I attended the premiere midnight screening of this film at the Toronto Film Festival last night and would have to say I'm severely disappointed. Going in, I had moderate to good expectations considering the talent and pedigree of the director's involved, and my hopes were dashed almost immediately. I highly respect these filmmaker's, but you get the feeling watching this that they didn't have a lot of creative control overall.
One thing must be made clear at this point: although a team of director's collaborated, it was all written by one man. And shot by the same cinematographer. And edited by the same team. These three areas (as well as the acting) are what really bring the film down. It's lazily written, unoriginal and clichéd to a fault. Everything is there, and we've seen it all before.
Perhaps I'm being too harsh, as it was mentioned that this is a throwback to the Amicus and Hammer anthology pictures, but I digress - those films at least felt alive. This is a movie with no real characters, just carcitures to get dispatched as the writing sees fit.
The various cameos are fun, but they wink too much at the audience and in some cases (like the random transformation of a security guard into Dick Miller) are absolutely pointless.
SPOILERS: There are entertaining ideas, but they've all been done before: killer transplants, vengeful spirits, immortal succubi, killer aborted twin... the list goes on. Worst of all is the ending, in which the character I'll just call "Grandpa Exposition" openly says "you each forgot the endings of your own story" and then explains how.... drum-roll... everyone is dead ad caught in some kind of limbo (it's a twist you could predict by reading the name of the film).
Altogether it is a waste of two hours and a lot of talent. Rent it and watch in fast forward, or skip it all together.
One thing must be made clear at this point: although a team of director's collaborated, it was all written by one man. And shot by the same cinematographer. And edited by the same team. These three areas (as well as the acting) are what really bring the film down. It's lazily written, unoriginal and clichéd to a fault. Everything is there, and we've seen it all before.
Perhaps I'm being too harsh, as it was mentioned that this is a throwback to the Amicus and Hammer anthology pictures, but I digress - those films at least felt alive. This is a movie with no real characters, just carcitures to get dispatched as the writing sees fit.
The various cameos are fun, but they wink too much at the audience and in some cases (like the random transformation of a security guard into Dick Miller) are absolutely pointless.
SPOILERS: There are entertaining ideas, but they've all been done before: killer transplants, vengeful spirits, immortal succubi, killer aborted twin... the list goes on. Worst of all is the ending, in which the character I'll just call "Grandpa Exposition" openly says "you each forgot the endings of your own story" and then explains how.... drum-roll... everyone is dead ad caught in some kind of limbo (it's a twist you could predict by reading the name of the film).
Altogether it is a waste of two hours and a lot of talent. Rent it and watch in fast forward, or skip it all together.