SomeoneThe Blockbuster Challenge, and Severed
May 2nd 2009 04:37
I was a blockbuster near my house the other day, looking for a decent horror to watch, and I realized that I had seen a fair chunk of the horror section. Not quite half, but a decent proportion.
So, it got me thinking. And from that thinking came a challenge. I will not rest, I will not eat or sleep or even breathe, until I have watched every movie that the blockbuster horror dept. can throw at me!
Well, I might eat. Movies are generally better over popcorn.
Now, onto bigger and better things.
Severed.
Premise: A logging company develops a growth hormone to more quickly grow old-growth trees. This hormone is being tested at a camp site, which is currently under nuisance by a group ofhippies environmentalists (Headed by Sarah Lind). After a tree is spiked, one of the loggers gets injured and some of the sap contaminates his blood, resulting in a severe case of zombie-itis.
Fast forward a day or two, and the head of the logging company sends his son (Paul Campbell) to investigate why this logging camp has ceased production. Cue carnage, bloodshed, and people getting their faces eaten off.
Now, as far as zombie movies go, this one is pretty slick. The woods are a great place to set a zombie movie, and the lumber camps offer up plenty of options when it comes to selecting a cutting implement to deal with a nasty zombie... speaking of cutting, gorehounds will not be disappointed. Copious zombie slicing, oodles of intestine eating and blood splatters aplenty.
The cast are, for the most part, convincing... Which is great, because that's about the only thing that holds the flimsy script together. The movie is basically just a barrage of zombie movie cliches... So yes, there is definitely no new ground covered here.
The camera work also gets a little frustrating. Sure the jumpy camera is a nice touch here and there, but we don't want to feel like the cameraman is having periodic seizures. Again, this is a shame, because I generally liked the director's touch.
However, despite the poor script and (occasionally) frustrating camerawork, this movie does have a lot going for it. I've mentioned the scenery and the acting, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the background music (think ominous tones and harmonics).
Overall, I'd say this one is worth picking up, especially if you're a fan of the zombie genre.
** Minor Spoiler Alert **
I am becoming quite a fan of horror movies that attempt to offer a bit of a lesson... I found the juxtaposition of the mindless brutality of the zombies aside the cruel brutality of the second logger camp to be really quite effective. Especially when Carter is forced into the pen by Anderson.
Also, the ending is not typical Hollywood, which I am also quite a fan of.
So, it got me thinking. And from that thinking came a challenge. I will not rest, I will not eat or sleep or even breathe, until I have watched every movie that the blockbuster horror dept. can throw at me!
Well, I might eat. Movies are generally better over popcorn.
Now, onto bigger and better things.
Severed.
Premise: A logging company develops a growth hormone to more quickly grow old-growth trees. This hormone is being tested at a camp site, which is currently under nuisance by a group of
Fast forward a day or two, and the head of the logging company sends his son (Paul Campbell) to investigate why this logging camp has ceased production. Cue carnage, bloodshed, and people getting their faces eaten off.
Now, as far as zombie movies go, this one is pretty slick. The woods are a great place to set a zombie movie, and the lumber camps offer up plenty of options when it comes to selecting a cutting implement to deal with a nasty zombie... speaking of cutting, gorehounds will not be disappointed. Copious zombie slicing, oodles of intestine eating and blood splatters aplenty.
The cast are, for the most part, convincing... Which is great, because that's about the only thing that holds the flimsy script together. The movie is basically just a barrage of zombie movie cliches... So yes, there is definitely no new ground covered here.
The camera work also gets a little frustrating. Sure the jumpy camera is a nice touch here and there, but we don't want to feel like the cameraman is having periodic seizures. Again, this is a shame, because I generally liked the director's touch.
However, despite the poor script and (occasionally) frustrating camerawork, this movie does have a lot going for it. I've mentioned the scenery and the acting, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the background music (think ominous tones and harmonics).
Overall, I'd say this one is worth picking up, especially if you're a fan of the zombie genre.
** Minor Spoiler Alert **
I am becoming quite a fan of horror movies that attempt to offer a bit of a lesson... I found the juxtaposition of the mindless brutality of the zombies aside the cruel brutality of the second logger camp to be really quite effective. Especially when Carter is forced into the pen by Anderson.
Also, the ending is not typical Hollywood, which I am also quite a fan of.
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