Most blatant Halloween rip-off I've ever seen... - Malevolence (2003) Discussion

[–] jward9856743 19 years ago

Yeah, it's just like that western, Unforgiven! Eastwood totally ripped off John Wayne! They both wore cowboy boots, used a six shooter, rode horses, it was set in the old west, they even both wore cowboy hats!

John Wayne's Estate should sue!

Or like when Carpenter ripped off Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho with the butcher knife, or the piano theme from the Exorcist?

reply

[–] brucecampbellsrighthand 19 years ago

Yeah, you're very credible with your claim that this is the best horror movie in 20 years.

Listen, I'm glad you looooooved the movie, yay for you, but the "parallels" you make are totally wrong, infantile and pointless (except perhaps for Tubular Bells and the Halloween theme having similarities).

The facts remain: no matter how much praise and buzz you heap upon it, Malevolence is derivative to the max, barely adequately acted, boringly plotted and in every single way ripped off from other movies. You see genius there? good for you. Most horror fans will see through the hype, hopefully.

reply

[–] jward9856743 19 years ago

If Malevolence is so terrible as YOU claim, then how do you explain rave reviews from these horror websites?

MovieWeb.com
"Malevolence is such a well constructed, thickly layered movie and you can tell that it’s creators have nothing but reverence for the genre."

The New York Sun
"More frightening and far more engaging than the Grudge!"

The New York Times
"Malevolence will lead Halloween-inspired viewers into this dark place for some palpitations."

Variety
"Builds a grim atmosphere, every moment tingles with dread."

JoBlo.com
"If this is what Stevan Mena can pull off with $200k on a first feature, I’m
croaking to see what he’ll wing with more dough and added experience in tow!"

TheVoid.com
"“Holy Sh**!!”, that was my initial reaction to this movie once the credits popped up on my screen. It’s been a long time since a horror movie has grabbed me by the *%&* like this one did. "

Kickasshorrorreviews.com
"Holy Sh**!!, that scared the crap out of me! The most intense and bone chilling directorial debut since Sam Raimi and Evil Dead! Best Horror Film of the New Millenium!"

DVDTalk.com
"No-budget Malevolence has a lot more going for it than many of the
big budget horror coming out of Hollywood"

Moviesonline.ca
"...shames other cult classics that can not even touch what this film offers.
Top notch, kick ass, take it to the bank and CASH it!"

TheZreview.co.uk
"Scared me almost too much...I was Terrified!"

Dread Central.com (Dvd Review)
"I can virtually guarantee that you’ll be jumping out of your seat."

DVDReview.com
Thoroughly respectable. I am eager to see what Stevan Mena
has up his sleeve for the future, bring it on!

TheRumourMachine.com
"Breathtaking! Malevolence more than delivers."

Allthingszombie.com
"I guess Slasher films aren't dead after all..."

Syracuse Times
"heart-ripping, retro thrills."

Toronto Sun
"guaranteed to excite hard-core horror fans"

Am New York
"A homegrown horror movie that’s a lot better than most of it’s bigger-budgeted competition."

FilmThreat.com
"... once the scares start, they don't stop. Malevolence is relentless in its pursuit to frighten the hell out of you, and it succeeds."

The New York Post
"A cut above the rest... "

Journal Now-NC
"Relentless Malevolence doesn't waste time in giving horror fans all they want!"

The MIchigan Journal
"Low budget Malevolence is HIGH on the Fright Meter!"

TV GUIDE
"a straightforward throwback to old-school slasher movies that wears its influences on its bloody sleeve and delivers a solid ratio of suspense to shocks. "

FANGORIA
"MALEVOLENCE is the kind of accomplished debut that points to big things in the future for its creator."

The East Carolinian
"Just make sure to go the bathroom before the show, and don't be afraid to scream. It's inevitable."

Creature-Corner.com
"3 out of 4 stars. Malevolence represents a very promising debut for Stevan Mena."

HorrorReview.com
"Malevolence is an instant horror classic joining the likes of such greats as "The Evil Dead", "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Halloween". Horror films from first time directors don't get any better than this. You'd only be cheating yourself by not going to see this film. By far the best horror film I've seen this year."

The Epoch Times
"the whole time I was thinking “Oh gosh, is this really happening!”

ReelTalk.com
"This low-budget movie is a classy horror package."

The Oregonian
"Screamingly good first film! Malevolence" gets so much absolutely right that it's mildly stunning."

Horrortalk.com
"Not since the original Halloween have I felt so uneasy sitting in my seat at a theater! I predict we'll see some of the best horror films of the decade from Stevan Mena."

Horror-Web!
"Malevolence delivers on all it's promises of being a damn scary movie. I can not wait until we see more from Stevan Mena."

Dread Central
"if every debut from an indie director were this strong, we'd be seeing new horror movie deals signed every other week!"

Entertainment Insiders
"Mena’s one objective is to get audience members to jump, yell, and grab each other, and he does it. Again and again. He manages to make you jump out of your chair left and right."

GoreGalore.com
"a very solid, suspenseful horror film with one of the better storylines the slasher genre has ever seen."

Horror-Report.com
"4 Weapons of Mass Destruction!"

reply

[–] brucecampbellsrighthand 19 years ago

And here's even MORE quotes, this time from Rotten Tomatoes where it gets a whopping 18% approval... (not many reviews are there tho, to be fair).:

"Basically, you begin to tick off all of the standard horror gags as they come. And they all come exactly as expected."
-- Rich Cline, SHADOWS ON THE WALL

"The fanboy approach to filmmaking is always the same: Take a typical slasher-movie premise and copy all the things that impressed you when you were on the verge of puberty."
--Ken Hanke, MOUNTAIN XPRESS

"...certain sections of Malevolence are far more engaging than others, with most of the second act a complete write-off."
-- David Nusair, REEL FILM REVIEWS

"Many scenes on their own show some great promise. But Mena can’t get his film to work as a whole."
-- David Cornelius, EFILMCRITIC.COM

The acting and dialogue is as silly as the potato sack the killer wears on his head."
-- Robert Dominguez, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

"If ever a movie deserved to go directly to DVD, it's this dreary horror treatment."
-- David Hiltbrand, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

"Stevan Mena's debut film carves up body after body in a ritual homage to the serial-killer genre."
--Ned Martel, NEW YORK TIMES

“It hardly helps that Malevolence is laughably unscary or that Mena favors dimensionless medium shots and ham-fisted symbolic imagery.”
-- VILLAGE VOICE

I personaly prefer Ken Hanke's hilarious view of the film.

reply

[–] SilentNight29 19 years ago

I agree about this being a rip off. I even watched Boogeyman (the new version)right after this and it blew this thing away.

If you want low budget done right try something a bit different than a total Halloween rip off, the music and "shocks" copied it to a fault. This is far from a scary movie folks.

reply

[–] jward9856743 19 years ago

Why is it so important to you to knock it? Why do YOU keep coming back here? What is your agenda? Why can't you accept the fact that I like the movie? Why are you so confrontational? WHat do you have to gain by knocking this film with your irrevelant commentary?

You are among the sad few who don't get it. You don't understand the subtext of the film, you don't get the well placed homages to past clasics. My guess is you are under 21, and this 70's throwback doesn't appeal to you. Maybe that 15 bucks was your whole weeks allowance? But to me, a person who grew up on those types of films, I get EXACTLY what Mena was trying to accomplish. And I applaud that it was done on a low budget. It's the retarded mentality of just knocking things you don't fully comprehend that might have sunk great creative films like The Blair Witch Project, or Session 9. Malevolence is a certified masterpiece if you consider where it came from, how it was executed, and accomplishing exactly what it intended to do. If you don't see it, that's too bad, but don't try and ruin it for the intellectuals out there who do, who's broader comprehension skews slightly higher than your own.

Virtually every horror critic LOVED this film. Are you that much more aloof than say The Arrow, FilmThreat, Fangoria, Horrorreview, Horrortalk, allthingszombie, gorezone, etc, etc, etc??? Are you saying those guys don't know horror? Come on. You're opinion is irrelevant before you even open your mouth.

One other thing. The soundtrack for Malevolence is also one of the best ever. If you disagree with that, then you truly must have an ax to grind.

Peace...Don't be hatin'

reply

[–] iCode_v2 12 years ago

You go in to a thread that's clearly about how bad this movie is, spout off a bunch of nonsense about how it isn't and then have the balls to accuse someone else of coming back here and having an agenda?

You're hilarious.

reply

[–] CinderFall 9 years ago

I don't trust Rotten Tomatoes as they give actual good movies bad ratings and vice versa. And the Robert Dominguez guys doesn't watch horror movies a lot does he? I mean, there have been quit a few horror movies with a sack on the head because that's actually scarier than some masks that have made their appearances as of late. In fact, here are a few movies that use that find of mask that worked (Friday the 13th part 2, The Town that Dreaded Sundown, Trick 'r Treat) and that's to name a few!

reply

[–] piercebrosnen 19 years ago

Hey Bruce,
Chill out and get back behind the counter a 7 Eleven.
I don't rmember any bank robberies or slaughterhouses in Halloween.
Sure Mena was influenced, but ever turn on the radio and hear how many bands sound the same "note for note." Same things happens in film, fashion, clubs, etc..
If anything Carpenter's flattered he had that impact on him. You think John feels threatened? That's funny.
It was Mena's first crack, give him a break.
One can only begin at the begining.
Perhaps you take this way way wayyyyy to seriously?

reply

[–] brucecampbellsrighthand 19 years ago

Whatever dudes.

Go watch Shallow Ground, for an example of the "serial killer" thing done with flair, good acting, torrents of blood and a similarly low budget.

You guys are defending this like I'm attacking your mommy and I'M taking it seriously? LMAO

Peace out
P.S and it's S-Mart, you primitive screwhead.
P.P.S. don't get your panties in a bunch, I'm just quoting The Chin.

reply

[–] bbttsscc 19 years ago

People are missing the point, irregardless of whatever influences there may be, the movie is still a boring, stinking pile of crap. It's laughable.

reply

[–] piercebrosnen 19 years ago

Now Cabin Fever on the other hand that was Genius! Pure Brilliance! Riiiight.
You're mom is laughable.
Perhaps you and Bruce and co-workers.

reply

[–] bbttsscc 19 years ago

Ok well I never mentioned Cabin Fever but since you did I think it's importnat to point out that not many people understood that Cabin Fever was a parody of itself. Eli Roth is a superior filmmaker to this Steven Mena guy. I don't mean to say that he couldn't do better, he needs to work on his skills as a screenplay writer first. I am not a screenwriter myself but I know when a movie is boring and this movie is just that.

reply

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jward9856743 19 years ago

If Malevolence's script is so terrible, how come it won BEST SCREENPLAY at the 4th annual internet horror awards this year, which is chosen by it's readers? Are they bought off too? All 1 million of them???

http://www.horrorreview.com/2004results.html

Only jealousy would make you want to continually bash a movie for this long. Either you have no life, or are a frustrated filmmaker, jealous of the success a no budget film like Malevolence has gotten!

reply

[–] brucecampbellsrighthand 19 years ago

Dude we're giving you points why we feel this movie sucks and all you give us is other people's approval of this movie... what positive things do YOU have to say about it apart from "oh well how come so and so liked it then"?

I mean search long enough and you'll find people who said positive things about GIGLI too... don't make it a good movie. This is not a trial where you have to provide proof... it's a discussion where you're supposed to have things to say. Do you have thigns to say? Positive points about the film? Things you enjoyed and that make you say it's a great flick?

I mean for Christ's sake I'VE pointed out more qualities of the movie than either two of you Pierce and Jw together.

reply

[–] jward9856743 19 years ago

I think the score was excellent. I think the subtext of the film, evil begetting evil, the whole cirlce of violence thing was great. I like the cool references to other horror movies. I thought it had great atmosphere. The killer was scary, there was no self referential humor, no stupid teens having sex and doing drugs, the murder of Marylin was outrageously violent (even if implied), and well shot, remeniscient of the shower scene in Psycho. I think The lighting and cinematography made the $0.00 budget look like a Hollywood production. The sets were freaking awesome, including a real slaughterhouse. I thought the acting was ok, I thought the characters were compelling and unusual for this type of film. I've never seen a slasher film with a more compelling and intricate and deep storyline as this film. I can't wait to see the other two films to see how it all got started. I think considering how the film was made, pound for pound, yes it's the best horror film I've seen in a long time, and can't imagine how great it could have been with say a 10 million dollar budget. We see what RIck Rosenthal did with his 10 million on Halloween 8. Way to go Rick! I think Malevolence blows every Halloween sequel off the map. I don't think it compares to the original Halloween, it's hard to beat Loomis, but it comes damn close, and I think it definitely is better than any of the other imitators out there.

Fair enough?

reply

[–] bbttsscc 19 years ago

Yeah I guess except that it still sucks. None of the positive things you pointed out existed in this film. Sorry.

reply

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] bbttsscc 19 years ago

Yes HERMFIELD you have a good point. No one is making a concious effort to come on here and trash the movie, I myself came to the board BEFORE I rented it to see what people said about it. It was mixed and the reviews were good so I rented it. Wish I hadn't. Now I am just trying to save true fans of horror the awful experience of watching this drivel. Trust me to anyone who hasn't seen it, it isn't worth your time or money. To the fans, don't get yourselves so worked up. Anyone who didn't like it has just as much a right to be here to voice thier opinion as you do, that is why it is called a public forum. I think the movie was a crapfest.

reply

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Yagamei 19 years ago

This is a good movie, but it's not great. It's very predictable, and the concept is old news.

And pal, it's most definitely not a Halloween Rip-off. It's a Friday the 13th part 2 rip off. The blue plaid shirt and bag mask of the killer are identical to Jason's. Also, some of the shots are IDENTICAL to those seen in the movie:

- Shot where killer rises into the glow of the flashlight and looks at it with his bag mask as he approaches after "killing" the guy. RIP OFF.

- Shot where the killer runs up to the van from behind, and then grabs the female by the neck thru the window (the grab and choke thru the window is a rip of F13 part 3). RIP OFF.

There are other examples, if you watch closely, just not as blatantly obvious as the aforementioned two. A lot of the sounds in terms of music are also similar. The fact that it is very similar is not the director trying to scam the movie though .. It's a blatant homage effort. The thing is, if this is your FIRST horror movie, then it'll ROCK. If you've seen the classics, this is just another slasher -- And the special effects are nowhere near on par with many other horrors, even those filmed in the 80s, which this movie pays homage to.

Also .. WHAT IS UP WITH THE KILLER'S FACE? That dissapointed me to no end. A complete let-down. ( *** SPOILER **** He looks like friggin' Derek from Sum 41. GAAAAAY ).

reply

[–] stalknslash 19 years ago

Homage effort? What are you like a redneck?

They need to leave the slasher genre alone. IT'S OVER. Black Christmas (1974), Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Halloween (1978), period. Let the rip-off artist make fools of themselves. Especially this hack.

reply

[–] Yagamei 19 years ago

And what are you, "LIKE", a retarded valleygirl?

Do us all a big favour, go gag on a dick and die. And we'll get Wes Craven to film it. And then we'll make it into a slasher film, that earns millions at the box office. Just to piss you off.

EDIT: Lol, in case that sounded harsh, I'm just pulling your leg, pal. No, I'm NOT a redneck, and I think you might be confused as to what "homage" means.

reply

[–] jward9856743 19 years ago

Dangleberries...The director even says during the commentary that the scene where he reaches into the van was a recreation of that scene in F13th. Homage means to emulate. He was purposely putting those things in to remind the audience what was great about those old films, to jar the memory.

I hear that Mena's next film is going to be about a killer shark that attacks a small community on the East Coast. Except his shark will have friggin lazer beams!

reply

[–] stalknslash 19 years ago

After all the hype that was piled onto this film it's only right for the truth to come out now.

reply

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] spootyville 19 years ago

unless my understanding of homage and the dictionary as well is wrong, homage means to pay respect not emulate. Emulation is what is such a problem in the video game industry, not homage.

reply

[–] smerd_70 19 years ago

But even Friday the 13th Part 2 wasn't original with that type of mask, the killer in The Town That Dreaded Sundown(1976) wore the same mask.

reply

[–] brucecampbellsrighthand 19 years ago

Well excuse me for thinking this was an opinions forum. I didn't realize it was a "hype" forum. The reason we come here and dis some movies is not to be gratuitously harsh (at least not in my case), it's just so that ALL points of view will be expressed. I believe that is the very essence of free speech. I don't consider it "wasted" energy at all, I consider it voicing my opinion, you do with it as you please.

The main problem is people take movie criticism as a review of their own tastes. It's not. it's about the movie and our own experience with it, not you and yours. It shouldn't take away from YOUR enjoyment of the movie. I wish people would stop personalising reviews so much, then maybe we could discuss things without any egos flaring up. I don't "suck" because I didn't like the movie, and you're not "an idiot" because you loved it.

I don't pretend to own the universal truth when it comes to movies just because I've seen so and so, or how many low budget dreck I've rented. I just figured I'd share my disappointment, after reading the hype, and maybe save some other people the disappointment. Wether you want to share the love or the disappointment, it's still people wanting to share an experience with others, and it's just as valid.

And yes, there's also a lot of Friday references in there, I totally agree, but overall it smacked of Carpenter to me. And yes, the slasher genre is tired, and there's only so much you can do with it, but there are ways to make is seem fresher (case in point: SHALLOW GROUND) and NOTHING in Malevolence is fresh, in fact it's so old it's almost back in style. Again, that's just MY opinion, and if any of you guys love the movie, good for you. I'm talking to the OTHER people who will most likely not like it, not trying to make you hate it.

Whew, that felt like soapboxing.... sorry for that. :)

reply

[–] bbttsscc 19 years ago

Well said bruceampbellsrighthand.

reply

[–] randomhero510 19 years ago

I think it was just a movie paying homage to the old classics. I guess kind of like tarantino with every single movie he makes.

reply

[–] Speedy2056 19 years ago

I saw this film and it has a great atmosphere with some creepy camera work, and the feeling of isolation, especially at the beginning when everything was out in the middle of nowhere.

The way the film worked with the plot of the bank robbers and then switching over to a horror film reminded me of Psycho, with how it kinda switches it's mood and plot from one or a couple of central character's to the next.

However,the middle parts are where I have a big problem with....DULL! The killer was just lurking around a'la Halloween and watching them, silently. There were 2 murders in the whole thing, not that I am saying you need gore to make a good film but the killings were done in a amateurish way and so was every scene with the killer, in fact.

Sure, it was low budget but if they thought they were gonna revive the slasher genre with this, they got another thing coming.

I've seen plenty of other low budget horror flicks (the slasher genre is full of em) and this is one of the poorer ones made, simply because of it's amateurish antics.

reply

[–] rascal9tx 19 years ago

WOW. . .the FOURTH ANNUAL INTERNET HORROR AWARDS?!?!? REALLY!?!?! How prestigious. Yeah, the movie sucked, sorry. If I had paid to see that in the theater, I might have actually asked for a refund.

"Geez, it's like a temp agency for midget criminal minds." Do YOU know where this quote came from??

reply

[–] bbttsscc 19 years ago

I know. I gotta wonder about the people who think this was the be all end all of horror films. Just plain not good.

reply

[–] rascal9tx 19 years ago

Nice to see some common sense on the thread. . .

"Geez, it's like a temp agency for midget criminal minds." Do YOU know where this quote came from??

reply

[–] dancingcancer41 19 years ago

I'm not really sure because I haven't seen the movie, I was just seeing if it was worth checking out. Anyway, does it matter if it was a rip-off? If you don't like it, you don't like it, if you do, you do. There has to be some sort of *beep* cut off here before you get to the bare bones of the movie, whether or not it was enjoyable. That is, of course, subjective to one's opinion, but let's face it, everything has been ripped-off. I could probably find a thousand movies that have been just like many others, the point is whether or not the movie is entertaining. Just to throw a good movie out there that was a blatant rip-off, is Reservoir Dogs. Tarantino takes pride in ripping off a Hong Kong flick called City on Fire, I apologize for those who already know this, I'm just throwing it in there. The entire movie, from the premise, to specific scenes and shots, to the cover design of the movie itself, is a rip-off. Some people call it a homage, some a rip-off, in writing it's called plagiarism, but who really cares? That's just what I think.

"You're Invited To Orville's "Coming-Out" Party...It'll Be A Scream...Yours!" -Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things

reply

[–] rascal9tx 19 years ago

Is it worth it? Well, my opinion is that it was only worth it because I'm in that Blockbuster online movie club-thing, so I didn't pay any EXTRA money to see it. Although my time is valuable, so maybe it wasn't worth it after all. . .

LOL

"Geez, it's like a temp agency for midget criminal minds." Do YOU know where this quote came from??

reply

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] rascal9tx 19 years ago

I see your point, but I couldn't call it a "thriller" simply because I was in no way thrilled. . .

"Geez, it's like a temp agency for midget criminal minds." Do YOU know where this quote came from??

reply

[–] olenhancock-1 19 years ago

It is somewhat of a ripoff, but it scared me and my friends, and that is all that matters.

reply

[–] chrisdewey 19 years ago

What is the matter with you people? If you didn't like the movie fine. But that doesn't mean that it sucks. Your opinion is not the official call on the quality of the movie. Just like since I love it, it doesn't make it a great movie. It's all subjective. I personally thought this was awesome. Awesome enough to come here and comment on these boards. This is a return to low-budget horror like no other. I'm 17, yet I can't stand the horror crap the mainstream feeds us these days.

I can't believe people are calling this a rip off. A Halloween remake would be a rip-off. This had an original story, with original characters, and unique locations. What exactly did this movie steal from Halloween? The music was similar, but I took that as homage. I loved those stinger sounds every time the killer popped up. This movie didn't take anything that Halloween hadn't already taken. And it's hilarious that we are claiming that it ripped off some of the Friday the 13th movies, a series which I am a huge fan off. F13 is notorious for being unoriginal. The original screenwriter, Victor Miller, stated that he and direct Sean Cunningham set out to rip off Halloween and ride on its wave. You can't rip off something that is unoriginal in the first place. You really think they were trying to steal Jason's "sack mask" from F13 part 2? Would they really be that obvious? Or the part where the killer smashes through the window on the side of the car? I was totally getting off on these references. Ripping off is when you're trying to claim something as your own. These small things were great for the fans that got them.

So just chill out. Instead of being all angry about a movie you didn't like, go find a new movie that you might be able to really dig.

reply

[–] rascal9tx 19 years ago

Wow. You must be easily scared. . .

"Sex is so overrated. Especially the way I do it." Do you know where this quote came from??

reply

[–] lycanthrope32 13 years ago

i am half way through watching this right now and i came here , as i was thinking the very same thing.

Total halloween rip off , especially the soundtrack.

Its also really crap , which is why i am writing this and paying no attention to the film!

reply

[–] johnwills3 12 years ago

DUDE I love that part in Halloween when they *beep* up that bank robbery.
Real talk bro.

reply

[–] DesperateHouseboy 11 years ago

There were hints of TCM, and Friday the 13th in this as well. I dont think of it as a rip-off, it seemed more like a tribute if anything.

reply