8 Films To Die For" that was part of the After Dark Horror Film Festival in November 2006, "Unrest" boasts a unique idea for a story. The film centers around a group of medical students, mainly Allison (Corri English). She groups up with a few guys in her new anatomy class to begin dissection on a cadaver. She is a little grossed out by the entire thing, and begins feeling an uncomfortable presence when around the corpse, which appears to be a woman who was either murdered or killed herself. Of course, nobody thinks anything of Allison's strange feelings around the corpse, and dismiss it as her being a little paranoid, since it is her first time working with a cadaver. But they soon believe her when strange things start happening around the school. And those who came in contact with the cadaver begin to die one by one. But why? The identity of the body may hold the secret, and it's up to Allison to find out.

I went in seeing this film with fairly low expectations, so I wasn't too horribly disappointed with it. I actually thought the movie had a great story, and it was at least a step in the right direction, and different from most of today's horror films. Working with human cadavers has got to be a little eerie anyway, and adding on a supernatural layer to it all is really clever. The only problem here is the story becomes a little wishy-washy as the movie progresses. It started off pretty well and was good for the first thirty minutes or so, but it soon began going downhill, which was a real disappointment considering the potential that it had. The opening shot is really spooky - that woman's strange facial expressions and her staring eyes gave me chills. But the entire history behind her character is where this movie really falls flat. It's disorganized and becomes too muddled. Most of her story is told through character dialog that lasts about five seconds, and some things are more unclear than they should be. I wish they had elaborated on her background more, because it could have been a really creepy story.

Like most of these low-budget indie horror flicks, the cast isn't huge in names, which isn't a bad thing. I didn't recognize the cast members, but I thought the acting was pretty decent. Corri English was the leading lady and she was pretty good - convincing enough in her role. As far as horror clichés go, there weren't too many which was surprising. There are a few silly moments though, especially the entire formaldehyde-tank swimming sequences, which were a little overdone if you ask me. Can you even swim in that stuff anyway? It seems like it would be toxic to your body. I won't pick it to pieces though, you just have to take it for what it is.

Overall, "Unrest" is a decent horror movie that sets out what it aims to do - entertain. The film went downhill a little as it progressed and the story needed some work, but it was a watchable movie with a few nice thrills and an interesting (albeit different) storyline. If you enjoy supernatural-themed horror movies, this wouldn't be a bad rental - you could do much worse. 6/10.

This is a solid little low budget horror film with enough tension, humor and gore to keep the horror movie fans entertained. There are strong performances from some recognizable up and comers, including the two leads.

The story is about a female med student who tries to uncover the past of her gross anatomy class cadaver as terror invades the halls of the school. The med student is an atheist, and yet she senses things about the cadaver that lead her to question her own beliefs about spirits, and drive her to find out the truth behind the woman's death.

As she closes in on the truth, the murders increase, making the audience wonder if the cause is really supernatural or if another student or staff member is behind it all.

There are some nice little "gotchya" moments that make you embarrassed that you jumped out of your seat. And some funny scenes when you understand why it's called "gross" anatomy.