My Bloody Valentine 3D
2.5/4
Starring: Jensen Ackles, Jamie King, Kerr Smith, Kevin Tighe
Rated R for Graphic Brutal Horror Violence and Grisly Images Throughout, Some Strong Sexuality, Graphic Nudity and Language
Call "My Bloody Valentine 3D" a guilty pleasure. It starts out being an unintentionally funny freakshow and ends up being a pretty freaky movie with a well-done climax. I can't in good conscience recommend it, but for those who are looking for blood, gore, nudity and cheap shocks, this one will suffice.
Ten years ago, a mine in the town of Harmony collapsed, killing a few trapped miners. The lone survivor, Harry Warden, was in a coma until he awoke and brutally murdered 22 people with a pickax before being killed himself in a mine collapse. Now, ten years later, the murders have started again. Three survivors of the first massacre, Tom (Ackles), Axel (Smith) and Sarah (King) are at the center of it, and are racing to stop the bloodshed. But who is the killer? Did Harry actually survive, or is someone else behind the murders?
"My Bloody Valentine 3D" is the first horror film in a long time to remember what a horror movie like this should be. It's loaded from top to bottom with blood and gore, has a high body count, and contains a graphic sex scene with copious nudity. These days, we're lucky enough to have a movie with an R rating, but sex and nudity are an endangered species in a genre that used to be full of them.
The acting is adequate for the film's purposes, but no one is crying out for Oscar attention. As the hot hunky hero, Ackles is stiff as a corpse. He can't act to save his life. Jamie King is inconsistent. In the beginning, she's hilariously over-the-top, but she gets better as the film goes on. Kerr Smith is surprisingly effective. He may never be known as a particularly good actor, but after his awful turn in "The Forsaken," this is a decent performance. Character actor Kevin Tighe gives the best performance as Tom's old friend, Ben Foley.
The movie doesn't get off to a particularly good start. The first half hour is pretty bad. It's bad enough to be unintentionally funny, but not bad enough to be cringe inducing. I'm not sure that this was director Patrick Lussier's intent, however. The film does pick up in the second half, when the plot kicks into high gear. It's not groundbreaking stuff, but then again, slasher movie plots never are.
I'm wondering if the film was made chronologically, since it gets steadily better from beginning to end. My guess is no, since this is more the exception than the rule. What I did like is how Lussier sets the scene. He makes us really believe that the whole town is on edge, which gives the film a firm base upon which to generate tension. Although it lacks effective atmosphere, Lussier is able to create some surprisingly tense scenes. The best part of the film is the climax. It's a traditional horror stand-off, but it is effectively executed. Unfortunately, the explanation behind the killings is silly and unconvincing.
It's got its fair share of plotholes, and the film isn't exactly great, but for those who crave blood and gore, it isn't a bad way to get your fix.
Note: although I didn't see it in 3D, the camera angles allowed me to see what Lussier intended to project off the screen. The 3D shots are effectively chosen, and may have given the film an extra kick.
Starring: Jensen Ackles, Jamie King, Kerr Smith, Kevin Tighe
Rated R for Graphic Brutal Horror Violence and Grisly Images Throughout, Some Strong Sexuality, Graphic Nudity and Language
Call "My Bloody Valentine 3D" a guilty pleasure. It starts out being an unintentionally funny freakshow and ends up being a pretty freaky movie with a well-done climax. I can't in good conscience recommend it, but for those who are looking for blood, gore, nudity and cheap shocks, this one will suffice.
Ten years ago, a mine in the town of Harmony collapsed, killing a few trapped miners. The lone survivor, Harry Warden, was in a coma until he awoke and brutally murdered 22 people with a pickax before being killed himself in a mine collapse. Now, ten years later, the murders have started again. Three survivors of the first massacre, Tom (Ackles), Axel (Smith) and Sarah (King) are at the center of it, and are racing to stop the bloodshed. But who is the killer? Did Harry actually survive, or is someone else behind the murders?
"My Bloody Valentine 3D" is the first horror film in a long time to remember what a horror movie like this should be. It's loaded from top to bottom with blood and gore, has a high body count, and contains a graphic sex scene with copious nudity. These days, we're lucky enough to have a movie with an R rating, but sex and nudity are an endangered species in a genre that used to be full of them.
The acting is adequate for the film's purposes, but no one is crying out for Oscar attention. As the hot hunky hero, Ackles is stiff as a corpse. He can't act to save his life. Jamie King is inconsistent. In the beginning, she's hilariously over-the-top, but she gets better as the film goes on. Kerr Smith is surprisingly effective. He may never be known as a particularly good actor, but after his awful turn in "The Forsaken," this is a decent performance. Character actor Kevin Tighe gives the best performance as Tom's old friend, Ben Foley.
The movie doesn't get off to a particularly good start. The first half hour is pretty bad. It's bad enough to be unintentionally funny, but not bad enough to be cringe inducing. I'm not sure that this was director Patrick Lussier's intent, however. The film does pick up in the second half, when the plot kicks into high gear. It's not groundbreaking stuff, but then again, slasher movie plots never are.
I'm wondering if the film was made chronologically, since it gets steadily better from beginning to end. My guess is no, since this is more the exception than the rule. What I did like is how Lussier sets the scene. He makes us really believe that the whole town is on edge, which gives the film a firm base upon which to generate tension. Although it lacks effective atmosphere, Lussier is able to create some surprisingly tense scenes. The best part of the film is the climax. It's a traditional horror stand-off, but it is effectively executed. Unfortunately, the explanation behind the killings is silly and unconvincing.
It's got its fair share of plotholes, and the film isn't exactly great, but for those who crave blood and gore, it isn't a bad way to get your fix.
Note: although I didn't see it in 3D, the camera angles allowed me to see what Lussier intended to project off the screen. The 3D shots are effectively chosen, and may have given the film an extra kick.
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