nickallford-05327
Joined Apr 2017
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nickallford-05327's rating
The beauty of the slasher subgenre is that they don't always have to be good movies to be great movies. Performances can be hokey, FX can be cheap and silly, the plot can be ridiculous, and it all still adds up to a great viewing experience. Well-executed slashers and the ones that wildly miss the mark can be just as entertaining as the other.
With an "intense" Texas Chainsaw style poster, where does Fear Pharm land? The poster is and isn't a mislead. The movie IS about a strange family that is hunting and abducting teens for their own twisted reason. The movie isn't nearly as intense as the best Texas Chainsaw movies, and it does try to be a bit lighter and intentionally add some comic elements. Nowhere near the pitch-black comedy of Tobe Hooper's original or the OTT style of its sequel though. For me the humour didn't land. This is mostly since it makes the cardinal slasher sin of all the main group of teens being obnoxious. They also make several "meta" horror movies references in their early interactions ("Are we done with the expositional dialogue?") which makes sense in a Scream movie or Cabin In The Woods because it's part of the larger story. Here it is because one of the teens is an actor for some reason. A role that serves no further function in the plot. It's difficult to have fun with characters when they are so unlikable.
There's a similar problem when it comes to the villainous family. With the Sawyers from Texas Chainsaw or the Firefly clan from House of 1000 Corpses, the audience could delight in how wonderfully depraved these people are. Apart from their costumes there is nothing particularly interesting about the Fear Pharm family, and at times I found myself wishing I was having as much fun watching as the actors clearly were playing their roles.
Fear Pharm does get down to business quickly, opening with the traditional slasher tropes of gore and nudity and there's a fun but very brief sequence (the only highlight for me) involving a cheerleader being chased through a corn field by two clowns in an ice-cream truck with a harpoon gun! I wish the rest of the movie was as insane as the end of that sentence. And that's the problem. Fear Pharm is not an extremely well-executed slasher, nor is it bonkers and wild enough to still be a really good time. Sadly, my worst fear was realised with this one. That I'm watching a movie from my most beloved sub-genre that I can't recommend.
With an "intense" Texas Chainsaw style poster, where does Fear Pharm land? The poster is and isn't a mislead. The movie IS about a strange family that is hunting and abducting teens for their own twisted reason. The movie isn't nearly as intense as the best Texas Chainsaw movies, and it does try to be a bit lighter and intentionally add some comic elements. Nowhere near the pitch-black comedy of Tobe Hooper's original or the OTT style of its sequel though. For me the humour didn't land. This is mostly since it makes the cardinal slasher sin of all the main group of teens being obnoxious. They also make several "meta" horror movies references in their early interactions ("Are we done with the expositional dialogue?") which makes sense in a Scream movie or Cabin In The Woods because it's part of the larger story. Here it is because one of the teens is an actor for some reason. A role that serves no further function in the plot. It's difficult to have fun with characters when they are so unlikable.
There's a similar problem when it comes to the villainous family. With the Sawyers from Texas Chainsaw or the Firefly clan from House of 1000 Corpses, the audience could delight in how wonderfully depraved these people are. Apart from their costumes there is nothing particularly interesting about the Fear Pharm family, and at times I found myself wishing I was having as much fun watching as the actors clearly were playing their roles.
Fear Pharm does get down to business quickly, opening with the traditional slasher tropes of gore and nudity and there's a fun but very brief sequence (the only highlight for me) involving a cheerleader being chased through a corn field by two clowns in an ice-cream truck with a harpoon gun! I wish the rest of the movie was as insane as the end of that sentence. And that's the problem. Fear Pharm is not an extremely well-executed slasher, nor is it bonkers and wild enough to still be a really good time. Sadly, my worst fear was realised with this one. That I'm watching a movie from my most beloved sub-genre that I can't recommend.
- DREW
The first movie is well regarded for its mind bending visuals, and under director Sam Raimi, this sequel doubles down, dialling up the horror, the fan service, as well as adding some gruesome and shocking fight scenes we've not seen in a Marvel property before (they were awesome!!).
Although just because you can do anything and go anywhere, doesn't mean you should - the script isn't great (the villian is particularly unsympathetic), the score is peak 90s, it's sometimes hard to work out what's going on & the emotional/heart side is too simplistic for an established set of characters. Oh and it should have been funnier.
For fans, it's a big swing, and while not everything works (again, thanks script) enough connects to make it a reasonably fun, wild ride... that, and it's good to see the world's biggest franchise trying new things.
Although just because you can do anything and go anywhere, doesn't mean you should - the script isn't great (the villian is particularly unsympathetic), the score is peak 90s, it's sometimes hard to work out what's going on & the emotional/heart side is too simplistic for an established set of characters. Oh and it should have been funnier.
For fans, it's a big swing, and while not everything works (again, thanks script) enough connects to make it a reasonably fun, wild ride... that, and it's good to see the world's biggest franchise trying new things.
- BEN
I wasn't wowed by the first two films, they felt too convoluted and unnecessarily cryptic (although both improved with a rewatch).
This third instalment was a lot more straight forward and I enjoyed going with the flow instead of spending my time trying to work out who the bad guys were - or what was the purpose of it all.
Despite having some exquisite CGI it felt like a return to more traditional cinema, with lavish costumes, great score and detailed sets to help fully immerse you in both the magical and muggle worlds.
Thanks to the writing, direction and performances - this film had a lot of heart. With the focus placed firmly on relationships and characters, of which there were probably too many and rarely did they contribute to the plot.
It goes without saying that fans of the first two will love it. First timers should still enjoy the story and the spectacle.
I recommend watching this on the big screen even if you haven't seen the first two. In fact they make more sense as prequels to this instalment.
This third instalment was a lot more straight forward and I enjoyed going with the flow instead of spending my time trying to work out who the bad guys were - or what was the purpose of it all.
Despite having some exquisite CGI it felt like a return to more traditional cinema, with lavish costumes, great score and detailed sets to help fully immerse you in both the magical and muggle worlds.
Thanks to the writing, direction and performances - this film had a lot of heart. With the focus placed firmly on relationships and characters, of which there were probably too many and rarely did they contribute to the plot.
It goes without saying that fans of the first two will love it. First timers should still enjoy the story and the spectacle.
I recommend watching this on the big screen even if you haven't seen the first two. In fact they make more sense as prequels to this instalment.