I'm a firm believer that that sum of a movies parts can be considered independent of its whole - meaning that an interesting element (e.g., a neat scene, a certain actor/actress, a sub genre, location, etc.) can be sufficient to provide a basis for enjoying a movie...particularly when viewing on DVD with the ability to quickly scan through substandard parts. In this movie's case, I have to say I enjoyed it enough to buy a copy, but here's why - its a Halloween flick (my favorite holiday) and its set in a haunted house (one of my favorite forms of entertainment). The acting, admittedly, is quite terrible, horrible in fact. The writing is at times absolutely disastrous - particularly the dialog associated with the organizer guy who is always threatening to fight someone. This guy reminds me of a horrible coworker I once had - a 27"-waisted, boy of a man who felt so Napoleonic-driven to remind everyone of his importance. The scenery isn't so bad; despite the micro budget, some sets were interesting, and good use of camera work and other atmospheric elements to improve the look. But if you expect crap acting and weak dialog, its a good time.
Review of Hallow's End
