To Become One

I expected this to be a standard slasher film with teenagers, but was very surprised. About half way through the film, it takes a left turn into the really bizarre territory of mind control. My friends and I watched this, trying to predict who the murderer was, but found this was a film we could not predict. The concept is very original and creepy. I cannot say more as it will give too much of the plot away. Watch it in the dark and expect something new. i read about the making of this film in American Fangoria mag. Apparently the budget was only $2000, but it looks like it cost a million or so. Well directed and well acted all around. I would recommend this to someone who likes horror with a twist.

I don't watch a lot of horror movies and those ones that I do, have to be exceptional in some way. And this was one of those.

This movie is not one of your run of the mill teenage slasher fests – it is something more. It was thought provoking and original. This movie kept me on the edge of my seat from the very first minute. Trying to work out who the murderer was – then trying to work out why and then the amazing twist that left me totally dumbfounded.

I read about this movie in a 4 page article in the magazine devoted to all things horror - Fangoria (# 215, the August 2002 issue). The article was about 2 of Neil Johnson's movies – this one and "The Demons in My Head". I quite enjoyed John's review of Demons which I have also seen. To read John's review of Demons click on the hyperlink at the bottom of this page.

What I want to know is, how could this movie – a movie made with these incredible production values – values that make this movie look like it was made for several million dollars – have only cost $2,000 to make? which is less than 1/10 the cost of the Blair Witch project! The Fangoria article does give some idea – but I still can't believe that anyone could have done it. It would appear that only someone with almost 2 decades in the business would have the contacts and the know-how to do it! The Fangoria article also describes how Neil Johnson on "To Become One" also wrote, directed and then took over the duties of Director of Photography and Production Manager! I believe that this multi-talented director also did all the post-production work as well. With all the difficulties of the production as described in Fangoria – he has produced an imaginative and thought provoking production of unparalleled quality.

I thought that John's review of this movie was brilliant – this review truly reflected my impressions of this movie.

And although Chrisie's review was rather negative (did she really say that Peter Jackson came from Australia? – I'm surprised that she was unaware of Peter Jackson's very proud New Zealand origins and it sort of puts the rest of the information she used in doubt), Chrisie did actually give a fairly good précis of what the movie was about when she said that "Melinda is an uncannily unlucky teen." But the rest of her review, for me, is way off the mark.

I think that Neil Johnson's words from Fangoria say it all … "As a director, I think it is important to move the audience with emotion. 'To Become One' leaves the viewer feeling eerie, and hopefully a little haunted. Where we have become dead to so many darker emotions, this film succeeds as being totally creepy, and for that I am proud."

My feelings exactly.

This film highlights the dangers of camcorders. Whereas even the likes of awful low budget grade-Z directors like Ed Wood.Jr (Plan 9 from Outer Space, etc) had to be able to afford big, heavy equipment like cameras, lighting, etc, now anyone with a cheapish camcorder and some friends can make a lousy film!

This should be made compulsory viewing as an example at how not to make a movie. It starts off as a slasher genre like 'Friday the 13th', etc and then moves into 'One flew over the cuckoo's nest', or 'Snakepit' psycho babble terroriser and even Jim Jones suicide death cult! A complete inept mess. Don't confuse a jumble of bad ideas for original concepts.

The acting is terrible, gurning rules here, all Jim Carrey facial distortions, the directing is all over the shop and the script seems to be from about half a dozen different ones.

It only ran for nearly 90 minutes but it seemed so much longer....

To Become One is a Tomb of Terrors film from down under! It's an interesting idea sloppily executed. It starts out as a slasher than turns into a hospital/cult horror drama with a sort of reverse Basket Case scenario only without the deformed twin. The ending in a cave gets stabby. Overlong and poorly made though with an interesting idea. There's worse on the Tomb of Terrors box set.

I didn't watch To Become One determined to hate it. I never take that approach to watching a movie. It seemed interesting enough, and regardless of its low budget I was intrigued to see what it would do with it. After watching, I did think the premise was good and the main lead actress was not bad at all. But... I didn't like the rest of the movie at all. It is very amateurish, with the lighting far too dark in places and the constant switching from colour to black and white and vice versa was distracting, if this was an attempt to be innovative it was a very clumsy one. The camera shots did nothing to enhance the mood- rather obvious too often actually- and are so choppy and darkly lit that some of what is happening in the movie is incomprehensible from a visual standpoint. The writing is muddled and just doesn't have any kind of natural flow. Never once is there anything convincing or memorable. The story is even more of a mess. Much of the first half had me bored, and the film itself seems to have no idea whatsoever what it wants to be as well as being very heavy handed, which also manages to be handled clumsily. The first half is like slasher horror, this didn't work as there is a complete lack of suspense, so much predictability in the storytelling, the gore is very artificial-looking and choppily shot. At no time was I biting my nails or particularly drawn in to what was happening. The second half switches to a more psychological approach, and this may have worked if there were any characters to care about and had any compelling storytelling. The characters instead are annoying, constantly infuriating the audience with their ridiculous actions, and everything just seems so contrived. Apart from the lead girl, the acting can do nothing with their characters or dialogue, which is a real waste. In conclusion, far from one of the worst movies I've seen but one that I didn't like at all. 2/10 Bethany Cox