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Horror Fans: Do Yourself a Favor and Watch this Film

posted 8 years ago by ledzeppelin302
3 replies | jump to latest

(Some Minor Spoilers Ahead)

Okay, let me start of right away by saying that this is by no means a masterpiece; it definitely has it's issues. But I have to say, during a a time where there seems to be a bit of a drought of really stomach-churning, nerve-wracking horror films, I found this movie to be very refreshing.

I absolutely loved the slow-burn nature of this film. I felt like I was piecing the whole story together simultaneously with the protagonist, picking up little clues here and there .

Also, even haters have to admit that the actors in this film know what they're doing. I've seen a lot of really rough (in terms of acting) low-budget horror films come out in the last couple years, so seeing some actors with some real chops was a nice treat. Michael Smiley (if you haven't seen him in Luther or Wire in the Blood, do so ASAP) in particular was very good.

Finally, the direction in the film was top-notch. I really felt like the director captured the cold, isolated feeling he was aiming for. I felt anxious the whole movie, and all the lingering shots of violence made me truly uncomfortable.

The ending seems to be the contested aspect of the film on this board, but I gotta say, I have seen a ton of horror movies with twist-endings that felt tacked on to the end just for the sake of it - Kill List did not feel like this. After the film was over, I realized just how much of the ending had been set up throughout the film: all the victims thanking the protagonist before their deaths, all the weird behavior (like the girl at the beginning, and the guy who contracts them getting them to sign in blood, etc).

Again, this by no means a perfect film, but it's definitely one of the better low-budget horror films I've seen in a while, and certainly deserves a better score than what it currently holds - It currently shares nearly the same rating as Purge: Election Year, which is truly sad.

TL;DR - Not perfect by any means, but overall atmospheric, well acted/directed despite its low budget, and a solid take on slow-burn horror. Definitely worth a look if your in the mood for something that feels fresh.

[–] BostonDave1 8 years ago

You're right, it's not perfect. I agree with all you've said here except for the ending. Much like "The Mist" the director seems to have taken a great film and turned it to 5hit with a "shocking" twist at the end which brings no closure nor adds no intrinsic value to the film. Now I'm not saying that leaving things to the imagination of the audience or adding some mystery to keep you thinking is a bad idea per say, it was just not done well here, has been overused as of late and has become a lazy way to end films and it's getting tired and old. This is why horror is dead. I've tried to remain a fan but haven't seen anything original in the past 10 years that's shows any real creativity. Maybe "The Descent" or "You're Next" but they are only good, not great...

[–] barrin21 7 years ago

In no way would I call this a horror film.

The world is built by killers, so you better get used to looking at them.

[–] kmags84 7 years ago

But it is... And its a part of Horror that is severely lacking in Recent Cinema. People that say this isn't Horror are the same that say 'The Wicker Man' isn't Horror. Basically any psychological film like this is written off, even though it carries more dread and suspense than most "Horror" films do.