Directors Ryan Thiessen and Greg Swinson’s “Hunt Her, Kill Her” has a paper thin premise to work with and—well, not much is done with it, sadly. I love a good survival horror movie, but “Hunt Her, Kill Her” has a great opportunity that it sadly squanders. Despite original motivations for its central villains, Thiessen and Swinson’s film is a middle of the road woman in peril invasion thriller. It’s not a bad movie, but it never really re-invents the wheel when all is said and done. It’s not to say that a movie of this sub-genre can’t tread new ground (look at “You’re Next” and “Hush”), but the movie always seems to settle for the minimum. This keeps the movie from hitting highs.
Tag Archives: Survival
Cocaine Bear (2023)
With “Cocaine Bear” you’re either in for the ride, or you aren’t. Going in to Elizabeth Banks’ horror comedy, I knew exactly what I was getting, so I had a blast with it, suffice it to say. Everyone in the film seems to know what kind of movie they’re in as it wears everything about itself on its sleeve. It’s a movie about a rampaging black bear on a coke trip. What more are you expecting?
Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023)
One of the things I hate worse than a bad horror movie is a boring one. I can take that the producers of the film took the IP of “Winnie the Pooh” and turned it in to a slasher flick. People have been doing that for decades, and now with “Winnie the Pooh” in the public domain, we’re going to get so much more Winnie the Pooh iterations. The problem with “Blood and Honey” is that it’s boring. It’s so woefully boring and uncreative. How do you have a chance like this and blow it on such a dull run of the mill slasher flick?
You Have to See This! Wyrmwood: Apocalypse (2021)
Streaming On: Tubi, Vudu, Apple TV, Redbox
I for one got a huge kick out of Kiah Roache-Turner’s “Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead,” because while it was a huge departure from what I usually like in my zombie movies, he compensated with huge creativity and a great series of performances. In particular Bianca Bradey was a scene stealer as the zombie human hybrid Brooke. In “Apocalypse,” Kiah Roache-Turner and Tristan Roache-Turner shift the focus ever so slightly to a new series of characters. Sure they keep the integrity and novelty of “Road of the Dead” in tact, but this time we’re given a wider scope with a new series of villains and some bad ass zombie hybrids.
Night of the Bastard (2023)
Erik Boccio’s horror survival thriller is a film that sets its foot firmly in the Satanic cult sub-genre. It’s “Straw Dogs” meets “Race with the Devil” but with none of the charm or creativity of the aforementioned. It’s not to say that “Night of the Bastard” isn’t a spirited effort, but the movie spends so much time propping up plot points that it never quite answers, and can also never quite get past the shaky performances and silly dialogue.
Sick (2023)
I think soon enough we’ll be at a point where the new generation of filmmakers will be making movies that reflect on the COVID pandemic and how it traumatized the world. The team of John Hyams, Kevin Williamson, and Katelyn Crab concoct what is easily one of the most clever slasher movies of the year, and yet another genre gem in what promises to be a year full of them. “Sick” is a movie that reflects on a COVID ravaged society that also explores ideas about self responsibility and how actions can have dire consequences.
Fall (2022)
There are two types of survival films: One where our characters are in a situation where despite their best efforts, are screwed. The second type is where common sense evades moronic protagonists who dig themselves in to a hole from minute one. Scott Mann’s “Fall” is the second type. Despite being acrophobic’s nightmare (that is about all “Fall” has going for it) it’s basically a how to, of what not to do when honoring a loved one.
DO spread their ashes if you want; it’s trite but sweet.
DON’T climb to the top of a humongous, unstable radio tower to do it.
What ever happened to lakes, oceans, or stable cliffs?