Diary of the Dead (2007)

George Romero proves he's still the undisputed master of zombie films...

I've never seen a Romero film I didn't like. The man is brilliant; often hampered by a ridiculously low budget and a cast of complete unknowns (or actual non-actors) actors, his ideas & execution always manage to transcend these limitations. Taking the idea of "found footage", he re-boots his vision of the zombie apocalypse, only this time in the form of a video documentary, filmed by a group of survivors.

Diary of the Dead starts with the filming of a student project, with a particularly amusing reference to the current "fast zombie" trend; this had me cracking up - I had to pause the DVD & replay it, just to hear the rest of the dialogue! The filming is interrupted by the news of strange goings on... And everyone scatters to try to find out what's going on, and to seek safety in familiar environments.

We end up with a sort of "found footage road movie", more than anything else; as the main characters proceed across country to reach a variety of "safe" destinations, they encounter a fair sampling of the kinds of unpleasantness you could expect when law and order break down. These are, of course, extremely well-handled by Romero, and have that feeling of gritty realism that is a hallmark of his films.

One of the most interesting inclusions is the (sparing) use of CGI to add to the usual makeup effects; as noted by Rick Baker when making An American Werewolf in London, you can add makeup to a person, but you can't take stuff away (he had no option but to use a puppet for the final encounter with the decomposing Jack in the theatre scene), and this is where CGI has a distinct advantage. There are several scenes where CGI is used to great effect in this regards; one involves a zombie's head partially dissolving, and the other... Well, let's just say it's quite disturbing, and you really can't miss it! Of course, like all of the best well-executed CGI effects, I may be wrong; maybe it isn't...

Anyway, if you're a Romero fan, or if you like your zombie movies, this is an absolute must-see. I won't say it's better than it's predecessors, but it's certainly on a par. Given that this is his 5th "Living Dead" film, that's saying something.

The Descent, Part 2 (2009)

Aah, sequels... They're mostly shit, but, every now and again, you come across a really good one, as good as, or (extremely rarely), even better than the original film. Unfortunately, The Descent, Part 2 definitely falls into the first category.

I really enjoyed The Descent. Like all of Neil Marshall's films, it is excessively gory, ultra-violent, and action-packed. Also, like his other films, its execution creates an atmosphere where it is incredibly easy to suspend disbelief. It tells the story of a group of female thrill-seekers who decide to go pot-holing in the Appalachians, only to discover a group of inbred, carnivorous mutant cave-people sharing the cave with them. For anyone who hasn't seen the first film, you should probably stop reading now!

One of the better aspects of the first film is its depiction of tough, self-reliant women. They are well-prepared (although not well enough - It's hard to prepare for inbred mutant cannibals when noone told you to expect them), and more than capable of taking on any ordinary challenge. Anyway, by the end of The Descent, there is one survivor from the group, who manages to find a way out of the caves.

We join her at the beginning of Part 2 in hospital, where the police would like very much to know what happened to all her companions. They then drag her back down (ignoring her warnings, which are not helped by her partial amnesia) into the caves to help them locate the rest of her friends.

The majority of the film is quite well done; it has action, gore, and tension, and is really well constructed. Where it completely falls apart is at the end. Another major spoiler warning here, as I'm just about to do an "end of film" spoiler; the worst kind of spoiler there is.

Okay, still here? Good... Now, I'm a big fan of films where everybody dies. When I look at my DVD rack, pretty much every second film falls into this category. However, all of them have one thing in common - It is completely logical, and not unexpected, that everyone will die. They quite obviously had no chance, and this was obvious from fairly early on, either because we know more than they do about what they're facing, or, sometimes, because the odds they face are simply overwhelming. Nevertheless, we enjoy the film, and root for the heroes, even on second viewings, and even when we don't believe that they have a snowflake's chance in hell of getting out of the mess they've found themselves in.

Other films, however, are set up differently. Many, many films require the hero (and maybe some others) to survive in order to preserve the narrative and satisfy the audience. We root for them, they pull through against ridiculous odds, and we cheer at the end when they stand up, often drenched in blood, and roar their challenge at fate and the Gods. The Descent gave us this satisfaction, as did Halloween, Die Hard, and many others.

The Descent, Part 2 has a great climactic scene, where the survivor of the first film sacrifices herself so that the hero of the second film can escape from the caves. It is unfortunate that, as the hero is running through the trees to her freedom, she is inexplicably hit in the head with a shovel by this guy we met at the beginning of the film, and dragged back to the cave mouth to be eaten. There is no explanation for this. It just happens out of the blue, and for no apparent reason. The guy seemed genuinely scared at the beginning of the film, before they went down, and had no apparent motive, nor any obvious connection to the subterranean mutants.

And that feeling you get, when the hero has survived against incredible odds? After another character has heroically sacrificed themselves so that the hero can live? Dashed. Destroyed. Irrevocably wiped. Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.

Completely unsatisfying, and a total let-down after such good story-telling up until that point.

The Awakening (1980)

I noticed The Awakening in the TV guide a couple of weeks ago, in the middle of the night, on one of the new digital channels (in Australia), and thought it sounded interesting. Charlton Heston, Susannah York, and based on a Bram Stoker novel. What could possibly go wrong?

As it turns out, just about everything. This has to be one of the least scary "horror" movies ever. I don't know whose fault it was; Mike Newell certainly went on to better things (he's still making movies, and big-budget ones at that), and at least half the leads had names and reputations that (you'd think) they'd want to protect.

Heston is one of my least favourite actors; he was hammy, thought he was wonderful, and had no sense of humour. It's unfortunate that he was cast in so many of the best films of their time (Planet of the Apes, Soylent Green, The Omega Man, come immediately to mind, each of which is amongst my favourites). While he detracts from good films, if The Awakening is any indication, he is quite capable of completely destroying an already bad film. He was practically the Nicolas Cage of his time; seemingly cast in every second film made, and always to the detriment of the production.

Of course, while Cage is the acting equivalent of Uwe Boll (i.e. an absolute guarantee that I'm gonna hate the movie), Heston was at least capable enough that you can look past his faults and appreciate the rest of the film. If there's anything to appreciate, of course...

The basic plot is simple enough; obsessed archeologist discovers the lost tomb of some un-named Egyptian princess, ignores all the dire warnings of what will occur if he enters the tomb, and dooms his unborn baby to becoming the vessel for the long-dead princesses return to earth. Nothing we haven't seen before, of course, only not as well done.

Anyway, the first 30 minutes or so are set 18 years in the past - And, in case you forget, or were late getting to your seat in the cinema, they'll remind you fairly early on when we get back to the "present". Heston's long-suffering, pregnant, wife (Jill Townsend in pretty much her last role), gives birth just as he's violating the tomb, but we know, of course, that, even though the baby is born dead, she'll be fine in a minute or two, just as soon as Heston releases the evil princesses spirit. Which, of course, he does. The baby starts crying, and he finally takes the time to go see his wife in the hospital. Too little, too late, so she leaves him, and takes little Maggie with her.

Heston isn't overly bothered, though - he goes onto an illustrious career as a university professor and marries his smart, practical, and attractive assistant, Susannah York. Oh, and anyone trying to interfere with his plans for the princess' mummy is conveniently killed in an "accident". These accidents, which occur off and on throughout the film, make it clear that this was a deliberate Omen rip-off. Only, as silly as The Omen was, it was at least fun and well-made.

Anyway, the rest of the plot will be obvious to anyone watching the film, and proceeds in a pedestrian manner to the Omen-like ending, so I won't talk any more about it. It's all been done before, only better.

What stood out, more than anything else, was the lack of build-up in the script. As an example, Susannah York goes from being supportive, sensible, practical, and scientific, to superstitious, fearful, and stupid instantly. No gradual realisation of the horror to come, just a light-switch change in personality. And the same goes for every other "scare" in the film - There is no gradual increase in tension at any point. Either you already know exactly what's going to happen next, because it's inevitable, or you are suddenly confronted with a complete change in a character.

The only shining light in the entire mess was Stephanie Zimbalist's performance as the doomed daughter of Townsend and Heston. She even won an obscure award for "Best Supporting Actress" for the role, and she really does the best she can with such appalling material.

At any rate, it does serve as a nice counterpoint to The Omen, if nothing else. While both films have very similar plots, the execution of each couldn't be more different. I'd recommend The Awakening to anyone who wants to watch how not to make a film. Garbage! I want my two hours back, please.

The Mist (2007)

Well... What can I say?

I just saw The Mist.

An almost perfect adaptation of my all-time favorite Stephen King story, except it’s 2 minutes too long :-(

Stop reading now, if you don’t want to know any more...

It gets the paranoia right. It gets the hopelessness right. It gets the critters right. Then it tacks on the most depressing ending since 1984.

Apparently Frank Darabont made a deal with the producers that, if they let him keep his miserable ending as written, he’d make it for half as much money. They should’ve paid the full amount.

So, my suggestion? Watch the film till they run out of petrol, then turn it off. That way it’s up in the air, just like the original story.

What’s most amusing is that I normally like “Director’s Cuts” of movies. In this case, I’d really like to see a “Producer’s Cut”!

The ending itself is almost an “anti-Spielberg”... Instead of the standard Spielberg approach of tacking on a pathetically happy ending to an otherwise forlorn and depressing film, Darabont has taken the exact opposite approach. He’s tacked on a ridiculously cynical ending onto a forlorn and depressing film.

It all just makes me pine for more endings like Screamers... i.e. endings that, while incredibly dark and dismal, are totally in context, and stem from what we’ve already seen of the behavior of the characters. The one thing that stood out in the story, and in the film right up until that point, was that, in a hopeless situation, the one thing you can’t afford to give up on is hope.

No matter how impossible the odds, or widespread the catastrophe, if you give up, what’s the point of fighting before you give up? It cheapens and detracts from any previous effort.

It also reminds me of the beginning of Alien 3. Ripley never gives up in Aliens, and saving Newt is her moment of glory. At the start of the next film, however, Newt’s just dead. “Oh, I’m sorry, but that was all a waste of time and effort. You understand, don’t you”. I mean, how pathetic!

Oh well, enough of a rant. See it. Don’t see it. Whatever. The shame of it is that it’s just SO good right up until that point. What the hell was he thinking? Why, oh why, do people think they can “improve” on something that they proclaim to love?

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

A masterpiece.

No matter how dedicated one is to a genre, or even to film in general, there are always some classics that you just never get around to seeing. You know they're gonna be good (or at least they should be, with all the fuss that's made about them), but, for one reason or another, you just keep missing 'em on TV, or there's always something newer and shinier at the local video shop to attract your attention. Or, more and more often these days, you've seen the remake and it was pretty good, so why bother watching the old black & white version of the same story...

Invasion of the Body Snatchers lived up to its reputation. Taut, tense, and action-packed,  modern-day thrillers owe a lot to this film. It's only 80 minutes long, but it's got more action and suspense in it than most films manage to pack into 3 hours. I was literally on the edge of my seat for almost the entire time!

Directed by Don Siegel (who's other films include Escape from Alcatraz and Dirty Harry), and starring Kevin McCarthy as an ordinary GP who, upon returning from a medical conference, finds that an awful lot of people in his home town seem to have developed an identical paranoid delusion... Their relatives are not their relatives. They look like them, sound like them, and even remember things that only they could possibly know, but they are not who they appear to be. He investigates, and, slowly but surely, the evidence starts to accumulate, until even the "rational" Dr Bennell can't help but admit that something terrible is going on.

This has to be McCarthy's best role. His character is the absolutely archetypal small-town doctor. He's friendly, debonair, sophisticated, and caring. He's divorced, because his patients always came first. He's witty, charming, and handsome. Of course, by the end of the film, he looks like he's just escaped from a psych ward, but that's the beauty of it.

Of course, by this time he also hasn't slept for about 48 hours, not to mention the horrors he's just been through!

Dr Bennell's love interest in the film, Becky Driscoll (Dana Wynter) also goes from total glam (the dress she wears in her first scene is just gorgeous) to dishevelled wreck during the course of the film. This, of course, is something that we don't see very often, especially in films from this period - Normally, no matter what the heroine's suffered through, the worst that will happen is that she might have a little mud on her dress, and, perhaps, a misplaced hair or two!

As impressed as I was by Kevin McCarthy's performance and character, the cast highlight for me was the always exquisite Carolyn Jones. Her big eyes and delicate features (not as accentuated as they were in The Addam's Family, of course) always portray an extreme level of vulnerability, especially when she plays the role of "the woman who screams at the scary thing".

While described as metaphor for either the imagined communist threat of the 50's, or, equally, as a metaphor for the all-too-real threat of McCarthyism, none of that matters while you're watching it. As you're propelled from one chase scene to the next, and introduced to the exact nature of the threat one step at a time, you are simply buffeted along by the whirlwind. The last thing you care about is the politics; all you care about is whether the hero and his girl are gonna escape...

Yes, it's a bit dated. Some of the romantic scenes are a little flowery and over-the-top by today's standards, and the patriarchy of the 50's is, well, conspicuous (Becky is just a little bit too hopeless when she starts to get tired!). Nevertheless, this is a genuine masterpiece, and one that anyone who wants to make a taut, suspenseful action thriller could learn a lot from.

Carriers (2009)

I've always been a big fan of plague movies; probably stems from my love of zombie movies, which are, in essence, a sub-genre of plague, which is, itself, a sub-genre of post-apocalypse... At any rate, while the trailers for Carriers implied that it had zombies in it (which it doesn't), I wasn't disappointed.

This is one of the most depressing films I've seen a long time. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing; sometimes bleak is appropriate. Just don't bother if you're in the mood for Zombieland!

The basic premise involves two brothers fleeing a plague which is spread by contact  across the country with two girls (one girlfriend, one acquaintance) to an idyllic setting they remember from their childhood, whilst trying to avoid dying unpleasantly. While the entire cast's performances are excellent, the standout is definitely Chris Pine (yes, the new Captain Kirk!) as the older brother, not necessarily because of his acting ability, but because he was just so much fun.

It's interesting to compare this film with the more well-known, and popular, Zombieland. Both films include a set of rules to follow in order to survive, and both involve avoiding contagion, but you couldn't get two more different films in mood, execution, and style. While Zombieland was, quite frankly, a one-joke film which didn't have enough depth to support itself, Carriers was tense, gritty, and realistic in its treatment. By the half-way point in Zombieland I was bored and annoyed; this never happened in Carriers. I really was at the edge of my seat the whole time.

I can't recommend this film highly enough for fans of the genre. It's the best plague film I've seen for a long time, the death-toll was realistic, and the post-apocalyptic environment was both convincing and brutal. Enjoy, then watch something cheerful afterwards...

Re-Animator (1985)

How great is this film? I first saw it in the cinema, and was just blown away. It was so audacious, so over-the-top, and just so brilliant! HP Lovecraft's original story was his first professionally published work and was written as a serial, which really shows; every chapter begins with a short recap of a bunch of stuff you already know, 'cause you only just read it... Not his best work, by a long shot. As a fan of Lovecraft's writing, what came as the biggest surprise with Re-Animator is just how much Stuart Gordon "gets" the feel. It couldn't be more different, stylistically, but somehow, it just feels "right".

The biggest problem with trying to make a Lovecraft film is that most of his characters spend their time reading old books and visiting libraries. Doesn't exactly make for an exciting film. Another huge problem, of course, is the constant references to things which can't be described (as they're too horrible). Earlier attempts to film his work were almost universally dismal; they would overlay gothic (as in Die, Monster, Die!), or just go for the weird/psychedelic (The Dunwich Horror). Re-Animator, on the other hand, updates the story to the present day, then goes berserk with the gore, and adds the most bizarre necrophilia scene ever into the mix. And the weirdest thing is that this actually works!

Jeffrey Combs is perfect as Herbert West; he's creepy, nerdy, and has a roaring case of Aspergers. He's also completely obsessed with his quest to return the dead to life, and doesn't let anything, least of all morality, get in the way. The other standout is Barbara Crampton as Megan Halsey; she is one of my all-time favourite screamers, and really pulls out all the stops when it comes to kinky... She is a recurring Stuart Gordon fave, as is Combs, and I can see why.

Richard Band's music is also great; hugely plagiarised from Psycho, this actually adds to the enjoyment. I particularly love the title sequence, with its Psycho theme and anatomical illustrations.

Filmed on a relatively low budget, and, of course, before CGI made some effects ridiculously easy, the film stands up well to the test of time; 25 years on it still looks pretty good, and its just as much fun as it ever was. If you've never seen (or imagined!) a severed head giving head, you need to watch this movie. Its gory, its truly sick, but its also a work of twisted genius. If you make it past the eyeballs exploding and the removal of the cadaver's brain, all within the first couple of minutes, you'll manage the rest just fine!

Død Snø (2009)

This is the reason we watch stupid movies. Not because we like stupid movies, but, because, just every now and again, one of the films we thought was going to be stupid was just great fun. And stupid. Or fun because its stupid. I mean, ya just know that a film featuring Nazi zombies is gonna be a hoot, but will it actually be any good? The good news is that Tommy Wirkola's Norwegian zombie-slasher, Dead Snow, is just great!

I've always been a big fan of the zombie genre, from White Zombie to Romero's classic series (how many is it now? 5?), and just about everything in between. While not a huge fan of the new trend towards "fast" zombies, sometimes I can look the other way, if the concept is good. And, lets face it, when it comes to the things we all love to hate the most, nazis and zombies have gotta be top of just about everybody's list, right?

So, our typical holidaying college students find themselves in a cabin in the mountains (with no cell reception, of course!), and naturally manage to piss off the local boogey-men by helping themselves to some treasure they just happen to find under the floorboards. All pretty pedestrian stuff, so far, but what elevates this film above the general fare is the sense of humour on display throughout. Much like the recent "Undead", what they lack in budget they more than make up for in imagination, and a love of their craft.

The big drawcard, of course, with Dead Snow is the prospect of Nazi zombies. There's just something about the idea which instantly appeals - I know, myself, as soon as I saw the trailer all I could think of was "I've just gotta see this film!". And I was right! And its got chainsaws! Oh joy, oh joy!

Okay, enough rapturous adulation... Don't expect any twists; there are no surprises here - It's a straightforward horror narrative, with all the obvious cliches. What you can expect, however, is to have a great deal of fun while you watch the students confront their tormentors with various improvised weapons. The characters are actually quite believable, in an over-the-top kinda way; they panic realistically, they sometimes act heroically, and they generally make the sorts of stupid mistakes I guess real people would make in the same circumstances. Much more likeable than your average monster-fodder.

The film has some really nice suspense in it, and some wonderful use of the frigid Norwegian environments. I felt cold just watching this film! Be prepared for some incredibly gory shots, though; dangling over a cliff by hanging onto a zombie's intestines, while another zombie is hanging on to you and trying to bite your throat out is one of the less gross sequences, once the body parts start flying. The effects guys certainly don't pull any punches, and the fact that one of the characters is wearing a "Brain Dead" t-shirt should be enough warning...

If you love zombies, then you can't afford to miss this film. If, on the other hand, you think that zombies are just an excuse to spread gratuitous amounts of blood and viscera around, then, well, maybe you'd be better off with the Sound of Music. At least it's got Nazis.

Stuck (2007)

I noticed Stuck when it was first released, but was a little put off by the subject matter; mostly because I knew it was based on a real story. A couple of years before the release of this movie, I heard an item on the radio about a woman who had struck a pedestrian, the pedestrian had become embedded in her windshield, and, rather than seeking assistance, she had driven home and parked her car in the garage, with the poor bastard still stuck in her windscreen. He died a few days later, and she only ran into trouble when she called on her friends to help dispose of the boy... It was noted that, had she sought medical assistance for her victim, he may well have survived. Instead, her fear of punishment created a situation which was much worse than it might have been if she'd faced her circumstances and done what she could have from the start.

On top of the horrific nature of the real-life events of this story, the fact that Stuart Gordon was the director put me off even more; not because I don't like Stuart Gordon, but because I know him well enough to be well aware of just how horrific his work can be. Re-Animator is one of my all-time favourite films, and yet again Gordon proves that he can handle any theme with style. As with so many other masters of horror, the closer he gets to filming reality, the more horrific it gets!

The film takes some detours from reality; it never claims to be accurate, just "based on real events", which allows for a much more cinematic experience than the original story would have entailed. Mena Suvari (who also has a production credit) is suitably hapless as the nurses aide, stoned off her tits, who hits Stephen Rea on her way home from a nightclub. Her complete lack of any empathy for her victim, who we see as being just some poor guy who has found himself at the receiving end of a terrible run of bad luck, is simply astonishing. Of course, it is even harder to stomach her behaviour when you know it is probably a fairly accurate representation of the real-life driver.

Again and again we are confronted with the sheer heartlessness of the main character, while at the same time cheering on the "bum" who she dismisses as not being worth the trouble "he" has caused her! Overall, I was really impressed with this harrowing, and depressingly accurate, portrayal of inhumanity. I'd recommend it to anyone who can stomach a little gruesomeness. Definitely one of Gordon's best.

The Human Centipede [First Sequence] (2009)

What an odd movie...

The whole time I was watching The Human Centipede, all I kept thinking (when I wasn't going "ugh" at what I was seeing) was "how did anyone come up with this idea?". Not that it isn't original, or even interesting. Its just that the concept is so bizarre that it goes way beyond what most people could even think of, let alone put on film.

Having had a chance to watch it, I was left feeling less than impressed. It wasn't badly put together; quite the opposite. It was certainly good enough to provide a few moments of genuine suspense, along with real sympathy for the victims of the mad scientist's sick experiment.

What was lacking was a reason for being; without some deeper meaning, a film lacks the power to move. Of the contemporary films I've reviewed here in the last week or so, Audition was (to me) about how love (or at least infatuation) is blind, while The Midnight Meat Train was about one man's descent into darkness (always a fave!). The Human Centipede, on the other hand, was about a human centipede. Huh?!?

So, that's why I can't recommend it. Not because it wasn't a well-made film, but because it really had nothing to say about the human condition. And that's what makes the big difference between a good film and a great one - It has to say more than the obvious, it has to add something to your understanding of the world. Shocking (or grossing-out) the audience is, normally, just not enough.

Still, if you're curious, as I was, go ahead. Oh, and it really is incredibly gross in parts. Just don't say I didn't warn you.

Ôdishon (1999)

Audition (Ôdishon) is an extremely interesting film. Yet another Japanese horror, it manages to produce more than a few scenes which raise the hairs on the back of your neck... It is, like so many other Japanese horrors, slow to start, but the gradual build certainly pays off with a truly horrific dénouement; like so many of Takashi Miike's other films, it ends up being so awful that its almost impossible to watch, yet you just can't look away, either!

The basic plot is, of course, extremely simple - A man is widowed, remains alone with his son for a few years, and then is persuaded that the easiest way to find a new "bride" is through setting up a fake audition. Fate draws his attention to a particular resume, and, of course, he ends up asking way too few questions when he finally gets to meet the girl.

Ryo Ishibashi gives a nicely laid-back performance as Shigeharu Aoyama, who becomes more and more obsessed with this mysterious girl. You should really watch the film before reading the following paragraph - Don't say you weren't warned!

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

The most impressive scene, to my eyes, was the first date. When you initially see his date, the conversation is innocuous and innocent. What stands out is that this sequence is full of strange edits. It only becomes clear, during a flashback at the climax, that what we saw was a date through rose-coloured glasses - When Aoyama looks back at his experiences with the girl, we get the full version of his date, where she exposes quite clearly how crazy she just might be...

*** END SPOILER ***

Like Ringu, Ju-on, and many other Japanese movies in the last 10 years or so, this is a must-see film for aficionados of horror.

The Midnight Meat Train (2008)

It's pretty rare that I'm so impressed with a movie that I can't wait to see it again. This was one of those movies. It's certainly not for the faint-hearted, or the weak-stomached, but if you can take the extreme levels of gore on display here, I thoroughly recommend it.

This film is about the descent of a character, in this case a photographer called Leon (Bradley Cooper), into madness. When art gallery owner Susan Hoff (Brooke Shields!) suggests he needs to be "braver" in the photographs he is taking, he ends up drawn into a secret that nobody would want to know about, let alone pursue. He photographs a girl who later disappears, then, "coincidentally" ends up taking photos of Mahogany (Vinnie Jones), who, of course, is the guy he ends up suspecting "disappeared" her.

Leon's deterioration is well-presented, and the overall effect is that of growing dread, as he becomes more and more obsessed with finding the truth, regardless of the cost to himself and those who care about him. In the best Lovecraftian tradition, once you know too much, there is no going back...

The Midnight Meat Train is definitely one of the goriest films I've ever seen, and should definitely not be watched by anyone who can't stomach scenes of graphic over-the-top violence and dismemberment! Mahogany's main "tool of the trade" is a large meat tenderiser, certainly a novel weapon, and a nice change from all the hatchets and knives you normally see in splatter movies. The effects, partly prosthetic, partly CGI, are excellent, and probably too realistic, if anything! Certain parts were certainly hard to watch, if only because of the level of detail displayed on screen.

The standout performance, though, is from Vinnie Jones. His methodical approach to his work is just so much fun to watch. I'm not talking about award-winning performances, I'm talking about when a character just "feels right". The claim, in the DVD extras, is that they were trying to create another iconic horror movie villain, like Freddy or Jason, and I honestly believe they succeed. Unfortunately, given the film's limited release and subsequently poor box-office, we may not get a sequel - Not that it needs one, but I'd certainly go out of my way to watch it.

One scene that was particularly impressive was one where the camera spins around a railway carriage as the train plunges through the tunnels, all while a huge fight is going on  inside. A brilliant example of computer assisted camera work. The feeling of speed is quite palpable, as is the chaos of the battle going on.

The director, Ryuhei Kitamura, draws on Japan's film-making style to great effect. I doubt whether any US director would have had the courage, or the vision, required to make a film this brutal. If you liked this, you should definitely check out some of the other great Japanese horror films that have been made in the last 10 years or so. Black Hole Reviews has a long list of these, and I can recommend his blog for those who are interested.