Condemned

I've seen some ridiculously bad movies in the past (some were so bad that they got me pretty angry,) but this isn't one of them. I'm not saying it's good either though.

First thing I'd like to mention: I hear a lot of people comparing this movie to 'REC' and its American remake 'Quarantine'. (One reviewer even went as far to say that it was almost as bad as 'The Sand'; a movie I felt was quite charming and at times admittedly nonsensical, but still good. I digress...) I feel 'Condemned' has more in common with David Cronenberg's deeply disturbing 1975 film, 'Shivers'; that and movies like 'The Driller Killer', 'Street Trash', and almost anything from Troma Entertainment.

The special effects and makeup weren't bad, and I found the bizarre residents and their eventual changes to be amusing (albeit gross). Other than that, the lighting wasn't that great at times, characters, dialogue and scenes needed some more development, and there needed to be some explanation for some of the stuff that happened.

If I could, I'd give this film a 5.5 out of 10. If you're easily squeamish, don't bother watching it. If not and you're into any of the movies I mentioned, you might enjoy seeing it just once.

This movie has a subtle message. Through the grimy pipes, spewing pus and cringing stomachs something stands out. It's not aloof or pretentious but still worthy. "Sapere Aude" says the crimson typeface splattered above the pee stained floor; naivety seeks the all knowing book. Words and thoughts of more than the gruesome torture of the mundane. The grimy existence of outcasts an appealing escape. Stories told through a network of interconnected pipes that echo with the ugliness shown behind closed doors. Teetering on the edge of insanity is the mind left to roam. Running only delays the inevitable. Isolation once sacred becomes helplessness anew. Is not entertainment without art?

With every kind of body fluid and some other gross fluids dripping around, this film is a total gross out flick. Very weak story and acting, everything is quite chaotic and little is explained. Definitely cant recommend this sloppy mess unless you love gross films.

This horror film takes place in New York where a condemned building is actually home to junkies, cookers and all kinds of wonderful people who want to be off the grid and not pay rent. Something isn't right in this building as we see toxic waste being dumped into the sewers from the guy making drugs as well as all other disgusting fluids being added in the pipes from contributing tenants. The result of these combinations are creating tumors at first then things get worse.

At first you think you're watching a drama about really screwed up people living together under the rug so to speak. It then takes a 180 turn when people full of pus oozing sores and yellow goop running out their mouths start killing each other because once they are infected it takes a bit to kill them. You start to see the Troma inspired Toxie as well as a Slime City (1988) feel in this one but really well done. One scene has a junkie girl trying to put her boyfriends entrails back in so they can go back upstairs to get high. If you can handle projectile vomits and people melting from the inside out you'll like this one.

Nothing really new here just some so toxic fun so watch what you put down your drain.

The first part of the movie is pretty neat and weird. With it's own dark atmosphere which is great and entertaining, stands out in the crowd. But it goes south really fast. In the half way through the movie and the fun and eerie part becomes collage-grade-bad-special-effects slasher flick in the dorms. What a loss.

I don't understand where's the need to do the same thing that everyone in the horror film industry has already done before. If you don't have the budget stick to the story. If you have no story entertain with good effects. They had such a good beginning with pure weirdness that temps you to take a shower after watching this - and that is rare find these days.