Weekly Review -- Techno fright

What is it with technology and horror films? From the camcorder as a tool that records the supernatural in The Blair Witch Project to The Ring demonizing a video tape, our nifty electronics have always managed to find their way into horror cinema, be it as an active part of the observing party or as the ghoulish subject. Part of the phenomenon is certainly our obsession with, and fear of, the unknown; a subconscious premonition of how these gadgets may negatively influence our carefully preserved world. The following two films are prime examples of doom amidst technology; however, the ways in which the devices are utilized to provoke fear, and the effectiveness of the same, differ substantially from one to the other.


Cloverfield (2008) -- A monster movie from a cleverly gimmicky 21st century perspective -- who woulda thunk it? Combining an old concept with a new way to show it works perfectly in Matt Reeves' Cloverfield, which tells the story of a group of friends caught up in a monster attack in New York City. As a going-away party for Rob (Michael Stahl-David) is in progress, the revelers notice chaos brewing outside. Soon, everyone is running for their lives, as an otherworldly creature starts to wreak havoc on the surroundings... While the scant trailers leave the impression of an explosive horror adventure, the film is surprisingly creepy and poignant, with dashes of dark humor to spice it up. Presenting the film as a classified Pentagon document amps up the story's conviction, as does the cast of unknowns, which make us see the characters as regular people living everyday lives, and suddenly finding themselves in an extraordinary predicament. The first-person perspective and constant disjointed movement of the camera increases the urgency of the proceedings that much more, since the standard way of storytelling would not have done the idea justice. The action scenes are loud, violent and perilous; precisely how one would expect these situations to feel from the point of view of unwilling participants. One of the best parts is at the beginning of all the mayhem, when the group is trying to figure out just what it is they saw, or maybe did not see, in an instant. The creature scenes are dark and disorienting; not displaying too much is essential to the element of dread, and the filmmakers are aware of it, choosing to obscure the whole in favor of occasionally surprising the audience. Essentially, the movie is a novelty; however, it is an entertaining and scary ride from start to finish. You will be glad to have sneaked a peek at this classified file.

7/10


One Missed Call (2008) -- One of the many Asian horror remakes of recent years, this Eric Valette movie is a feeble attempt at best. Psychology student Beth (Shannyn Sossamon) and her friends start receiving strange calls from the future, which contain the sound of each person dying a violent death. Beth teams up with a detective (Edward Burns) to discover the origin of the phone calls, but then receives a call herself... Contrary to the above mentioned prime example The Ring, which uses every new detail to build up suspense and brings up fragments of the characters' backgrounds to add layers to the gloomy story, One Missed Call simply lists its scares in a pedestrian manner, occasionally throwing in the characters' histories in an attempt to mix things up a bit. It simply does not work, since the parts do not manage to make a cohesive whole. The screenplay feels sloppy and rushed, while the direction feels amateurish. The acting is not much better. Sossamon's monotone voice does not help her express her character's anguish and loss, while the usually reliable Burns -- the obvious jokes do not end here -- phones it in. This movie also marks the first, and hopefully last time, that I have seen an exorcism being performed on a cell phone. I kid you not. This is a call that deserves to be missed.

3/10