Ideas are cribbed from the likes of "Groundhog Day" and "The Matrix" (to name just two examples) for this deliberately repetitive horror film. Mike Vogel (the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" reboot of 2003) stars as the title character, doomed to die and start a new "life" over and over again, until a mysterious "they" can figure out what secret he is hiding from them.
A reasonably interesting story by Brendan Hood (who wrote the 2002 horror flick "They") ultimately suffers from routine, uninspired treatment, although "The Deaths of Ian Stone" is still a notch or two above other features I've seen lately in terms of quality. It suffers from unimaginative looking creatures (not ones that would generate much fright from most viewers), although use of CGI is not inappropriate here. It's not a very colourful picture, yet it is decently shot in widescreen by Stefano Morcaldo.
Vogel gives an effectively grim performance in the lead. He is well supported by two very sexy birds: Jaime Murray ("Botched") as the amusingly named Medea, and appealing Christina Cole ('Suits') as Jenny, the love interest who reappears throughout Ians' various lives. Michael Feast ("Velvet Goldmine") delivers a standout performance as the obligatory exposition provider.
At the very least, "The Deaths of Ian Stone" offers a more ambitious alternative to blander contemporary fare, and it does work better the less you know about its plot going in.
The late, legendary effects maestro Stan Winston was one of the producers.
Six out of 10.
A reasonably interesting story by Brendan Hood (who wrote the 2002 horror flick "They") ultimately suffers from routine, uninspired treatment, although "The Deaths of Ian Stone" is still a notch or two above other features I've seen lately in terms of quality. It suffers from unimaginative looking creatures (not ones that would generate much fright from most viewers), although use of CGI is not inappropriate here. It's not a very colourful picture, yet it is decently shot in widescreen by Stefano Morcaldo.
Vogel gives an effectively grim performance in the lead. He is well supported by two very sexy birds: Jaime Murray ("Botched") as the amusingly named Medea, and appealing Christina Cole ('Suits') as Jenny, the love interest who reappears throughout Ians' various lives. Michael Feast ("Velvet Goldmine") delivers a standout performance as the obligatory exposition provider.
At the very least, "The Deaths of Ian Stone" offers a more ambitious alternative to blander contemporary fare, and it does work better the less you know about its plot going in.
The late, legendary effects maestro Stan Winston was one of the producers.
Six out of 10.