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A REVIEW OF A FILM, NONE BUT THE DELUDED APPEAR TO HAVE WATCHED

Before I launch into my diatribe, allow me to make a few observations about myself. It's relevant!

Many years back, I contributed a plethora of reviews to IMDB - mainly pre-Amazon ownership. I ceased writing them, on account of the insane vitriolic feedback I increasingly was receiving - principally from one-dimensional, uneducated, class A morons, who objected to my comments and assessments. The confrontational abuse I could tolerate - the sheer cranial and awareness limitation of these fruitcakes - I couldn't!

Back in the 70's and 80's I was a film critic for a major Australian newspaper as well as several magazines. They didn't hire me for my incompetence or skewed opinions of film generally. Sure, I have opinions, like everyone else, but they are based on considered observation, not knee-jerk adrenaline-flow.

Before I offer any critique of "Halloween Ends" I want to admonish the many reviewers who have lodged idiotic ratings of "ones" and "twos" for this film......clearly voting with their emotions and not with any intelligence. Ratings of three and below should be reserved for films of no merit whatsoever - amateurish direction, acting, cinematography, editing, FX and script. Films such as "Shark Exorcist," "Dracula 3000," "Anaconda 3: Offspring," "Beware the Blob," "Adam & Evil," "Alien 2: On Earth," "The Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf," and so many Asylum movies. "Halloween Ends," may not have been what you wanted or expected, but neither is it a work that plumbs the depths of unconscionably bad film making. A movie rating should not take into account or even be influenced by, one's personal dislike of it. Many of the comments "It wasn't even Haddonfield," "Michael Myers only had a cameo in it," "Barely nothing happened the whole film," "It was unfathomable," "Acting is horrendous," "The worst Halloween movie ever made," are totally incorrect. For starters "Halloween: Resurrection," remains by far the worst of the franchise.

Whilst I do agree that the relationship between Allyson and Cory was both mismatched and bordering the insane, totally flatlining Allyson's integrity, inner strength and common sense, as we understood it to be, Rohan Campbell's performance as Cory was truly outstanding. Their relationship however is the whole cause of the hatred unleashed at this film. You all wanted to see Michael striding around Haddonfield one last time - slashing, stabbing, mutilating - all the things he does best! I must admit - I did too, but I respect David Gordon Green's attempts at taking an alternate route. This was the first Halloween film to show us a real story (however misplaced ultimately) outside of the Michael Myers universe. If you had all just tried to go WITH IT, instead of jacking up about what you figured you should be watching, you might have seen a different movie.

Allow me to quote the words of an internet film critic who wrote just recently, "Green made some bold choices (and in doing so) ultimately delivered some of the best Halloween content we've ever seen!" I totally agree. A shame 98% of you didn't notice that!

This was by no means a great film but nor was it the 'loser' so many of you want to believe it was.

Now here's a minor curiosity. Not a film to adjudge as you watch it. Rather, one to ponder and to write about in the cool light of reflection. It is neither the scourge of film-making as many believe, nor the misunderstood gem others would wishfully crave.

Personally I found it "interesting" for the most part, which itself indicates something of the director's intentions were clumsily achieved.

Jaimie Alexander, whose greatest achievement prior to this little flick was playing young "Tammy" in a TV semi-doco entitled "Underage Drinking: A National Concern," portrays the hapless Nicole Carrow, who absconds with her boyfriend Jess, unrealistically hoping to set themselves up in Hollywood somewhere.

She selects quite the wrong rest-stop so far as the call of Nature is concerned. Just how much of what follows transpires in the "real time" remains at the behest of the individual viewer. Whether the director was aiming for "Wrong Turn 3" or "Texas Chainsaw Massacre 4: Jess Loses His tongue" is unclear. What he hands us here is a near psychedelic re-working of "Jeepers Creepers III: Mystery of the Pick-Up"

Alexander acts herself into a frenzy. Shame the script wasn't up to it. Yet something intrinsically fascinating draws the viewer to gaze upon her increasingly manic behavior with the work-ethic of a mongoose.

The scenes with the unfortunate bike-cop border on lunacy, yet one is drawn to the girl's plight, wondering sadly "Why the Hell didn't she just return to the highway in the first place and flag someone down?"

So like I said. A film one might extract some appreciation from - however small.

Slavish followers of my former cinematic ravings (such ARE out there!) may wonder why my reviews came to a grinding halt in 2005. The simple fact is that I tired of the abusive and sub-intellectual feedback that they generated. The fact that films were being regurgitated additionally, on a brain-dead assembly-line-of-remakes, soured my inclination to comment further. The days of "Midnight Cowboy," "Jacob's Ladder," "Goodbye Mr. Chips," "Blade Runner" and their ilk, long dead, I deduced.

Last night I watched "The Risen." It affected me sufficiently that I harbored the desire to comment on it. Is it a masterpiece? nope! What it IS though is another interesting Canadian flick that transcends its limited budget...a trait exhibited by "Ginger Snaps" before it. What we have here is basically a "displaced soul" concept, that leaves crap like "The Unborn" floundering in its cosmic amniotic fluid.

Suffice to say, Amanda Knowles is rendered operable upon, courtesy of an ectopic pregnancy. When she awakes, she recalls nothing, including her husband. This is not necessarily a bad thing, given Darren Knowles considerable total lack of appeal, one ponders. From this point on, her life becomes a real-time nightmare, helped not one jot by her inexplicable fascination for a young student at her husband's upmarket college of learning.

T'would be churlish of me to comment further except to say that despite having the outcome telegraphed early, the very last line of this film will probably upset...in a heart-warming fashion, the aware viewer.

Alberta Watson gives us a very believable characterization, as does the always reliable Helen Shaver as her sister Lynn.

Interesting also that the film was co-executive-produced by Anthony Ginnane who gave us the equally offbeat "Men with Guns" and the minor Aussie classic "Sally Marshall is not an Alien."