Wicked Little Things

I thought Wicked Little Things was a really good movie, in my honest opinion. I will say at some parts it seemed really unbelievable, and at others it seemed as if there was just not enough thought put into the actions of the characters, as it became mediocre, but overall it was exciting and entertaining with a nice premise, even though many commenters thought it was boring. I do not understand why so many comments are bashing this movie when other B-movies that are most definitely not better get much more recognition and praise. It's an excellent movie overall, and nothing more or less. Wicked Little Things provides great entertainment and mostly did not have many major flaws at all other than, like I said, being mediocre because of production value.

This is definitely worth a look, because you will not be disappointed with the outcome, regardless of what other comments may have you believe and if you know what you are looking for and getting into. Wicked Little Things is one of the best 1st Annual Afterdark Horrorfest films, and compared to a lot of other films in the 8 Films to Die For series, this is one of the best overall. As a movie, it's a darn good one, even though it's of course no masterpiece. It's just fun, and I am glad I own it.

This is definitely the biggest surprise of the festival so far and without a doubt the best the festival has had to offer. I went into this film with little to no expectations after learning that the director was responsible for the awful vampire flick The Forsaken. and I left pleasantly surprised. The film stars Lori heuring of In Crowd fame as a young mother whose husband has just passed. She moves into an old family home in the mountains with her two daughters next to a mine that is a gravesite to overworked children back in the day. Unlucky for them the children return with a vengeance killing and eating everyone in their path. The film works on many levels. It's well done, suspenseful, it has spots of good cinematography and capable performances by Compton especially. The atmosphere is spooky yet slightly underwhelming, the score is decent and the makeup effects are gruesome and simplistic. The film keeps up a creepy and unsettling tone and the kids themselves with pale skin, torn up lips and hollow eyes are pretty scary and unrelenting. The film is original and inventive without being to artsy or complicated. I can't see this film making it into a wide release without some trimming and slight fine tuning. But they definitely have a good product on there hands and should pursue some type of theatrical distribution. However the theatre in which i saw it in was horrible. The sound was dreadfully messed up which i felt took away from the film majorly and it stopped in the middle because they couldn't center it on the screen which killed the mood a bit. All in all though it was the most satisfying of horrorfests entries maybe because it had the least expectations but nonetheless was a welcome addition to genre films.

A young widow and her two daughters move to a new house in a Pennsylvanian mountain town. Soon, her daughter's imaginary friend starts to let the family know she's just a little too real.

This movie was enjoyable. I liked the characters (especially the older daughter and the neighbor Hanks) and the situations. The atmosphere was perfect and dark, as one would expect from a movie about zombies roaming through the woods. And the pacing was decent, revealing the story in a good speed.

The gore was decent: not over-the-top, but not ignored. Entrails are eaten and heads are smashed in. Sure, it's not as cool as "Necromantic" or "Anthropophagus", but it's alright. (Actually, since most of the film was so blah and standard fare, this Goldilocks level of gore should be no surprise.) Some blood scenes were welcome and I could have used more.

But this film is also riddled with countless clichés. An imaginary friend who might be real. Single mom with daughters moves to new town. Vehicles that won't start. Tripping in the middle of a running scene. I could probably go on.

Some good can be said. Chloe Moretz is really blossoming into a supreme actress, and this early work deserves to be seen. Scout Taylor-Compton is another genre favorite. And the DVD has audio commentary with director J. S. Cardone and actress Lori Heuring (though I haven't listened to it yet), so that's an extra treat for those who do enjoy the film.

I found the movie too "polished": the target seemed to be Hollywood and teenage girls, rather than those who would go to see a film festival called "8 Films to Die For" (which is where I saw this). The dirty, gritty scenes were just too clean. Sure, the movie was dark... but dark in a very sanitary way. (There are better ways to word this, but I don't know what they are.) If you don't see this film, that's fine. More than likely it will fade into the background and within a few years won't even be found on video store shelves. You'll see it on Netflix and be like "what is this?", but don't bother ordering it... for all the film lacks, it will probably lack even more in a few years as it becomes stale (if it hasn't already).

If you are looking for a really scary movie, this is not the case. I am always amazed how some directors/producers thinks cliché + dark locations results in good terror movies when it is not so easy.

The plot of this movie is not too much imaginative (working kids of a mining complex in the 1900's are killed in an explosion and seeks revenge against the descendants of the mine's owner. A windows with her two girls goes to the house near the mine and you know the rest of it).

Dialogues are weak, actors are so so, no fx at all, poor characterization and just a little tension all along the movie, none really scary moment and a dull ending.

If you're looking for a light terror movies for watching in a lazy Wednesday night or with friends just for fun of watching a terror movie with your buddies, this is the right choice.

Wicked Little Things sets itself up to be a decently tense little thriller - but it's unimaginative execution of little kids killed in the mines back in the day just doesn't pull through. Think B grade Hallmark Horror.