334 reviews
A movie titled My Bloody Valentine is clearly non trying to pander to art house crowds, nor does it even seem to be reaching for a higher ilk in the horror genre, but while appearing as a fully tacky horror movie entry (a 3-D remake) My Bloody Valentine succeeds in avoiding and ultimately reviving the never ending pitfalls of such films; a strong, unique opening and a surprising and completely plausible, non-ridiculous finale.
Unfortunately the movie is not as strong as its bookend acts, but it is certainly gory, fun, terrifying, tense and nothing but entertaining. (And yes, there is also nudity). The use of the trademark, in your face, 3-D tactics is mostly restrained, although it seems that director Patrick Lussier (who has mostly been in horror movie limbo since he directed Dracula 2000) could not avoid the intermittent pickaxe to the screen. The performances are actually quite strong, and while this is becoming more the norm in horror films, MBV even forgoes the smart-alecky, prankster character which removes the propensity for us to be taken out of the film.
The unique opening is actually a three-tier start. Flashing newsreels reveal that the collapse of the Hanniger Mine in a small town which claimed the lives of 6 miners (Or was it something else that killed the men?). Awakening from a comma years later, the sole survivor of the cave-in, Harry Warden, picks up where he left off, slaying dozens before being killed himself concluding what the town dubbed the Valentines Day Massacre. But all is not what it seems, as 10 years later Tom Hanniger (Jensen Ackles), a near-victim of Warden, returns to the small town to sell the mine but the killings suspiciously begin once again and it is up to Tom to clear his name.
My Bloody Valentine is a full-fledged throwback to the golden age of slasher films, like Friday the 13th (and is ironically better then the Friday remake this year) and never for a single second tries to be anything it's not and in doing so, it ultimately becomes something it shouldn't be; fun.
6.5 / 10.0
Read all my reviews at: simonsaysmovies.blogspot.com
Unfortunately the movie is not as strong as its bookend acts, but it is certainly gory, fun, terrifying, tense and nothing but entertaining. (And yes, there is also nudity). The use of the trademark, in your face, 3-D tactics is mostly restrained, although it seems that director Patrick Lussier (who has mostly been in horror movie limbo since he directed Dracula 2000) could not avoid the intermittent pickaxe to the screen. The performances are actually quite strong, and while this is becoming more the norm in horror films, MBV even forgoes the smart-alecky, prankster character which removes the propensity for us to be taken out of the film.
The unique opening is actually a three-tier start. Flashing newsreels reveal that the collapse of the Hanniger Mine in a small town which claimed the lives of 6 miners (Or was it something else that killed the men?). Awakening from a comma years later, the sole survivor of the cave-in, Harry Warden, picks up where he left off, slaying dozens before being killed himself concluding what the town dubbed the Valentines Day Massacre. But all is not what it seems, as 10 years later Tom Hanniger (Jensen Ackles), a near-victim of Warden, returns to the small town to sell the mine but the killings suspiciously begin once again and it is up to Tom to clear his name.
My Bloody Valentine is a full-fledged throwback to the golden age of slasher films, like Friday the 13th (and is ironically better then the Friday remake this year) and never for a single second tries to be anything it's not and in doing so, it ultimately becomes something it shouldn't be; fun.
6.5 / 10.0
Read all my reviews at: simonsaysmovies.blogspot.com
- Simon_Says_Movies
- Mar 20, 2009
- Permalink
- TOMASBBloodhound
- Jan 15, 2009
- Permalink
My Bloody Valentine 3d is a remake from an old Canadian horror film. It's also a throwback to the maniac serial killer/slasher genre from the seventies/eighties but with some modern touches. First of all, I'm not sure it would have been made and released without the 3d gimmick. I watched it home with standard 3d glasses and the 3d effects were fairly good especially the fences and pickaxes. The only problem of course being that the colors are not as nice as the 2d version also available on the DVD/Blu-Ray. With that out of the way, it's a pretty standard slasher, with a deranged miner with costume and gas mask as the protagonist, but it starts the carnage very quickly without much of a buildup except for some kind of story recap background as if it was a direct sequel (it's not). After a few slaughters, it's 10 years later. That was pretty bold and cool. As you might expect, killings start happening again after an old survivor from the first incident comes back to town.
It's never really scary because things happen so fast and because a guy in a miner suit just isn't that horrifying. The appeal comes from the surprise apparitions of the killer, the attempts at escaping and the original gruesome dispatches by the maniac miner mostly with his pick axe and shovel. I suppose it also comes from a very long sequence of a young woman in full-frontal nudity trying to escape the killer. As a side note, most of the story doesn't take place in mines nor is the movie claustrophobic. I enjoyed the mystery of who the maniac guy behind the mask was as it was well presented with a few false leads and likely suspects being offed gradually. However, no clear motivation was offered for the maniac. The ending with the trio (not telling who) was also strong and dramatic. The acting was OK in a TV-quality kind of way, mostly sober although some of the old guys seemed a bit weak. I think the directing was modern and dynamic with good cuts, in more ways than one ;-) So this film is a little above average in the retro slasher genre. It would make a good rental especially with 3d glasses and a few friends.
Rating: 6 out of 10
It's never really scary because things happen so fast and because a guy in a miner suit just isn't that horrifying. The appeal comes from the surprise apparitions of the killer, the attempts at escaping and the original gruesome dispatches by the maniac miner mostly with his pick axe and shovel. I suppose it also comes from a very long sequence of a young woman in full-frontal nudity trying to escape the killer. As a side note, most of the story doesn't take place in mines nor is the movie claustrophobic. I enjoyed the mystery of who the maniac guy behind the mask was as it was well presented with a few false leads and likely suspects being offed gradually. However, no clear motivation was offered for the maniac. The ending with the trio (not telling who) was also strong and dramatic. The acting was OK in a TV-quality kind of way, mostly sober although some of the old guys seemed a bit weak. I think the directing was modern and dynamic with good cuts, in more ways than one ;-) So this film is a little above average in the retro slasher genre. It would make a good rental especially with 3d glasses and a few friends.
Rating: 6 out of 10
- Quebec_Dragon
- Oct 28, 2009
- Permalink
- ironhorse_iv
- Feb 13, 2017
- Permalink
An interesting new take on the classic 80's slasher, My Bloody Valentine 3D isn't quite as charming or atmospheric as the original, but it does prove to be a decently enjoyable little horror flick. As someone who recently watched the original and was a fan of it, I think this was a solid enough remake. It has its duller moments here and there, and the characters are not particularly interesting for the most part- but it does have some fun gruesome kills and it's fun to see where the mystery takes us. The plot twist in this film is done far better than in the original, and I was rather delighted with it- as the true highlight of the film. It doesn't have the same sort of atmosphere or charm the original had, and feels a bit formulaic at times, but it does serve some similar key elements which are interesting to watch nevertheless. The costume of the miner is really well done, and I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning and end of this film. It may not be perfect, but in the end, My Bloody Valentine 3D is a solid horror efort. It may not stand on as well as the original, but it does prove to be a solidly fun horror mystery with plenty of gore and surprises to satisfy fans.
My Rating: 6.9/10.
My Rating: 6.9/10.
- Allierubystein666
- Jan 31, 2022
- Permalink
Years ago, in the town of Harmony, a horrible mining accident occurred, due in part to the negligence of young Tom Hannigar. Five men were found dead and one, Harry Warden, in a coma. It soon came to light that Harry Warden killed those men to conserve his own air supply. On valentine's day, Harry mysteriously awakens from his coma and goes on a killing spree and ultimately met his end at the hands of the town sheriff, But not before confronting the main characters Axel(Kerr Smith), Sarah(Jamie King) and her boyfriend Tom Hannigar(Jensen Ackles) who still harbors the guilt of causing the accident in the first place. Years pass, teenagers become adults and have families. Suddenly, mysterious killings start to happen again with a very familiar M.O; killed by a man in a mining outfit, similar to Harry Warden's. Axel and Sarah are now married but there is trouble brewing in paradise. To complicate matters, Tom Hannigar returned to Harmony and where he goes, the mysterious killings follow.
Is some deranged copycat killer out to make a name for himself by repeating the tragedy from 10 years ago? Or has Harry Warden come back from the grave to exact his revenge on Tom Hannigar and everyone close to him?
For the first time, i surprise even myself by saying that i liked the story. Or at least i was mildly hooked by it. Usually stories in such slasher horror remakes are bland and shoved aside in order to focus more on silly teenage shenanigans and gruesome killings. The story of My Bloody Valentine plays with the "mystery" element very well, throwing many red herrings and misleading little clues as to the identity of the killer. Literally everyone is a suspect and this film keeps you guessing up until the final reveal. There is even a small(though weak, but passable) attempt at a tragic love triangle between the 3 main characters which ties in rather well with the whole "valentine" theme of the movie.
The characters are at least more bearable than the usual slasher movie fare and easier to get into, emotionally. The acting may be a little stiff at times but i did not expect much good acting from horror genre movies.
A mystery story would only work one time around(once you know the ending, the mystery element kinda ends there), so is it worth watching this movie again on DVD or blu ray??? I give it a resounding yes thanks to.......you guessed it, the 3D gimmick.
It has been said many times over that the 3D gimmick coupled with some fresh new ways to kill off characters is the highlight of this movie. I never knew one could get so creative with a pickaxe and shovel. The gore itself is not gratuitous but the kills are shockingly gruesome and some of them rather unique.(my favorite is when the killer shoved a shovel into a girl's mouth and cleaved her face in half). Really must hand it to director Patrick Lussier(also directed Dracula 2000) for his clear straightforward directing style which keeps the usual frantic cuts to a minimum and allows the violence to be played out in its full gory.....i mean glory.
Of course, what would a slasher film be without some mandatory nudity? Thankfully, the nudity is played more for laughs than to titillate here as a dumb blond runs around a motel and car park, completely buck naked in the middle of the night, trying to confront her boyfriend and then trying to escape the killer.
In retrospect, My Bloody Valentine actually plays out like an extremely violent episode of Scooby Doo complete with surprise ending and unmasking. There were some issues with the overall "feel" of the non-3D portions of the film which felt cheap and at times looked no better than a made-for-TV miniseries. Slasher genre fans are sure to love this and casual movie viewer can easily immerse themselves in the well plotted mystery and suspense.
My Bloody Valentine is a surprisingly fresh take on the slasher genre. It takes familiar elements and adds a new twist to it. This movie among other recent slasher remakes is like a breath of fresh air after spending hours in a gas mask. Definitely one of the better ones in the market. Maybe there is hope for the slasher genre yet.
Is some deranged copycat killer out to make a name for himself by repeating the tragedy from 10 years ago? Or has Harry Warden come back from the grave to exact his revenge on Tom Hannigar and everyone close to him?
For the first time, i surprise even myself by saying that i liked the story. Or at least i was mildly hooked by it. Usually stories in such slasher horror remakes are bland and shoved aside in order to focus more on silly teenage shenanigans and gruesome killings. The story of My Bloody Valentine plays with the "mystery" element very well, throwing many red herrings and misleading little clues as to the identity of the killer. Literally everyone is a suspect and this film keeps you guessing up until the final reveal. There is even a small(though weak, but passable) attempt at a tragic love triangle between the 3 main characters which ties in rather well with the whole "valentine" theme of the movie.
The characters are at least more bearable than the usual slasher movie fare and easier to get into, emotionally. The acting may be a little stiff at times but i did not expect much good acting from horror genre movies.
A mystery story would only work one time around(once you know the ending, the mystery element kinda ends there), so is it worth watching this movie again on DVD or blu ray??? I give it a resounding yes thanks to.......you guessed it, the 3D gimmick.
It has been said many times over that the 3D gimmick coupled with some fresh new ways to kill off characters is the highlight of this movie. I never knew one could get so creative with a pickaxe and shovel. The gore itself is not gratuitous but the kills are shockingly gruesome and some of them rather unique.(my favorite is when the killer shoved a shovel into a girl's mouth and cleaved her face in half). Really must hand it to director Patrick Lussier(also directed Dracula 2000) for his clear straightforward directing style which keeps the usual frantic cuts to a minimum and allows the violence to be played out in its full gory.....i mean glory.
Of course, what would a slasher film be without some mandatory nudity? Thankfully, the nudity is played more for laughs than to titillate here as a dumb blond runs around a motel and car park, completely buck naked in the middle of the night, trying to confront her boyfriend and then trying to escape the killer.
In retrospect, My Bloody Valentine actually plays out like an extremely violent episode of Scooby Doo complete with surprise ending and unmasking. There were some issues with the overall "feel" of the non-3D portions of the film which felt cheap and at times looked no better than a made-for-TV miniseries. Slasher genre fans are sure to love this and casual movie viewer can easily immerse themselves in the well plotted mystery and suspense.
My Bloody Valentine is a surprisingly fresh take on the slasher genre. It takes familiar elements and adds a new twist to it. This movie among other recent slasher remakes is like a breath of fresh air after spending hours in a gas mask. Definitely one of the better ones in the market. Maybe there is hope for the slasher genre yet.
- jamesharrah
- May 25, 2009
- Permalink
The use of three dimensional effects have not been a part of cinema for over twenty years, with IMAX the exception, but now it is back and better than ever in 2009. During "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," the audience will experience large pickaxes, flying bullets and tree limbs coming out of the screen and into your lap. At times the effect seems gimmicky as the story forces the occurrence of projectiles moving through the air and other times the three dimensional effects hit it just right. When you see the film you will know when the effect works; the mesmerizing visuals are sometimes jaw-dropping, literally.
Writers Tom Farver and Zane Smith keep the pace up throughout "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," right until the end when it appears that a miner, with grievances will take on a whole town. Right from the beginning the story starts off with a woman on the run from a mysterious figure, behind a breathing mask who seems to delight in wrecking other people's good time. The start to the movie is explosive and the film does not back down from creating a suspenseful horror flick that is simply out to horrify and be fun. At times the dialogue or introduction of characters into scenes comes off as slightly campy, but the delivery of lines in each scene is generating intensity for the final climactic act.
The plot of this horror film is somewhat conventional with Tom Hanniger returning to his hometown in order to heal some past misgivings at the hands of a bloody serial killer. "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," mostly centres on the character of Tom Hanniger, with Sarah and Axel Palmer supporting. Adding enough smaller characters to keep the story complex and creating enough diverging plot lines to keep things tight "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," does a good job of keeping the killer's identity mysterious while piquing viewer's curiosity. Instead of going for a closed box Hollywood ending the film slightly steps it up by leaving the ending open for a sequel. Some of the most successful film franchises come from the horror genre and "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," might be trying to capitalize on future returns by delivering a plot twist that slightly disappoints.
Lighting, environments, and music are all spot on, only the overacting of certain characters distracts from an otherwise excellent horror film. Many of the scenes within "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," take place in darkly lit mine shafts or the interiors of houses, at night and the overall tone feels like a thriller while showing enough gore to entertain horror fans. The music in the film is subtle enough while picking up the pace slightly during action sequences. On the other hand, the musical score of "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," could have been much more eerie in order to build up further tension. The acting of Jaimie King comes off as pretentious and somewhat naive while Kerr Smith, appearing to take his role of a small time sheriff a little too seriously displays some awkwardness. The rest of the actors including veterans; Tom Atkins and Kevin Tighe play their smaller parts well; Jensen Ackles, could have taken a darker approach to his character, in order to truly deliver a role of someone who is struggling with the trauma of past brutal events but the portrayal is still good.
Overall "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," delivers an entertaining ride through dark alleys, mine shafts and the evil minds of writers Todd Farmer and Zane Smith. Slightly on the lighter side of the horror genre this film develops enough jump scares, with the help of three dimensional effects to deliver a fun and fast 101 minutes. See this one with a friend and laugh out loud when a 20' branch comes screaming at your head (and try not to duck)! 6 Mesmerizing Skulls out of 10.
Writers Tom Farver and Zane Smith keep the pace up throughout "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," right until the end when it appears that a miner, with grievances will take on a whole town. Right from the beginning the story starts off with a woman on the run from a mysterious figure, behind a breathing mask who seems to delight in wrecking other people's good time. The start to the movie is explosive and the film does not back down from creating a suspenseful horror flick that is simply out to horrify and be fun. At times the dialogue or introduction of characters into scenes comes off as slightly campy, but the delivery of lines in each scene is generating intensity for the final climactic act.
The plot of this horror film is somewhat conventional with Tom Hanniger returning to his hometown in order to heal some past misgivings at the hands of a bloody serial killer. "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," mostly centres on the character of Tom Hanniger, with Sarah and Axel Palmer supporting. Adding enough smaller characters to keep the story complex and creating enough diverging plot lines to keep things tight "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," does a good job of keeping the killer's identity mysterious while piquing viewer's curiosity. Instead of going for a closed box Hollywood ending the film slightly steps it up by leaving the ending open for a sequel. Some of the most successful film franchises come from the horror genre and "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," might be trying to capitalize on future returns by delivering a plot twist that slightly disappoints.
Lighting, environments, and music are all spot on, only the overacting of certain characters distracts from an otherwise excellent horror film. Many of the scenes within "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," take place in darkly lit mine shafts or the interiors of houses, at night and the overall tone feels like a thriller while showing enough gore to entertain horror fans. The music in the film is subtle enough while picking up the pace slightly during action sequences. On the other hand, the musical score of "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," could have been much more eerie in order to build up further tension. The acting of Jaimie King comes off as pretentious and somewhat naive while Kerr Smith, appearing to take his role of a small time sheriff a little too seriously displays some awkwardness. The rest of the actors including veterans; Tom Atkins and Kevin Tighe play their smaller parts well; Jensen Ackles, could have taken a darker approach to his character, in order to truly deliver a role of someone who is struggling with the trauma of past brutal events but the portrayal is still good.
Overall "My Bloody Valentine 3-D," delivers an entertaining ride through dark alleys, mine shafts and the evil minds of writers Todd Farmer and Zane Smith. Slightly on the lighter side of the horror genre this film develops enough jump scares, with the help of three dimensional effects to deliver a fun and fast 101 minutes. See this one with a friend and laugh out loud when a 20' branch comes screaming at your head (and try not to duck)! 6 Mesmerizing Skulls out of 10.
- MichaelRAllen
- Jan 16, 2009
- Permalink
I was not expecting a lot from this movie and yet I was still disappointed. The directing is so god awful it's actually painful to watch and the reason for me saying this is that every single shot is a missed opportunity. It's like they intentionally looked at the scene and said wow it would be really scary if we filmed from these angles, with this lighting and these sound effects and background music....and the went in the complete opposite direction. This might all be on purpose because the movie studio thought it would make more money on a cheesy movie that even the biggest wuss would dare to see.
Besides all this it lacks several of the other key elements:
1. Bad character development - you don't care about the characters at all or relate to them.
2. Lame killer - No reason for him killing the people (Yes a killer with no motives can be scary, but it's very hard to pull off and this movie doesn't come close...at all) And also no reason for the way a does it and no back story.
3. Just generally a poor story that seems half baked and with lots plot holes and stupid ideas.
So to sum up...NO ! this is not a good movie.
I really love horror movies and I hope someone will come along and bring the genre back on track (Basically it's needs the Begins/Dark Knight treatment...In which I mean it has to be a serious project for all the parties involved)
Besides all this it lacks several of the other key elements:
1. Bad character development - you don't care about the characters at all or relate to them.
2. Lame killer - No reason for him killing the people (Yes a killer with no motives can be scary, but it's very hard to pull off and this movie doesn't come close...at all) And also no reason for the way a does it and no back story.
3. Just generally a poor story that seems half baked and with lots plot holes and stupid ideas.
So to sum up...NO ! this is not a good movie.
I really love horror movies and I hope someone will come along and bring the genre back on track (Basically it's needs the Begins/Dark Knight treatment...In which I mean it has to be a serious project for all the parties involved)
My Bloody Valentine 3D is one of those really rare kinds of horror flicks. It delivers buckets of gore, brisk pacing, and a lot of in your face 3D goodness. Sit close to the front of your theater for the maximum effect (if you dare!). There is brutality in king size portions, sure to satisfy the most hardcore of horror fans. They really pull out all the stops with that pickaxe's of his.
Perhaps most importantly though, the production and marketing teams were aware of what it what it was. At its core, its a cheesy mindless slasher film, and rather than try to overcome this, My Bloody Valentine acknowledges this trait and works with it. It owns it. Internet ads bore slogans such as 'Its actually 4D if you're wasted.' Never does it get bogged down trying to patch together an airtight story. It just keeps its unrelenting pace up from start to finish, and delivers what the audience came out to see, gratuitous violence.
A film like this is quite refreshing for the genre, not because it is artful by any means, but because it embraces its inherent trashiness. By deliberately failing to take itself seriously, My Bloody Valentine becomes something more than the majority of its peers can ever be. It becomes fun in the same way that a Poison concert or monster truck rally is fun. Take my advice and see this thing as it was meant to be seen, through beer goggles and a pair of cheap 3D glasses. Enjoy it for what it is and don't worry about the second thoughts you might have tomorrow morning.
Perhaps most importantly though, the production and marketing teams were aware of what it what it was. At its core, its a cheesy mindless slasher film, and rather than try to overcome this, My Bloody Valentine acknowledges this trait and works with it. It owns it. Internet ads bore slogans such as 'Its actually 4D if you're wasted.' Never does it get bogged down trying to patch together an airtight story. It just keeps its unrelenting pace up from start to finish, and delivers what the audience came out to see, gratuitous violence.
A film like this is quite refreshing for the genre, not because it is artful by any means, but because it embraces its inherent trashiness. By deliberately failing to take itself seriously, My Bloody Valentine becomes something more than the majority of its peers can ever be. It becomes fun in the same way that a Poison concert or monster truck rally is fun. Take my advice and see this thing as it was meant to be seen, through beer goggles and a pair of cheap 3D glasses. Enjoy it for what it is and don't worry about the second thoughts you might have tomorrow morning.
Pretty run of the mill slasher film but one thing it really has going for it that a lot of horror movies don't is that its not as predictable as you might expect it to be and I feel like that kind of plays a big part in why I personally enjoyed it. Cool but cheesy 3D effects, interesting plot. However I will admit one thing I feel like might be a deal breaker for some people is that if you don't like supernatural and have seen the show before, this movie might not be for you. Jensen's character acts a lot like Dean and the whole movie's plot is basically a giant supernatural episode, which if you're like me and like the show you'll definitely like the movie but if you don't this movie might be a turn off.
My Saturday was going wonderful, then I meet a few friends at the local movie theater to find out we're seeing My Bloody Valentine. I say "whatever", buy my ticket, grab my 3D glasses, and sit down.
The movie starts and gets into the blood and guts almost immediately, which is so abundant throughout the film that it starts becoming comical. I sit here giving the film the benefit of the doubt, hoping that somewhere throughout this god-awful movie a solid story will form that will at least half catch my attention. Unfortunately, that never happened. I sat through an hour of corny dialogue and predictable storyline before I got up and walked out of the room.
This is a horrible movie and not worth straining your eyes with those stupid glasses you have to wear.
The movie starts and gets into the blood and guts almost immediately, which is so abundant throughout the film that it starts becoming comical. I sit here giving the film the benefit of the doubt, hoping that somewhere throughout this god-awful movie a solid story will form that will at least half catch my attention. Unfortunately, that never happened. I sat through an hour of corny dialogue and predictable storyline before I got up and walked out of the room.
This is a horrible movie and not worth straining your eyes with those stupid glasses you have to wear.
- notyetawoman
- Jan 24, 2009
- Permalink
Horror is one of my favorite genres. Whether it is serious sophisticated horror, or loud, gory, cheesy horror, I will watch it! My Bloody Valentine is a return to the 80's style slasher genre that is so over-the-top, loud, gory, and extremely entertaining and fun! I expected nothing more and nothing less than a very good 'trashy' film, and that is what I got. The opening credits were very inventive, and from the get-go the film starts off with all the possible gore. The writing and directing are good for what the film is. The acting was not bad, even for a film of this kind. Most were OK, but both Jensen Ackles and Kerr Smith are very talented actors, and are the only ones in the film that actually give very good performances. Kerr Smith is very natural, and Jensen Ackles has always been great in the T.V. cult show, Supernatural, and he portrayed some of those talents here. Although still nothing incredibly special, but for a film like this, I think it is better that way. There are a lot of great chase scenes, and the ending was very good, more than I expected. The end credits were also fabulous. I am one of those who watched it in regular 2-D, so I am expecting even more fun with 3-D! But grab a lot of your friends, have loud stereo sound, and prepare to have a lot of fun! My Bloody Valentine is thrilling, entertaining, and even funny at times. The only recent old-style slasher film, and personally one of my horror faves!
- Red_Identity
- Jul 24, 2009
- Permalink
This has got to be one of the worst remakes of a classic 80's slasher\horror film I have seen. I would consider the original 'My Bloody Valentine - 81' to be one of the better slashers of the early 80's period. It was no 'Halloween - 78', but it was full of atmosphere and had plenty of style to boot—this rancid remake was just an insult to my intelligence.
There is better acting seen on a daytime TV soap opera. The cinematography and lighting were flat and uninspired ( I am aware it was filmed for 3D, but even this isn't an improvement over watching the 2D version of the film) and the gore and violence didn't have any real impact due to the terrible characterization. If it was intended as a parody of the original version or slasher films in general, it failed miserably because it was so damn boring and uninteresting. Do many of these modern horror film makers have any real passion or appreciation of what makes a decent horror flick become a perennial favorite??? The producers of this travesty certainly had no vision except maybe of their wallets.
Avoid at all costs. You have been warned!
There is better acting seen on a daytime TV soap opera. The cinematography and lighting were flat and uninspired ( I am aware it was filmed for 3D, but even this isn't an improvement over watching the 2D version of the film) and the gore and violence didn't have any real impact due to the terrible characterization. If it was intended as a parody of the original version or slasher films in general, it failed miserably because it was so damn boring and uninteresting. Do many of these modern horror film makers have any real passion or appreciation of what makes a decent horror flick become a perennial favorite??? The producers of this travesty certainly had no vision except maybe of their wallets.
Avoid at all costs. You have been warned!
The heir of a mine (Jensen Ackles) in a remote town in Pennsylvania returns ten years after a Valentine's Day massacre that took the lives of 22 people. When a psycho slayer dressed as a miner with a pickaxe also shows up the sheriff (Kerr Smith) naturally suspects the heir, who happens to be the ex-beau of his wife (Jaime King).
"My Bloody Valentine" (2009) is a remake of the 1981 slasher but is different enough to view as a sort-of sequel. It includes most of the vital elements for an effective flick of this genre.
The basic formula was well established by "Halloween" (1978) and the first two "Friday the 13th" flicks (1980-1981): A crazy masked killer and a group of youths in a specific environment, whether a town, camp, forest, college, resort, building, etc. In this case it's a mining town, shot in Kittanning and Bethel, PA, and points nearby along the Allegheny River. So the film gets a big plus for filming somewhere other than friggin' British Columbia! (Not that there's anything wrong with BC, of course, but enough is enough).
Beautiful women is a must for these types of films and "My Bloody Valentine" delivers superbly with Jaime King (Sarah), Megan Boone (Megan) and Betsy Rue (Irene), the latter in an extended nude scene, which I think is unnecessary, but some will obviously appreciate it.
Most importantly, the story is engrossing and keeps you guessing as to the identity of the killer till the very end. Compared to the original movie, it's more compelling and all-around more entertaining.
The film runs 1 hour, 41 minutes.
GRADE: B+
"My Bloody Valentine" (2009) is a remake of the 1981 slasher but is different enough to view as a sort-of sequel. It includes most of the vital elements for an effective flick of this genre.
The basic formula was well established by "Halloween" (1978) and the first two "Friday the 13th" flicks (1980-1981): A crazy masked killer and a group of youths in a specific environment, whether a town, camp, forest, college, resort, building, etc. In this case it's a mining town, shot in Kittanning and Bethel, PA, and points nearby along the Allegheny River. So the film gets a big plus for filming somewhere other than friggin' British Columbia! (Not that there's anything wrong with BC, of course, but enough is enough).
Beautiful women is a must for these types of films and "My Bloody Valentine" delivers superbly with Jaime King (Sarah), Megan Boone (Megan) and Betsy Rue (Irene), the latter in an extended nude scene, which I think is unnecessary, but some will obviously appreciate it.
Most importantly, the story is engrossing and keeps you guessing as to the identity of the killer till the very end. Compared to the original movie, it's more compelling and all-around more entertaining.
The film runs 1 hour, 41 minutes.
GRADE: B+
This film has nothing to offer besides 3-D and gore. And now that it is out of the theater, the 3-D is no longer important. Ugly and flat cinematography, plastic looking actors, cheap, boring storyline, and zero style. This shameless remake of the stylish 1981 cult classic is on the level of a poor "CSI" TV episode. The interesting but likable characters from the original are replaced by...nothing. Even the pick Axe to the head scenes become boring, repellent as they are. But this film must have known it was garbage, which is why it included full female nudity, of one slightly over-the-hill and out-of-shape actress. (Wow, did i feel sorry for that woman, how embarrassing.) But it has gore. Lots of ugly, sadistic gore. Some of it looks very CGI, unlike the original, which employed some great special effects. gone also is the creepy atmosphere of the original. And rather than focus on the young people of the town, we are given a flat cop thriller. "whodunnit?" Who cares? I don't hate remakes; I liked the changes they did for the new "Nightmare On Elm Street," and found that to be a respectable horror film. This one is just an ugly, forgettable waste of time. But it has GORE!! And BREASTS!
- GirishGowda
- Mar 29, 2010
- Permalink
This is by far the worst movie I've watched in my 36 years of living. Really it's that bad! I don't see how the previous comment said that by showing it in real 3D or gore, that the movie redeemed itself. It never did. The acting was bad. The suspense was anticipated by the actors, as it is so obvious in a living room scene. If the producer/s of the movie are intending on making a franchise of "My Bloody Valentine", please put it on your living room shelf. I see the movie making career of Jensen Ackles going down the sewers including the rest of the actors. If the kid in the movie wishes to use this in a resume for movie acted in before, please don't. I felt my $10 was badly spent and was eagerly waiting to exit the cinema!
In the mining town of Harmony, there is an accident caused by the son of the owner Tom Hanniger (Jensen Ackles) during a drilling, and the mine collapses burying six miners alive. The rescue team finds only Harry Warden alive but in coma and the other miners murdered punched by his pickax, and they conclude that Harry killed them to save oxygen for himself. On the Valentine's Day, Harry awakes from the coma in the local hospital, and he kills twenty-two persons, including a group of teenagers that are partying in the mine. Harry is killed by the deputy but the only survivors are Tom Hanniger, his girlfriend Sarah (Jaime King), their friend Axel Palmer (Kerr Smith) and another girl. Ten years later, Tom returns to Harmony after the death of his father decided to sell the Hanniger Mine, and finds that Sarah has married Axel, now the local sheriff, and they have a son. On the Valentine's Day, Harry Warden also returns seeking revenge against those that had escaped from his pickax in the past, and Tom is accused by Axel and other locals.
The slasher "My Bloody Valentine" is an entertaining collection of clichés that keeps tension until the last scene despite being predictable. The greatest attraction of this forgettable feature seems to be the effects of 3D in movie theaters. I have watched at home on DVD and I had lots of fun with the silly and manipulative plot. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "Dia dos Namorados Macabro" ("Macabre Valentine's Day")
The slasher "My Bloody Valentine" is an entertaining collection of clichés that keeps tension until the last scene despite being predictable. The greatest attraction of this forgettable feature seems to be the effects of 3D in movie theaters. I have watched at home on DVD and I had lots of fun with the silly and manipulative plot. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "Dia dos Namorados Macabro" ("Macabre Valentine's Day")
- claudio_carvalho
- Jun 10, 2009
- Permalink
Whether it is 2d, 3d, or 4d would not make any difference; this is a terrible movie with bad acting, a dumb script and no reason at all for an afterlife on DVD.
Six coal miners are trapped after a collapse and five die and one remains in a coma. The survivor killed the other five with a pickaxe. He awakens on Valentine's Day; get it? And he continues his bad behavior with the instrument.
The abandoned coal mine is party central for a group of good looking girls and boys celebrating the holiday spirit with plenty of alcohol. The bad man shows up in full work attire for the special occasion with his deadly tool and dispatches some of the happy campers with lots of running and screaming adding to the excitement of this God awful waste of time. Avoid this like the plague.
Six coal miners are trapped after a collapse and five die and one remains in a coma. The survivor killed the other five with a pickaxe. He awakens on Valentine's Day; get it? And he continues his bad behavior with the instrument.
The abandoned coal mine is party central for a group of good looking girls and boys celebrating the holiday spirit with plenty of alcohol. The bad man shows up in full work attire for the special occasion with his deadly tool and dispatches some of the happy campers with lots of running and screaming adding to the excitement of this God awful waste of time. Avoid this like the plague.
I missed out on the 80's 3D craze- films in the Jaws, Amityville and Friday the 13th franchises all getting 3d instalments on the big screen. Well it seems 2009 will make up for that, with My Bloody Valentine, Final Destination 4 and Pirahna all adding an extra dimension to their proceedings.
My Bloody Valentine is a great start. It's fun, gory, doesn't spend too much time on the dialogue, because it understands we're wearing these ridiculous glasses for a reason! I really enjoyed it actually- and for someone who has watched so many slashers, the 3d did add some wonderful novel touches, so it felt like more than just a retread. I know it's cool to bash remakes these days (and admittedly so many are very weak) but I much prefer this to the original- which seemed to plod along at quite a pedestrian pace, and besides the mining town setting, really didn't offer anything especially new. This film is far tighter and doesn't take itself so seriously- it has its tongue-firmly-in-cheek.
The only downsides are perhaps the stalk and kill sequence involving a naked lady. I guess some horror fans like their nudity, but in a genre so often viewed as misogynistic, it didn't do itself any favours. Admittedly the character is actually quite strong and fun- you don't feel her nudity weakens or humiliates her, but... I dunno, perhaps pandering a little too much for the teenage boys? Go catch this at the cinema, take a few friends, and enjoy an hour and a half of silly fun.
My Bloody Valentine is a great start. It's fun, gory, doesn't spend too much time on the dialogue, because it understands we're wearing these ridiculous glasses for a reason! I really enjoyed it actually- and for someone who has watched so many slashers, the 3d did add some wonderful novel touches, so it felt like more than just a retread. I know it's cool to bash remakes these days (and admittedly so many are very weak) but I much prefer this to the original- which seemed to plod along at quite a pedestrian pace, and besides the mining town setting, really didn't offer anything especially new. This film is far tighter and doesn't take itself so seriously- it has its tongue-firmly-in-cheek.
The only downsides are perhaps the stalk and kill sequence involving a naked lady. I guess some horror fans like their nudity, but in a genre so often viewed as misogynistic, it didn't do itself any favours. Admittedly the character is actually quite strong and fun- you don't feel her nudity weakens or humiliates her, but... I dunno, perhaps pandering a little too much for the teenage boys? Go catch this at the cinema, take a few friends, and enjoy an hour and a half of silly fun.
- boy_in_red
- Jan 15, 2009
- Permalink
Remake of the 1981 slasher film about a maniac in a coal miner's outfit slaughtering everyone, and a worthy retread of the original. These days there has been a return of sorts to the unrestrained gory days of early '80s slasher films, and this one delivers in all those typical categories you'd expect -- the over-the-top mutilations and gore sequences, the gratuitous sex (including full frontal female nudity) and people getting theirs in a variety of inventive ways. At least it's a step up in that the main cast and victims are not just silly teenagers, but rather silly 20-somethings and older this time out. And it is a very nice bonus getting a return from old timer Tom Atkins as a retired policeman in the mix, too.
This film is also released in standard flat 2-D, but I would only have awarded it **1/2, if not for the added gimmick of third dimension, which is really what the fun is all about here. The 3-D effects are well done, seeing things fly off the screen and into your face. One wonders whether they might have taken this even farther with more deliberate situations designed to fully utilize the effect, but what's there is still cool. The "mystery" of the film kept me going back and forth in my guesstimates, up to the final second, so that was an added bonus to the usual trappings that worked for me. *** out of ****
This film is also released in standard flat 2-D, but I would only have awarded it **1/2, if not for the added gimmick of third dimension, which is really what the fun is all about here. The 3-D effects are well done, seeing things fly off the screen and into your face. One wonders whether they might have taken this even farther with more deliberate situations designed to fully utilize the effect, but what's there is still cool. The "mystery" of the film kept me going back and forth in my guesstimates, up to the final second, so that was an added bonus to the usual trappings that worked for me. *** out of ****
- JoeKarlosi
- Jan 18, 2009
- Permalink
My Bloody Valentine 3-D (2009)
*** (out of 4)
Remake of the 1981 slasher has a maniac minor killing twenty-two people but ten years later more bodies start to pile up. Is it a copycat killer or has the original come back for more revenge? I'll start off by saying that I'm not a big fan of the original and I'll go even further by saying this one here, story wise, isn't that good. It's more like a two-and-a-half star movie thanks to its throwback to the 80's slashers but the 3-D effects are what really makes it worth seeing. The story has some logical issues to say the least and this includes the identity of the killer, which is pretty impossible considering what you've seen throughout the film. With that said, the movie certainly goes all out in terms of violence and gore. I was pleasantly shocked at how gory this thing was as we get all sorts of graphic killings ranging from picks through the eyes, necks, heads, decapitations and much much more. The red stuff is constantly flowing so I'm sure gore hands are going to be very happy. The film also goes back a few decades in terms of nudity because there's some full frontal female nudity, which we haven't seen in a horror film in a very long time. It seems a lot of slashers today play it safe but that's certainly not the case here. The film goes all out and that includes the 3-D effects. The "Real3D" process is certainly the greatest I've seen and I'm sure others will be very impressed. There are a couple classic scenes with various objects floating at you with one of the best early on when the killer throws his weapon towards the camera. Thankfully the director knew these effects would be the main draw here and he constantly keeps the stuff coming at the screen. Unlike many 3-D movies there's nothing here done for comic relief as the film uses the effects to show off the gore and violence. We get some smaller stuff like one character spitting at the camera but for the most part it's murder and mayhem. The performances are what you'd expect from a film like this but it was great fun seeing Tom Atkins in the cast. Many horror buffs will know him from films like Halloween 3 but it's nice to see him here. In the end, the film certainly doesn't stand out as a classic but you know what to expect when you walk into this. The movie isn't a total success but there are certain things horror and 3-D fans want and this film delivers them.
*** (out of 4)
Remake of the 1981 slasher has a maniac minor killing twenty-two people but ten years later more bodies start to pile up. Is it a copycat killer or has the original come back for more revenge? I'll start off by saying that I'm not a big fan of the original and I'll go even further by saying this one here, story wise, isn't that good. It's more like a two-and-a-half star movie thanks to its throwback to the 80's slashers but the 3-D effects are what really makes it worth seeing. The story has some logical issues to say the least and this includes the identity of the killer, which is pretty impossible considering what you've seen throughout the film. With that said, the movie certainly goes all out in terms of violence and gore. I was pleasantly shocked at how gory this thing was as we get all sorts of graphic killings ranging from picks through the eyes, necks, heads, decapitations and much much more. The red stuff is constantly flowing so I'm sure gore hands are going to be very happy. The film also goes back a few decades in terms of nudity because there's some full frontal female nudity, which we haven't seen in a horror film in a very long time. It seems a lot of slashers today play it safe but that's certainly not the case here. The film goes all out and that includes the 3-D effects. The "Real3D" process is certainly the greatest I've seen and I'm sure others will be very impressed. There are a couple classic scenes with various objects floating at you with one of the best early on when the killer throws his weapon towards the camera. Thankfully the director knew these effects would be the main draw here and he constantly keeps the stuff coming at the screen. Unlike many 3-D movies there's nothing here done for comic relief as the film uses the effects to show off the gore and violence. We get some smaller stuff like one character spitting at the camera but for the most part it's murder and mayhem. The performances are what you'd expect from a film like this but it was great fun seeing Tom Atkins in the cast. Many horror buffs will know him from films like Halloween 3 but it's nice to see him here. In the end, the film certainly doesn't stand out as a classic but you know what to expect when you walk into this. The movie isn't a total success but there are certain things horror and 3-D fans want and this film delivers them.
- Michael_Elliott
- Jan 15, 2009
- Permalink