altsgrd

Usually action/zombie-horror movies are not very high on my list. Frankly they tend to be rather similar and often focus solely on superficial action sequences. Not my taste personally, but I have to admit... I was WRONG to generalize. "Train to Busan" left me speechless.

"Train to Busan" is one of the most immersive movie experiences I have had in a long time. It absolutely shines when it comes to acting, character development and the drama that unfolds from characters interaction. A very peculiar thing to say about an action movie packed with relentless zombies, I know.

In this zombie flick the zombies actually take a back seat to the drama which is primarily due to a wonderful performance from child actress Kim Su-an, main character Gong Yoo and a heartfelt father-daughter dynamic.

Don't get me wrong. This is not drama disguised as action - the action is absolutely there. In truth the script is not that complex. Get from Point A to Point B while avoiding zombies. But the journey itself is literally a thrill ride full of tension, action, special effects, great cinematography, and the most aggressive zombies I have ever seen. It will keep you at the edge of your seat, don't you worry.

It's just that the acting and character development - especially the main character arc - is so good, that it is almost surprising since we're usually not treated to that in the action genre. I found myself very emotionally invested in the main characters and I dare say you should be a special kind of person not to be.

Highly recommended!

Rugna's execution of this (I believe, original) possession story is thrilling and deeply disturbing. Though the story started to crack towards the end, I'd say "When Evil Lurks" delivers one of the best horror experiences I've had in a long time - I absolutely loved it!

In a nutshell; the movie is about two brothers who realize that something evil is threatening to destroy their town and they must try to save their family.

"When Evil Lurks" doesn't make use of random jumpscares or unnecessary violence. Its' approach to horror is much more raw and gritty, and it successfully creates tension with the "unknown" evil element - something that a lot of movies try to do but fall short of.

The story was contained and appropriate to the setting, and although it wasn't particularly complex, Rugna took his time to deepen the backstory of the characters which gave them enough dimension for us to relate and sympathize. Very well balanced in my opinion. Sadly the story couldn't quite stick the landing, which is not uncommon for supernatural tales, but had it been able to, I dare say this movie would've had it all.

What I especially appreciated - as an avid horror viewer - was the movie's shock value. The scene with the dog had me in disbelief. It was obvious what was about to happen, but to actually go there - I rewinded several times. Similarly the son's quick side-eye look towards the end... horrifically eerie... I have no words. Masterfully done!

I very much recommend this movie!

I'm sure it's no surprise that Sweeney was the reason why I decided to press play on this particular horror flick. I wanted to see if there was a new horror actress to look out for, but although she absolutely carries this movie, Sweeney does not reach the heights of some of her fellow female horror colleagues.

I'll admit, I like Sweeney from the Euphoria series, and I was impressed that she dusted off this old script and made it possible as a producer/actress, but I also have to wonder... how many of these "The Catholic Church has a secret" stories do we really need?

Personally I wasn't thrilled with how similar "Immaculate" felt to recent movies like "The Nun 2" and "The First Omen" but at least the latter had a bit more to offer.

"Immaculate" felt like it was trying to force itself into the horror category even though it would've probably been better off as a drama/thriller. It felt extremely rushed; it wasn't particularly scary and the way it addressed this was by throwing in a few inconsequential jumpscares in lieu atmospheric tension. The result was fairly dull in my opinion.

Sadly, "Immaculate" doesn't really bring anything to the table, that you wouldn't be able to find done better in other movies. Sweeney's performance is fine although it doesn't reach any noticeable height until the very end.

I sincerely hope to see Sweeney in future horror movies though as I think her "innocent" style of acting fits the franchise well, but as for whether "Immaculate" is worth your time, I would have to say no.