After just one week of intense squatting in the two projection rooms of Fantasia Festival, here are a few comments concerning the movies viewed by the Evolution Store team… Surprises, deceptions, but also some directors here with us…Generally speaking, many features of very good quality… this is the nature of Fantasia.
DREAD
Dread can be seen as a long and trying descent to hell. Step by step, the very oppressive atmosphere, the methodical conciseness of the subject and the medical brutality of the pictures drag the viewer into a chain of amoral violence and perversity, coming from the bottom of a tortured soul. One will only catch his breath once the curtain is down and lights are back…. Definitely this week’s gore slap in the face!
MUTANTS
On the vibe of Zombie movie revival of the past years, Mutants “made in France” has focused on a human and realistic approach of the transformation phase from human to infected. With a tense mood and visually nervous atmosphere, David Morley’s first feature has nothing to be jealous of when compared to his English inspirational models.
IP MAN
In spite of a rather superficial and poor content, the autobiographical movie on the life of Bruce Lee’s master will delight for sure aficionados of fights made in Asia. A must-have, so much for the elaborated production than for the amazing fighting choreographies.
MUST LOVE DEATH
Clever mix of romance, comedy and gore torture, Must Love Death is a happy slaughter. In spite of the many inspirational models that this first feature tends to follow (from Haneke to Raimi and Hooper), this young German director actually succeeded into delivering a horror piece that has nothing to envy to his media contemporaries. This is surely not the last time that we hear about him!
THIRST
This intimist approach to the vampire’s myth from Park Chan-wook offers a more human view of these night creatures with a destructive love story. Such a nuanced handling of both main characters narrowly avoids intense Manichaeism, which could have been harmful to the feature…
DEAD SNOW
Not only is the butchering of these teenagers properly done by the Norwegian skiing zombies, but the whole movie abounds with bright ideas and horrific-comedy gems. A delightful slaughter that could maybe have been a little better organized. But surely bursting with originality!
SPARE
Had the « so british » Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg (Shaun of the dead) tried to direct Snatch, le outcome would have probably been close to Spare. Highly diverting and funny.
GRACE
In spite of a continuous stressful atmosphere and a few scenes that could decide even the most feminists to abort, Grace does not hold all its promises… Shame that the director beats about for too long and then closes the deal when it finally gets interesting…
LEGENDARY ASSASSIN
Though the dramatic and emotional strings are a little tired from being stretched over the top, Legendary Assassin is actually nice and tough, mainly thanks to his mysterious mariachi hero and his exquisite conquest, as well as to many old school fights.
INFECTION
Infection is a pleasant monster movie that nevertheless struggles a little to find its own characteristic personal touch. Due to this lack of originality, the director hardly stands out of the crowd, it’s a shame.
BOOK OF BLOOD
In spite of an elaborated picture, the very short story of Clive Barker hardly bears its cinematographic transition. Book of Blood could have been a very nice episode of Master of Horror but struggles in lasting an hour an a half…
POWER KIDS
These Asian Goonies brought up with thai muay will surely delight the young public. This long American style feature has no other aim but to divert.
CLONE RETURNS HOME
In this languishing Asian movie of contemplative style, it is a shame that the visual atmosphere of Clone returns home is not a little more intensified and that the ethical or even mystical reflection concerning cloning is only lightly tackled.
KAIFECK MURDER
More or less supernatural, the German thriller struggles to set a real atmosphere. Like the atmosphere itself, the whole movie is more boring than scaring.
EVIL SPIRIT
All along this wild sensory experience, the incoherent and senseless narrative style progressively looses his assistance…
