In conclusion: Pretty
Jan. 21st, 2009 04:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
So, I watched (if you can call it that)
First off, the quality I watched it in was pretty bad. Dark, grainy, picture went out of focus every few minutes so I got maybe 75 % of the real movie. But I definitely have to watch it in its intended form now because there were some shots of Jensen's pretty, pretty face that I just know will make me spontaneously orgasm seeing them wide and in 3D. And the tank-top. *g*
The movie itself wasn't bad and entertaining enough but it could have actually been pretty good if they concentrated more on other, namely the psychological, aspects. Then again, it was supposed to be a gory slasher ride so I fully understand why they didn't. Just that with some tweaking and stronger character throughlines it could have been a strong movie even.
Character throughlines were insofar a problem as the main characters weren't on ALL that much. Pretty much their scenes were intercut with the slasher-y murders.
Of the three "main" characters Tom, Axel and Sarah, I believe Jensen had it the hardest because of the obvious twist with his character. Axel was pretty much a douche all through and Kerr admirably played him as such. Sarah was the woman who had settled and Jaime King did a nice enough job, also with Sarah being rather kick-ass. Only the end didn't fit with their characters because yeah sure, suddenly everything is okay and they love each other. Not how it works, folks. They didn't really "love" each other in the past ten years, they're not going to start now. They went back to settling and I predict soon enough he'll back to cheating and she'll be back to bitterly reminiscing.
Now Tom who in his Tom-incarnation obviously was a gentle, almost timid character. We saw this pretty much in the flashback and seeing as he was a teenager then, his personality never really had a chance to become whatever it is he would have become had tragedy not struck. Quite tragic there. However, Jensen did a good job of making teenage Tom distinct enough from Dean. There wasn't a bad boy strut or cocky smirk, just a subdued persona.
Then Tom in the present is a weird mix between still gentle/timid and rather rough. Easy to explain to. Tom has developed personality disorder and the "stronger" personality protects the "weaker" one, i.e. they come out every now and then even in unpsychotic ways. The dominant persona also is aware of both, the subjugated one is not. They played that pretty text-book, I'd say. "Harry" protected "Tom" for example in sticking it to Axel in the interrogation scene and throwing him into the cage for an alibi.
And with a stronger script that would have been fascinating material for Jensen but with what he had I believe he did a good job. Of course he was somewhat all over the map with his character. Like I said, split personality, intended to be.
In the end when Tom fully morphs into Harry, he gave a neat rendition of a psychopath. Unfortunately my picture was crap again in the much loved "knocks out lights" scene so I can't fully comment on that. What I did see clearly - heh - was the moment he became Tom again for a second when Sarah looks at him. Aww.
I was okay with the ending having Jensen/Tom be the killer btw. Axel might have ended up the "hero" but he was an ass pretty much through the movie. The whole town wasn't anything to write home about so noone really cried in their beers when the Miner killed them. In fact, all things considered, Tom WAS the most sympathetic character in this movie. Even after it was revealed he killed them all. Well, Harry did, not Tom technically.
Pretty much gave up on the others back in the flashback when they hid behind a rock while some poor schmucky kid wandered right into the killer's arms. Even the biggest, most cowardly losers usually can bring themselves to warn their fellow slashés in movies like this. Of course then they leave Tom to the mercy of the killer and blame HIM afterwards for leaving town. Classy.
I wouldn't have minded at all if he'd framed Axel successfully and got together with Sarah and what was obviously his son. Shut up, I know the kid looked a bit young but it was totally Tom's kid. :-p
My verdict: This is not and never will be the kind of movie I fancy, horror/slasher that is, but it held together well enough. Better than Devour in any case. What Devour had over it was more Jensen. When Jensen was not in a scene, my mind just wandered. *g*
Oh, and of course, spoilers for the movie in the post. :)
First off, the quality I watched it in was pretty bad. Dark, grainy, picture went out of focus every few minutes so I got maybe 75 % of the real movie. But I definitely have to watch it in its intended form now because there were some shots of Jensen's pretty, pretty face that I just know will make me spontaneously orgasm seeing them wide and in 3D. And the tank-top. *g*
The movie itself wasn't bad and entertaining enough but it could have actually been pretty good if they concentrated more on other, namely the psychological, aspects. Then again, it was supposed to be a gory slasher ride so I fully understand why they didn't. Just that with some tweaking and stronger character throughlines it could have been a strong movie even.
Character throughlines were insofar a problem as the main characters weren't on ALL that much. Pretty much their scenes were intercut with the slasher-y murders.
Of the three "main" characters Tom, Axel and Sarah, I believe Jensen had it the hardest because of the obvious twist with his character. Axel was pretty much a douche all through and Kerr admirably played him as such. Sarah was the woman who had settled and Jaime King did a nice enough job, also with Sarah being rather kick-ass. Only the end didn't fit with their characters because yeah sure, suddenly everything is okay and they love each other. Not how it works, folks. They didn't really "love" each other in the past ten years, they're not going to start now. They went back to settling and I predict soon enough he'll back to cheating and she'll be back to bitterly reminiscing.
Now Tom who in his Tom-incarnation obviously was a gentle, almost timid character. We saw this pretty much in the flashback and seeing as he was a teenager then, his personality never really had a chance to become whatever it is he would have become had tragedy not struck. Quite tragic there. However, Jensen did a good job of making teenage Tom distinct enough from Dean. There wasn't a bad boy strut or cocky smirk, just a subdued persona.
Then Tom in the present is a weird mix between still gentle/timid and rather rough. Easy to explain to. Tom has developed personality disorder and the "stronger" personality protects the "weaker" one, i.e. they come out every now and then even in unpsychotic ways. The dominant persona also is aware of both, the subjugated one is not. They played that pretty text-book, I'd say. "Harry" protected "Tom" for example in sticking it to Axel in the interrogation scene and throwing him into the cage for an alibi.
And with a stronger script that would have been fascinating material for Jensen but with what he had I believe he did a good job. Of course he was somewhat all over the map with his character. Like I said, split personality, intended to be.
In the end when Tom fully morphs into Harry, he gave a neat rendition of a psychopath. Unfortunately my picture was crap again in the much loved "knocks out lights" scene so I can't fully comment on that. What I did see clearly - heh - was the moment he became Tom again for a second when Sarah looks at him. Aww.
I was okay with the ending having Jensen/Tom be the killer btw. Axel might have ended up the "hero" but he was an ass pretty much through the movie. The whole town wasn't anything to write home about so noone really cried in their beers when the Miner killed them. In fact, all things considered, Tom WAS the most sympathetic character in this movie. Even after it was revealed he killed them all. Well, Harry did, not Tom technically.
Pretty much gave up on the others back in the flashback when they hid behind a rock while some poor schmucky kid wandered right into the killer's arms. Even the biggest, most cowardly losers usually can bring themselves to warn their fellow slashés in movies like this. Of course then they leave Tom to the mercy of the killer and blame HIM afterwards for leaving town. Classy.
I wouldn't have minded at all if he'd framed Axel successfully and got together with Sarah and what was obviously his son. Shut up, I know the kid looked a bit young but it was totally Tom's kid. :-p
My verdict: This is not and never will be the kind of movie I fancy, horror/slasher that is, but it held together well enough. Better than Devour in any case. What Devour had over it was more Jensen. When Jensen was not in a scene, my mind just wandered. *g*
Oh, and of course, spoilers for the movie in the post. :)