Change Your Image
markustiercher
Reviews
Mortal Kombat (2021)
An entertaining prelude
The first ten minutes of the new Mortal Kombat movie are perhaps the most impressive - detailing the era lasting conflict between Bi Han & Hanzo Hasashi.
The film then derails with a focus on the bland Cole Young and his story - creating an aracana lore that is never featured in the games, but serves as a logical explanation as to why ordinary humans can suddenly get super powers. Some great kills and good nods to the game, but the film serves mainly as a set up to the sequel, which I'm very much looking forward to seeing.
Dashcam (2021)
Disappointment
While Rob Savage managed to deliver a spooky zoom horror film with Host - his second feature unfortunately does not deliver as much.
A big part of that is the fact that the protagonist is utterly horrible to watch. Considering the fact that the actress is not so different to the character she plays, it's not really fun watching her on screen. If the film had been able to elevate this through a great and engaging script, it might have saved this film, but sadly it didn't - so it doesn't.
Scream (2022)
A safe bet
The new Scream takes the ultimately easy and safe route and delivers another entry in the Scream franchise that is exactly what you would expect.
Checking every box of what one would expect from a Scream film, from meta awareness in the modern horror age, to recreating the basic structure of each film - there are (almost) no big surprises. But while the film plays it safe, it does so in a very entertaining and competent way.
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021)
One step forward - two steps back
While this Resident Evil reboot improves upon some things compared to the big budget action series, it is sadly still flawed.
I love the fact that the film is pretty faithful to the games - perfectly recreating the entire set design as well as including some of the more famous cut scenes. There is also more focus on the atmosphere, although it doesn't really reach the levels of scariness the games have.
Unfortunately the film decided to include the storyline from at least three different RE games, shoving them all into one story. Add to that some questionable casting (looking at you Leon S Kennedy) and you've got a mixed bag. A shame, but maybe in a few years they'll finally get it right.
Knackningar (2021)
What's in a mind?
Knocking is more of a psychological thriller than a classic horror film, dealing with the idea of gaslighting and mental illness.
The story could be summed up in a sentence and the pacing is rather slow, but the cinematography is great - and as the film progresses so do the mental prisons of it's protagonist break and reveal the true reality.
Dawn Breaks Behind the Eyes (2021)
Mesmerizing and dreamy
Dawn Breaks Behind the Eyes is a film as mysterious and enchanting as it's title (and the gorgeous poster) suggests.
Exploring one relationship throughout parallel realities, it's definitely a film that needs multiple viewings, due to it's puzzle box nature. But it's a gorgeous and atmospheric film I can't wait to explore again and again.
The Retaliators (2021)
Throwback horror
The Retaliators is dumb but fun entertainment - something that has strangely become a rarity in horror.
Nowadays where every movie is a slow burn "elevated" metaphor for trauma and abuse - so it's refreshing to see a film that just wants to entertain in a blood soaked way.
Gwledd (2021)
Literal slow burn
This Welsh horror drama starts slow and manages to creep up on you as the story unfolds.
By the end I wasn't quite clear on what exactly was happening and what the overall message of this film was supposed to be, but in the end it was an entertaining watch and certainly very unsettling.
Coming Home in the Dark (2021)
Bleakness overload
Coming Home in the Dark is a very bleak and dark film, offering little sunshine in the darkness.
It's certainly an intense film, reminiscent of films like Nocturnal Animals, but while the film starts with a bang, nothing what happens afterwards manages to top the beginning, so it slowly fizzles to an end.