FF 2013 - Hatchet III Review

Rating:18:
Release Date: 23rd August 2013 (Frightfest)
Director:BJ McDonnell
Cast: Danielle Harris, Kane Hodder, Zach Galligan, Derek Mears
The final(?) film in the trilogy, Hatchet III loses the series’ director, Adam Green, replacing him with BJ McDonnell, who has previously carved out a career as cam/steadicam operator on a ton of movies – including one of my all-time favourite flicks, How to Rob a Bank. However all is not lost as Green is still on board as the films guiding light and scriptwriter for this tale which picks up immediately where the second film left off.

In Hatchet III our heroine Marybeth (Harris) has finally “killed” Victor Crowley (Hodder) – or so she thinks. When she shows up at the police station covered in blood the sheriff (Galligan) doesn’t believe her story and locks her up while he sends a search and recovery team out to the haunted swamp to find out what has gone on and to pick up the pieces left behind after Crowley’s previous massacre. Meanwhile Marybeth finally learns the secret to ending the voodoo curse that has left Victor Crowley haunting and terrorizing Honey Island Swamp for decades.

When I originally heard the news that Adam Green was stepping down from the directors chair for this third film in the series, I questioned the sanity of letting someone new helm what was to be the last outing for Victor Crowley. However, knowing BJ McDonnell worked on the first two Hatchet movie’s and having seen his filmography and watched the finished film I know exactly why McDonnell was given the reigns for this movie – he has an eye for action, and Hatchet III is filled to the brim with huge action set pieces as the trilogy goes big for its epic finale, out-doing all that has come before in terms of violence, gore and body count.

Third films can be tricky, especially when it comes to horror franchises. Some get it right revitalising a worn seires, like Nightmare on Elm Street 3 but many get it wrong. If I’m truly honest Hatchet III sits somewhere in between, mainly because it sacrifices scares for spectacle. But what spectacle… There are some truly outrageous gore scenes, going even further than the previous film, easily surpassing even the ridiculous chainsaw death that marked the end of Hatchet II – a scene which is actually repeated in the opening of this flick.

But, and this is a big but, where Hatchet III does rise above the former films is in it’s story. Adam Green has crafted a script that offers twists and turns, wraps up plot threads that have proliferated the series from the very first film, makes nods to other movies AND is also a love letter to fans of the franchise – a thank you note if you will to all those that love the series and have been there since the beginning.

Yet what is noticeable when comparing this film to its predecessor’s is the quality of some of the practical effects (yes Green and co. still keep all the effects CGI-free thankfully). Whether the “rubbery-ness” is due to budgetary constraints I don’t know, however the cheesy FX work plays well into the idea that the Hatchet series harkens back to the heyday of the 80s slasher movies, a lot of which were shot on a shoe-string budget and had to make the most of the effects they could afford. Speaking of FX, Victor Crowley himself has had a makeover in this flick, allowing horror icon Kane Hodder to emote much more this time round (well as much as the monstrous Crowley can).

Of course besides the returning Kane Hodder as Victor Crowley and Danielle Harris as Marybeth, Hatchet III features a ton of familiar faces including Gremlins’ Zach Galligan as the Sheriff; former Jason Vorhees Derek Mears; Sean Whalen (Special Unit 2); Parry Shen, who’s played three different characters in all three Hatchet movies; The FP’s Jason Trost; and, best of all, Stretch from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2! Aka actress Caroline Williams. This really is a veritable who’s-who of genre flicks, with some surprise cameos and roles I’m not going to spoil in this review, but I will say it all adds an extra layer of fun for both horror fans and fans of the Hatchet series.

In the end Hatchet III is a fantastic end to the franchise, filled with all the hallmarks of the series – laughs, violence, action and gore – whilst being a fitting swansong for Victor Crowley and co. Not as stunning as the previous film but still a great “old-school American horror”.

★★★½☆

Review by Phil Wheat at Nerdly.co.uk

FF2013 - Win The Dyatlov Pass Incident On DVD

To celebrate the release of the captivating return of acclaimed Hollywood director Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2; Cliffhanger; Deep Blue Sea) with his conspiracy theory horror The Dyatlov Pass Incident - out on DVD and Blu-ray 26th August 2013 - we have a copy to give away to one lucky winner!

Based on the bizarre but true events surrounding the mysterious deaths of nine ski hikers who went missing in the Ural Mountains in 1959, this “The Blair Witch Project” meets “The Descent” by way of “The X Files” horror is the most unnerving supernatural shocker to come out in years!

The Dyatlov Pass Incident takes the known facts of the tragedy and spins them into a truly chilling horror experience that brilliantly combines elements of contemporary history, conspiracy theory, sci-fi and the supernatural that all contribute to a knock-out twist and a breathtaking finale.

In February 1959, nine ski hikers went missing in a remote area of the Ural Mountains in Russia. Two weeks later all nine were found dead, half dressed and hundreds of yards from their camp, their bodies giving off high levels of radiation and bearing severe internal injuries, including broken ribs and fractured skulls, but showing no discernible external wounds or any signs of a struggle. Their deaths have remained a mystery, with rumours attributing the incident to everything from alien encounters, government conspiracies and the supernatural.

Now, five American college students are hoping to solve the mystery of what has become known as the Dyatlov Pass Incident by retracing the steps of the original ill-fated expedition and documenting their findings on film. But what they are about to discover in the remote, icy wastes will prove to be more shocking and unexpected that anything they could possibly have imagined.

To Win The Dyatlov Pass Incident on DVD please answer the following Question:

Q.The Dyatlov Pass Incident director Renny Harlin directed Die Hard 2, where was that film set in?

A.Tower Block
B.Airport
C.Hospital

Email your answer, your name only to winatcinehouseuk@gmail.com, must be 15 years or older to enter.

Deadline date to enter is Sunday 15th September 2013 (23:59pm)

(If you are the winner we will contact you for your address)

Terms&Conditions:
1.The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse, Anchor Bay Entertainment UK employees who have the right to alter, change or offer alternative prize without any notice.2.All The Peoples Movies entries must be done via contact form. deadline Sunday 15th September 2013 (23:59pm) 15 years or older to enter 3.Failure to include any information required to enter could result in your entry been void.  4.automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned, DO NOT INCLUDE telephone numbers as for security reason your entry will be deleted.5.If you are friend or like us at facebook for every competition you enter you get double entry, but you must stay friend/like us all the time,or future entries maybe considered one entry if you are liking us share the post on facebook and re-tweet the post.6.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes 7.Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control so please do not complain 8.The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email for postal details and will be announced via facebook, sometimes we are unable to confirm winners. Uk & Irish entries only.

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FF2013 Review - You're Next

Rating:
18
Distributor:
Lionsgate Films UK
Release Date:
22nd August 2013 (Frightfest) 27th August (UK Cinema)
Director:
Adam Wingard
Cast:
Sharni Vinson, Joe Swanberg, AJ Bowen
Having had a fairly hectic day at work, I was very much looking forward to attending the screening of You’re Next recently. Few things can loosen the brain up like a good old fashioned slasher movie and I was relishing the thought of ninety-six minutes of thrills and kills. Directed by Adam Wingard (VHS, A Horrible Way to Die) and set during a family reunion in a remote part of the countryside in the US, You’re Next sees the moneyed Davison family besieged by lunatic killers in creepy animal masks. Fortunately, it turns out that Erin, the girlfriend of one of the eldest brother is something of a total badass herself and is soon rallying the family around to fight back with makeshift weaponry and traps. Thus begins a small scale war with their attackers. Who will survive and what will be left of them?

Despite my initial excitement, I was actually fairly nonplussed by You’re Next at first. It seemed fairly stolid, with broadly drawn characters and an uninventive set up. If I had to pin point where my attitude towards it changed, it would probably be where at the height of a ludicrously petty argument around the dinner table (listen out for some of the exchanges here), one member of the extended Davison clan (played by horror director Ti West) is suddenly shot through the head by a crossbow bolt. At first, this goes unnoticed, heightening the ridiculousness of the situation, but before long the Davisons are shrieking and being punctured and the film retains this level of excitement throughout. I realised that what I was watching was in fact a comedy so black, it was bordering on farce.

Instead of the stodgy, unremarkable horror I thought I had been watching, You’re Next displayed genre smarts and a level of self-awareness that is all too lacking in most horror films. The film plays delightfully with the concept of Chekhov’s gun and leaves the audience on tenterhooks for much of its running time, embracing and ridiculing conventions equally. The cast, which includes cult heroes Joe Swanberg and Barbara Crampton, seemed to be having riotously good fun and played their roles with relish.

Much of the goodwill I have for the film should also be accredited to its heroine, as played by Sharni Vinson, previously best known for her work on gritty horrors Home and Away and Step Up 3D. Her portrayal of Erin as the plucky and likable though simultaneously borderline psychotic protagonist is measured and deft; by the time the film reaches its climax and Erin is striking iconic, axe-wielding final girl poses, the audience and I were pretty much cheering her every move and you got the feeling a potential cult-horror hero had been born. The deaths she deals are by turns imaginative, amusing and thoroughly gruesome.

It should also be said that whilst the film completely embraces its trashy fittings, the cinematography is a class above what you might typically expect (credit due to Andrew Palmero). Mads Heldtberg’s doomy and inventive music is also very commendable.

To nit-pick, you could argue that the film’s twist is utterly predictable and if you’re watching it without acknowledging the tongue it has placed in its cheek, you may find it a bit run of the mill. However, everyone loves a good home invasion movie (heck, even James Bond got in on the act in his last outing) and it would be very difficult to harbour any ill-will towards one as fun and shrewd as this one would be particularly rude. Seek it out and get ready to cheer on the kick-arse Vinson as she delivers sublimely violent justice.

You’re Next is released in the UK on August 30th.

★★★★☆

Review by Jack Kirby from Nerdly.co.uk

Simon Killer Blu-Ray Review

Rating:
18
BD/DVD Release Date:
26th August 2013 (UK)
Director:
Antonio Campos
Cast:
Brady Corbet, Mati Diop, Lila Salet
Buy Simon Killer On:
(Blu-ray) / (DVD)
Simon Killer is interesting film directed by Antonio Campos. Antonio previously directed Afterschool and produced the critically acclaimed indie film Martha Marcy May Marlene; which admitting I haven’t seen either yet. It’s a surprise addition to Eureka’s ever growing Masters of Cinema range for a couple reasons one is it’s a relatively recent film and the other it’s a weird little thriller. It does though have some interesting artistic flourishes which might be why it appealed to Eureka so much who also theatrically distributed it in the UK; IFC are doing the US release.

Simon Killer naturally is a about a guy called Simon. He is on holiday in Paris after finishing his degree in some to do with the connection between the human eye and brain. Simon has also broken up with his long-term girlfriend and is wandering aimlessly in the streets of Paris. One night he meets 2 French girls after seeing a film. They think he is a bit of a weirdo and they go their separate ways on the metro but will bump into them later on.

Simon as a problem he wants to get laid really badly so he starts walking around. He eventually meets a pimp who tells him to do a bar where girls will do anything to him for a price (which turns out to be €150). He gets very connected to this one hooker and they start a relationship, which eventually blossoms into him moving in with her. He suggests she should use a camera phone to film her having with her clients cause then she can blackmail them. Naturally this all ends pretty badly for all concerned.

The film has a very fine moody performance from its lead Brady Corbet who was in the fantastic Mysterious Skin about a decade ago. He has also been in Melancholia and the aforementioned Martha Marcy May Marlene. The rest of the cast give perfectly decent performances but it’s very much a film that rests on Brady’s shoulders since he is almost in every man.

Campos is a very good visual stylist and the film has a interesting colour palette and some interesting shots which obviously are to evoke what’s going on in Simon’s damaged mind. The film also has some of the most realistic sex scenes (not in a explicit way) I’ve ever seen on screen. The story however is not the most original. It seems all too unrealistic and has a twist that you could see coming after the unfortunate incident.

Despite the film’s many flaws it’s a perfectly decent little indie thriller with some really interesting soundtrack choices including LCD Soundsystem and that synth pop reggae hit “It Makes a Muscle to fall in love”. It also have a lot of synth-pop which seems to be the thing after than wonderful soundtrack for Drive but this trend needs to end now.

★★★☆☆

Ian Schultz

FF2013 Review: The Dyatlov Pass Incident

Rating:
15
UK Release Date:
23rd August 2013 (Frightfest) 26th August 2013 (DVD Release)
Director:
Renny Harlin
Cast:
Richard Reid, Gemma Atkinson, Matt Stokoe, Luke Albright, Holly Goss
Buy The Dyatlov Pass Incident:
[Blu-ray] / [DVD]
In February, 1959, nine Russians hikers ventured into the Ural Mountains on a trip that should have been manageable for a group with their vast experience. Two weeks later, all nine were discovered dead. A search party found the hikers’ tents ripped open from the inside and all seemed to have died from hypothermia. Aside from a few fractures and broken bones, there appeared to be indication of foul play. With no compelling evidence or witnesses to account for the puzzling night, the case quickly fell into legendary infamy. Many have theorized that a small avalanche caught them off guard, forced them to cut through their tents and make an escape into their snowy surroundings where they froze. The riddle has baffled investigators, researchers and authorities ever since.

Now director Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, The Long Kiss Goodnight) heads back behind the camera for his first feature film in two years, mixing fact with fiction in a tale that sees five young filmmakers retrace the steps of the doomed hikers in pursuit of the unsolvable mystery…

The Dyatlov Pass Incident is a part of Russian history that still remains shrouded in mystery, with many different conspiracies about just what happened on that barren mountainside – some say it was a simple as the nine trying to escape an avalanche, others say it was aliens, some say it was a strange government experiment that the climbers stumbled upon. It’s a story that is ripe for filmic exploration and it’s surprising that we haven’t seen more takes on this mystery…

The Dyatlov Pass Incident, which is shot in a POV, found-footage style yet forgoes the typical stylings of the genre (there’s more steadicam footage here than in a million other Blair Witch Project knock-offs for one), sits clearly in the conspiracy theory camp, positing that the deaths were connected to a huge cover-up that is some how connected to the USS Eldridge, the Philadelphia experiment, and a possible explanation for the existence of the Moth Man, the Yeti – in fact every monstrous “urban legend” that has ever existed!

Feeling very much like an extended version of The X-Files – sans Scully and Mulder – The Dyatlov Pass Incident shares a hell of a lot in common with the aforementioned Blair Witch Project, with many of that films key plot points relocated and recreated on the snowy Ural Mountains instead of the backwoods of America – which means Harlin’s film feels much more derivative than it should. Don’t get me wrong, there is a decent horror story here just bubbling beneath the surface of the film, and the conspiracies posited make for a great plot – it’s just a shame that Harlin’s insistence on shooting this found-footage style (although I can clearly see why the decision was made to shoot this way) detracts from what could have been a much more effective terror tale.

A decent found-footage flick ruined by its final third (when Harlin and co. resort to the cliched, oh-so-typical night vision shaky-cam), The Dyatlov Pass Incident is yet another straight to market horror that not even one-time action movie darling Renny Harlin can make memorable enough to stay out of the bargain bins 6 months after its release.

★★½☆☆

Review By Phil Wheat Nerdly.co.uk

Competition - Win Cult Fantasy Horror Link Starring Elisabeth Shue and Terence Stamp On DVD

From the director of Cloak and Dagger, Terence Stamp (The Limey) is single-minded professor Dr Steven Phillip who sets in motion a terrifying chain of events for Elizabeth Shue (Hollow Man) in the UK DVD release of Link (15). Available as a brand-new transfer from the original film elements, it is available to own on 26 August 2013.

Jane (Shue), an American zoology student, takes a summer job at the lonely cliff-top home of a professor who is exploring the link between man and ape. Soon after her arrival he vanishes, leaving her to care for his three chimps: Voodoo, a savage female; the affectionate, child-like Imp; and Link – a circus ape trained as the perfect servant and companion. Soon a disturbing role reversal takes place in the relationship between master and servant and Jane becomes a prisoner in a simian house of horror. In her attempts to escape she’s up against an adversary several times her physical strength – and the instincts of a bloodthirsty killer…

With a score from Oscar-winning composer Jerry Goldsmith (The Omen), this suspense thriller from Richard Franklin is a horror classic which will make you go ape with fear.

Part of “The British Film” Collection and courtesy of our friends at Network Distribution Link can be part of your collection we have 3 copies of the film on DVD To Give Away. To win a copy please answer the following Question:

Q.Whose 'song' did Terrence Stamp recently star in with Gemma Atkinson?

Deadline to enter this competition is Sunday 15th September 2013 (23:59pm) and you must be 15 or older to enter

If you haven’t done already Like us and stay with us at our Facebook page (if you are already liking us just share this post)
Terms&Conditions:
1.The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse, Network Distribution  employees who have the right to alter, change or offer alternative prize without any notice.2.All The Peoples Movies entries must be done via contact form. deadline Sunday 15th September 2013 (23:59pm) 15 years or older to enter 3.Failure to include any information required to enter could result in your entry been void.  4.automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned, DO NOT INCLUDE telephone numbers as for security reason your entry will be deleted.5.If you are friend or like us at facebook for every competition you enter you get double entry, but you must stay friend/like us all the time,or future entries maybe considered one entry if you are liking us share the post on facebook and re-tweet the post.6.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes 7.Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control so please do not complain 8.The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email for postal details and will be announced via facebook, sometimes we are unable to confirm winners. Uk & Irish entries only.

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What Maisie Knew Review

Rating:
15
Stars:
Onata Aprile, Julianne Moore, Steve Coogan, Joanna Vanderham , Alexander Skarsgard
Directors:
Scott McGehee and David Siegel
Release:
23rd August 2013 (UK Cinema)
Rent:
What Maisie Knew
Taking a classic piece of late-nineteenth century literature and adapting it in a contemporary fashion is a risky move that few filmmakers could convincingly pull off. However, Scott McGehee and David Siegel are two of the directors up to such a task as showcased in their delicately understated and truly touching adaption of Henry James's What Maisie Knew.

Maisie (Onata Aprile) is the child of pushy rock star Susanna (Julianne Moore) and distracted art-dealer Beale (Steve Coogan) - a couple who are in the middle of a bitter divorce. Maisie is pushed to-and-fro between her mother and new boyfriend Lincoln (Alexander Skarsgard) and her father and his fiancé Margo (Joanna Vanderham), Maisie's former nanny.

Nancy Doyne and Carroll Cartwright's delicate, slow-building screenplay captures the challenging effects that divorce can have on a child, especially those whose parents are so career-driven that their parenting style can only be described as negligent. Fiery performances from Moore and Coogan capture this at full force, but both actors display a welcome range in respective scenes which see them bond with Maisie. Doyne and Cartwright slowly build up the heart-wrenching emotional weight that this erratic behaviour has on Maisie, whilst also reflecting a truly warming kindness that she receives from initial outsiders, Lincoln and Margo. Maisie remains relatively contained, yet it is clear the weight and strain of the actions of those around her does begin to challenge the young child.

This is flawlessly showcased in one scene which sees Maisie's mother abandon her to go on tour. The young Maisie is temporarily taken in by strangers where we see the child's fear and heartbreak gradually break through in one understated shot where the young girl lets out a single stray tear. The scene is an agonising watch and represents the delicate directorial style of McGehee and Siegel, where a floodgate of gradual pain is masterfully showcased in one single tear.

Of course, the emotional impact of What Maisie Knew would be sorely less effective if not for young actress Onata Aprile. Aprile is a revelation - presenting a performance so authentically contained and controlled, yet packing such an emotional weight that it truly grounds the feature.

Whilst capturing the challenging nature of relationships, McGehee and Siegel also display the warmth and excitement of new romances through the ever-growing relationship between Lincoln and Margo. This is presented with such a natural tenderness and class that it is a challenge not to warmed - whilst must of this should also be credited to beautifully understated performances from Vanderham and Skarsgard.

What Maisie Knew's slow building screenplay packs a heart-wrenching emotional weight showcased through delicately understated direction and staggeringly authentic performances from Aprile, Vanderham, and their co-stars.

★★★★☆

Andrew McArthur

This is a repost of Edinburgh film Festival Review

Eureka Video Announce Their Masters Of Cinema October/November Releases

Eureka Entertainment have announced via their twitter feeds (@eurekavideo & @mastersofcinema) the forthcoming releases in The Masters of Cinema series for the months of October and November 2013.

Proudly presenting films from 6 different countries, spanning 67 years, and encompassing classic Hollywood, silent cinema, and the finest in global art cinema, The Masters of Cinema Series is as eclectic as ever in its October and November 2013 line-up – a 5-release slate that includes directors F.W. Murnau, Kenji Mizoguchi, Howard Hawks, Fritz Lang, Metin Erksan, Ahmed El Maanouni, and Ermek Shinarbaev.

In October, we welcome Hollywood legend Howard Hawks into the series for the first time with his John Wayne Western classic Red River alongside the worldwide Blu-ray première of Fritz Lang's Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler. [Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler.] and a strictly limited-edition box-set of late-career films by Kenji Mizoguchi.

More cinematic treats follow in November with a gorgeous new restoration of F.W. Murnau's vampire horror classic Nosferatu (following a UK theatrical release just in time for Halloween), and the very first multi-film release in an exciting new partnership with Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to preserving and restoring neglected films from around the world.

Across 5 standout releases, which include no less than 14 films, world and UK premières abound, with new restorations aplenty, Eureka! Entertainment’s Masters of Cinema Series continues its quest to release the very finest in world cinema, using the very best available materials, all with a meticulous attention to detail and design.

Managing Director of Eureka Entertainment, Ron Benson comments “Among other highlights, it is a real privilege to establish a new partnership with Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Foundation in the US, and to continue through all of our releases to be part of a worldwide cinephile community dedicated to preserving and celebrating the treasures of more than a century of cinema.”

The Kings Of Summer Review

Rating: 15
Release date:23rd August 2013 (UK)
Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Cast: Nick Offerman, Moises Arias, Nick Robinson, Alison Brie
Oh for a teenage summer. Those long months that roll on forever, answering to no teacher, endlessly outside and bargaining new bedtimes. Remember those? Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts certainly does, and hopes you do too, recalling them with the misty-eyed nostalgia inflected in his coming-of-age comedy The Kings of Summer.

Set in the midst of a hazy summer holiday, his debut feature focuses on Joe Toy (Nick Robinson) – a high-school student dogged by parental rules and longing for the freedom adulthood brings. He’s not alone, best friend Patrick (The Big C’s Gabriel Baso) is similarly plagued by the incessant nagging and banal conversation a life under the parental home can bring. Breaking point is reached when Joe’s bitingly snarky dad, Frank (Nick Offerman) humiliates and grounds him (those two cardinal sins of teenage-hood) for the final time. With little persuading he enlists the help of Patrick, he too convinced an escape from the nonsensical questions from clueless parents is needed. A plan is hatched, an old-fashioned breakout. Not just any breakout though, theirs holds loftier ambitions.

Utilising their suspect DT skills, the pair set about building a house of their own, tucked away in the woods where, crucially, “nobody will find them”. A rule-free summer is on the cards with nothing to answer to other than their own whims.

Joining them is stock kook Biaggio – a bug-eyed curiosity the two are unable to shake off. Heavily indebted to Zach Galifianakis’ role in the Hangover films, his off-the-wall, zany oddball is plastered on a bit too thick and heightens the somewhat uneasy tone of the film. Is Vogt-Roberts going for laughs, or something a little deeper? There is of course nothing wrong with aiming for both but here there’s a distinct mismatch. Dreamy, Mallick inspired shots of nature sit uncomfortably side-by-side with strained, random one-liners thrown in at will and jarring with any established lightness of touch.

The coming-of-age film isn’t complete without a fight and we get one here, emerging over quarrels of the heart, with shared affection for female interest Kelly (Erin Moriarty). The ensuing tension gets twisted with the odd pacing of the film, characters changing drastically and far quicker than anything attributed to teenage hormones, with Joe suddenly resembling a Colonel Kurtz-esque wild man of the land.

True to adolescence, parents are an after-thought but the majority of sharp lines are saved for Offerman as the Parks and Recreation actor steals much of the limelight from the younger co-stars and box-ticking characters around him.

The criticism to be found lies with the pacing and tone, switching from one to another too quickly, leaving an at times somewhat confused effect, begging the question of what Vogt-Roberts was reaching for. Whatever it is, and despite moments of genuine promise, Kings of Summer falls just short.

★★½☆☆

Matthew Walsh

This is a repost of our Sundance London Film Festival review

Aftershock DVD Review

Stars: Eli Roth, Ariel Levy,Andrea Osvart, Natasha Yarovenko
Director: Nicolas Lopez
DVD/BR Release: 19th August 2013
Certificate: 18 (UK)
Buy:[DVD] or [Blu-ray]
After his spine-tingling nasty debut Cabin Fever, Eli Roth has fast become one of the most prominent figures in modern horror. However, 2013 has certainly not been a vintage year after producing the incredibly disappointing The Last Exorcism Part II. His second feature this year, Aftershock, a collaboration with Chilean filmmaker Nicolas Lopez does have certain redeeming features but is a far cry from his previous projects.

Aftershock follows an American backpacker (Roth) in Chile, who alongside a group of friends is caught in a gruesome earthquake whilst clubbing. This results in a collapse in the local prison leaving ruthless criminals to terrorise the broken streets.

Aftershock sticks to a similar format to many 'backpackers in peril' horror flicks, opening capturing the idyllic and charming Chilean setting - which is ultimately seen in a darker light post-earthquake. Here you can expect the traditional culture-clash elements between Eli Roth's Gringo and his South American pals - and whilst sticking to a rigid format there is a convincing rapport between the performers.

The earthquake sequence is the strongest element of Aftershock . Lopez directs the scene with a frantic energy as club-goers run from crumbling architecture, falling lights and smashing bottles - all set against a pulsating neon glow. What follows are a series of gore-soaked sequences and injuries which may impress the Hostel-crowd but are unlikely to have much of an impact on the average viewer or even the hardened horror fan.

After this well-shot and somewhat original setting and sequence it's sad to see that Aftershock goes down the route of generic survival horror. The narrative ultimately follows the surviving tourists attempting to avoid the recently-escaped prisoners who seem intent on causing as much carnage as possible. This leads to a variety of attempts to shock the viewer from rape sequences to people being set aflame - none of which have any effect but to make the viewer feel a bit nasty.

This narrative also contains a plot twist that viewers are likely to see coming from a mile-off which is unveiled in the film's church set conclusion. Whilst Aftershock may feel formulaic and predictable for the most part, Lopez's film ends on an amusingly dark shot which is likely to impress regular viewers of horror films.

Aftershock sticks to a rather rigid and predictable formula despite getting off to a strong start with its Chilean setting, standout Earthquake scene and spirited cast. The film's expected attempts to shock and predictable carnage are unlikely to move audiences and largely fall flat.

★★½☆☆

Andrew McArthur