Styria

'Styria' is a very different kind of vampire film. In fact, its so different, I didn't realize it was a vampire film until the halfway mark.

It is a slow-paced, character-driven movie. Dr Hill (Stephen Rea) has been granted access to murals in an old castle. Tagging along, is his young daughter, Lara (Eleanor Tomlinson). She has a back story, but it is not clearly defined or explored, and I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to root for her. She is suicidal, but unconvincing - not sure if the character or the acting is to blame; probably a bit of both.

Sitting in the forest, a car speeds past Lara, crashing into a tree. A young woman emerges and starts running. Another person in the car (who is not shown) tries to run her over, but then drives away, leaving the woman dirty and petrified. This is Carmilla (Julia Pietrucha). Lara decides to help the girl, and takes her to the castle. She doesn't tell her Dad, who is incredibly ignorant in not noticing her. Carmilla keeps coming back every night, and the girls wander into the forest for a bit of adventure.

The two girls soon bond and there's lesbian inclinations, but - as with everything else in this movie - it is not well explored. From the beginning one notices something weird about Carmilla, but the viewer is kept guessing almost until the third act. While the film has some eerie moments, most of these moments are diminished when the girls start chattering.

The narration and the plot are uneven. Moments in the film looks like it is more suited for medieval times, and personally I think it would have worked better had it been set in another time. It doesn't work so well in present time.

Ultimately, I found the film a bit on the boring side. I don't think I'm going to remember this. There are far better vampire movies out there.

Lots of potential but no PUNCH. It does not follow through. The actors seem to be sleep walking through their roles. Probably fault of the director. Completely unsatisfying ending. Filled with clichés and scenes that done better in other movies. I kept thinking the movie was finally going to make the viewer jump but did not. Ultimately not worth the time or effort.

An occasionally wooden Stephen Rea plays studious Dr. Hill, whose daughter Lara (Eleanor Tomlinson) glares at people from beneath thickly made-up eyelids: she listens to Joy Division and attempts, in quiet moments, to self-harm (Lara's mum suffered from post-natal depression and committed suicide). During one such time, she witnesses a car crash, in which another young girl is ejected. That her name is Carmilla should get alarm bells ringing. Carmilla (Julia Petruchia) is bewitching and, as you might imagine, somewhat sinister.

'Angel of Darkness', or 'Styria' as it is sometimes known, is a retelling of the Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu vampire story that pre-dates even 'Dracula', but that's not to say interesting new things aren't done with the theme of vampire seduction.

Directors Mauricio Chernovetzky and Mark Devendorf really lay on the atmosphere here, from the beautifully decaying Hungarian castle in which Hill is hurriedly conducting his experiments in the short amount of time available to him, to the wonderfully gothic surrounding gardens and woodlands. This is a modestly budgeted film - in fact I understand it was completed thanks to a Crowdfunding campaign - but it looks superb throughout, with the effective scares taking second place to rich ambience.

The two girls tread that line between mischievous and dangerous, but so skillfully are they played, they never come across as bratty which would be the case in less talented hands.

Sluggish in places it may be, but this is a highly enjoyable excursion into rich, atmospheric horror and provides a very worthwhile and enjoyable new take on the Carmilla story. My score is 8 out of 10.

For shame!!! I can honestly say that if it wasn't for those two suspicious film "reviews" (who both seem to coincidentally promote Hulu) that were heaping unending words of praise and wonderment for this "film", I would have let this snooze-fest pass me by without allowing it to steal any more time from me than it already has; however, every time I see a fake review, I get so angry so as to allow that emotion to motivate to write my own. At least this way, people have access to at least one review not promulgated by a shill or anyone else with a pecuniary interest in promoting a film.

So I felt as though the story was lacking in any substance which kept my interest. Characters underdeveloped, nothing in the plot which got me to care what happens next. In fact, the only redeeming part of this endeavour was Stephen Rea, although methinks that he is the type of actor who always shines no matter where he's put. Long story short, I quit watching about halfway through. So to be fair, it is possible that the last half of the film could have been the greatest cinematographic event of a lifetime, but I wasn't in the mood to stick around and find out.

Made by Foreign Directors, Mauricio Chernovetzky, Mark Devendorf, in a Foreign Land, this Update of Carmella looks and Feels Foreign when Compared to Stateside Movies of its Type.

It is Better because of it. The Film is Dark, Dank, and Depressingly Decaying with its use of a Remote Castle in a Far Away Land of an Era Gone by. The Good Cast also Lend some Eeriness to the Proceedings.

The Organic Sets, that needed No Embellishment, and the Classic Story of a Lesbian Vampire is right at Home in the Undergrowth. The Movie always seems Disconnected from Modern Times, even though the Soundtrack, the Troubled Teen, and other things are Distinctively Today.

More like a Crack in Space-Time Existing Simultaneously. This lends the Film an Other Worldly Template that befits the Gothic Subject Matter. It Echoes Universal and Hammer Horror at Times.

The Third Act opens up to some Serious Bloodletting and the Storytelling may Lose a bit Over the Course of the Movie. But, Overall it is an Oddity of a Film that is surely Worth a Watch for Vampire, and Horror Movie Fans in general.

Others Might Even Enjoy it because it is Anything but Typical.

Note...Also known as "Angels of Darkness".