Dread
Ok. I'm a little torn about this movie. Quite possibly because I'm having a hard time giving an objective review for a genre that I really don't like... But here goes.
I'll start with the plot outline, to save me some explaining:
Assisted by two naïve classmates, duplicitous Quaid (Shaun Evans) conducts a devious research project examining students' innermost fears. Once armed with data, Quaid methodically torments his hapless subjects, taking full advantage of their weaknesses.
So you know from the outset that our main character Quaid will eventually go crazy and start tormenting the students involved in the project... It's really only a matter of
when.
Despite the predictable outcome, though, the
getting there portion of the movie actually surprised me. Director Anthony DiBlasi and our actors did a REALLY good job of character development; I found myself honestly caring about the characters and not WANTING to face their fate in the inevitable outcome. I honestly empathized with the characters more than I do in the average horror movie... Even though the writing was strained at times, these characters felt like actual
people to me, so when their time came, I was absolutely horrified at their fate.
The weakest character, unfortunately, is the unhinged Quaid, and friend-turned-villain in this film. It's not entirely his fault, however; he has some pretty awful dialogue that he has to deliver. I wish that they had made him a little more sympathetic, so that he could have been viewed as more of a "person" than a "monster."
The movie is also over-directed at times, the overly moody EMO music really hammering your eardrums... But that's ok; I used to be an EMO girl...
Anyway. The movie is a bit slow the reach its inevitable climax, but when we get there, I care so much about our victims that I'm extra-horrified at the torture that Quaid exposes them to. Take that and couple it with the fact that I am not a huge fan of torture/exploitation films, and I was left feeling pretty uneasy and uncomfortable (Congratulations, DiBlasi! I gave you what you wanted!).
At the same time, however, I have a hard time classifying this movie as a straight-out torture flick. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to the torture hounds around here, but it's definitely good at creating a mood of pathos and discomfort for our victims.
This movie honestly left me unsettled and unhappy :(. It did it's job, though, in the end. Kudos... I think...
So I have a hard time rating it. The movie made me unhappy, but it's designed to. I'd really like someone else on the forum who's seen it to weigh in. It's definitely a successful movie, boring at times, great character development, and torture that isn't completely "torture."
How's THAT for an awesome synopsis?
3/5 I guess...