Film Reviews by NP

Two's company, and all that. Alex and Jenn, embarking on a backpacking trek through the Canadian forests, are such good company that when Brad joins them, he spoils the balance, no matter how much he ingratiates himself. Jeff Roop and Missy Peregrym play the couple, and Eric Balfour is Brad, and the further he is on screen, the less likeable he seems. The Canadian Ranger, played by Nicholas Campbell, completes the modest main cast list. They're all so well played, it doesn't matter that we have to wait a long time for any of the expected attacks to come.

When they do, they don't disappoint. Director and writer Adam MacDonald, in his debut feature, ensures that tensions are ratcheted up a few notches as the film goes on, with many scenes full of perfectly judged jeopardy that also prove to be surprisingly gory. Only the finale seems a little anti-climactic. My score is 8 out of 10.

Amber (Courtney Hope) is surrounded by failing parents and appalling friends. You know the type - alleged teens who are horny/stoned/drunk at all times, with the kind of pack personality you'd expect from such a lowbrow designer catwalk crew. When they end up in the kind of trouble a film with a title like 'Prowl' couldn't exist without, it's difficult to care for such preening twits. They attempt to ditch their former unfulfilling lives by hitching a ride which unexpectedly leads them to no-nonsense Veronica (Saxon Trainor), and her delightfully bloody slaughterhouse. From here, things get progressively more messy and tense.

'Prowl' is good once it gets going and we get past the lazily drawn 'hero' types. It staggers me how obvious it seems to me to make your characters likeable, but that so many directors - Patrik Syversen, here, is one - seem to think that's too easy. Better to make them edgy in the belief that makes them interesting. It doesn't! Or perhaps we are supposed to be aching for them to get dispatched in as gory a way as possible. If that's the aim, then it succeeds.

Possibly the biggest challenge in watching this Spanish/French horror extravaganza is the dubbing. As is sometimes the case, less than a scrupulous translation of the dialogue can produce unintentionally hilarious results. Some would say that adds to the charm. Perhaps they are right.

You may be led to believe this is a Jess Franco production. I was. It is in fact directed by Pierre Chevalier who delivers a comparatively accessible yarn filled with genre cliches used to fairly good effect. Once again playing Orloff is the mighty Howard Verson (who had played the character for Franco before, and would do so again in the future), the hero-type is Dr. Garondet (Frances Valladares), and the vampy young lady of the piece is Cécile (Brigitte Carva). If you're ready, there's also an invisible ape who gets up to all sorts of nasty business - again, some of his vile antics do unintentionally (I presume) raise a smile.

The story seems to have bits and pieces from most of the horror classics thrown in. You might recognise elements from Dracula, and Frankenstein, and there are dark tunnels and a hero who delights in wearing a red-lined cloak. It's all here and is delightfully unconventional in places and darn right ridiculous in others.

Based on a horrifying true story, the promotional material tells us. A slasher film set in Scotland where a group of friends are commemorating the legendary Redwood Massacre by camping out in the locations of the murders. As you might imagine, the Scottish locations are gorgeous, a real highlight of the film.

This is a very enjoyable, fast-moving directing/writing horror film from David Ryan Keith who has rightfully won a series of awards. Ryan has made a run of genre films, including 2020's sequel, 'Redwood Massacre: Annihilation' (which I fully intend to see). Ghostly apparitions, missing bodies, well-drawn characters you actually care about, and most impressively a killer scarecrow. Scarecrows seem tailor-made for horror films - lonesome, soulless mannequins who stand in solitary splendour - but are often used so ineffectively. Luckily that isn't the case here. My score is 8 out of 10.

David Schofield is brilliant at broken, sozzled teacher Mr Anderson, or Robert to his co-workers (I hesitate to say friends). He has a precocious daughter called Kate (Eliza Bennett) and bows to the reprimands of the headmistress Sarah Balhan (Ruth Gemmell). These three main characters are nicely written and convincingly played.

Anderson is flawed and shunned for it. A pupil accuses him of marking him down for an exam (the 'F' of the title) and knocks him to the floor; the student's parents then go about suing him for his alleged victimisation. When the beleaguered teacher warns of something being 'wrong' at the school, he is laughed at. When his words turn out to be true, the laughter abruptly stops.

'F' is excellent. Apart from being a frightening story (that is mainly so effective because it is set very much in the real world), it has comments to make about the system in general. Writer and director Johannes Roberts has turned in a well-rounded tale that appeals on several levels. More than just a slasher movie, the open-ended nature of some story elements indicates that such a situation is never a million miles away from happening again. I mean, why not?

My score is 9 out of 10. Or A+, if you prefer.

Serafina (Shauna Waldron) and Marsden (Edward Furlong) have recently lost their daughter. They hit upon a clearly unadvisable way of cleansing themselves of their abject misery by travelling to an isolated mansion in the middle of a desert and indulging in a ceremony designed to 'confront' death. You may think this won't end well. You may be right.

The director, known as Ajai, crams his film with as many images and ideas as 91 minutes will allow. Some might think it's saturated with too much incident; I rather liked the fast-moving nature of the ensuing horror. The thin budget makes itself apparent by some effects shortcomings and occasional lapses with the sound levels, and yet the ambition seems undiminished. I admire Ajai for this and, despite the shortcomings, 'Stitch Face' is an enjoyably gruesome experience. Hopefully, the director will continue for a long time to come.

It must be a fine balance to write a screenplay that consistently wrong-foots the audience, makes them smile occasionally while delivering a fairly grim and creepy story, and ensures that it all makes sense too. Nick Simon, who directs and co-writes achieves this very nicely. There's an irresistible grim strand of humour running through this, although the main character Cole has little to be cheerful about. Mark Kelly is very good as the flawed central character, fighting several of his own personal demons, as well as the manipulations of those around him. Even Oz Perkins as the the unpleasant Henry Sharpe has a dry line in humour.

That the twists and turns pay off is a bonus - it isn't always the case, and while there's nothing wrong with open-ended stories, it's good to have things tied up here. Morte than that I won't reveal.

As a chiller about a put-upon industrial cleaner, Removal works very well indeed. My score is 9 out of 10.

Making a horror film based on real-life tragedies is a tricky manoeuvre - the subject of this slow-burning, low-key chiller is Arthur, played by Bayly. Arthur suffers from Alzheimer's, although the condition is woefully under-diagnosed. As such, his new live-in nurse Emily (Sophie Stevens) has her work cut out for her, especially when the erratic nature of events drifts into the supernatural.

Nothing happens quickly, which won't sit well with some. Don't expect a multi-million pounds Hollywood-style spectacle here - indeed, such a style would rob 'The Haunted' of its dread and dark closeness, and poor Emma's experience wouldn't be anywhere near as effective. Only the finale picks up speed, and that is to its detriment. A host of information assails the viewer, which is not in keeping with the carefully layered storyline before it. This is a shame, but such rashness doesn't undo the effective scares that make up the majority of this film's running time. My score is 9 out of 10.

'Redwood' is a character-based horror chiller that relies on the two main players Mike Beckingham and Tatjana Nardone (as Josh and Beth respectively. Happily, we're in good company with nice performances and interesting characters, who are responding to some fairly horrific news. They decide to go on a camping trip, and it would be naive indeed to hope that things go smoothly.

There's a twist towards the end of the 78-minute film, and as is the way of such things, some will guess it, and some won't. I didn't. I was enjoying the journey too much. Director and writer Tom Paton has created an immersive, effective horror that goes into some interesting places. To say more would spoil it. My score is 8 out of 10.

Written by Director David Cronenberg whilst his recent divorce was still in his mind, 'The Brood' is grim and at times, deeply unpleasant, and works extremely well as a horror film. The central character of Nola (Samantha Eggar) was based to a certain extent, on his ex-wife. Eggar plays her role to perfection, hinting that something is not quite right, but in no way preparing us for the revelations to come.

Among the impressive cast is Oliver Reed, restrainedly playing D. Raglan, who also imbues his character with such layers, we're not quite sure whether he acts for good or evil. A lot of the characters are similarly opaque. Teacher Ruth Mayer (Susan Hogan), briefly seen, is possibly the story's most wholesome; her role is memorable, particularly for a bloody, horrifying scene in a classroom, where some of the children are not what they seem.

Ah yes, the children. The true monsters of the piece, are horrifyingly filmed, sometimes obscured by shadow. Their role in the story is as imaginative as it is shocking.

Plenty to see here, albeit behind the hands and through the fingers. All filmed in crisp, cold colours. To me, this is Cronenberg's wincing, graphic triumph. My score is 8 out of 10.

In this low-key folk horror, we follow Danny and Hayley (Ed Murphy and Elva Trill) as they seem determined to get themselves into as much bother as they can. They are a likeable couple, and it's a pleasure to spend time in their company, but you do wish - as is often the case in such films - that they would just turn around and go home.

Director and writer Mark Sheridan, for whom 'Crone Wood' seems to be his last venture to date, has created an immersive found footage world. Events are presented at a fair pace, and we're never in doubt as to exactly the kind of jeopardy our heroes are in - unless he wants to reveal a further twist, that is.

Taking full advantage of the beautiful Irish location, and the notorious Hellfire Club too, which hosted a satanic group at one time. Crone Wood is well worth a visit. My score is 8 out of 10.

To begin with, the viewer is overwhelmed with ideas. Soothed by the impressive photography and evocative locations, the revelations and twists soon become less disorientating. Derek Nguyun is a very good director; whilst watching, I actually felt he was playing with my mind - which was his intention, I'm sure!

Linh (Kate Nhung), is a shy and humble new housemaid. Our sympathies rest with her as her good nature is taken for granted and she is treated less well than she should be. As her confidence grows, however, events become less easy to predict. It's an intriguing set-up, and Nhung is excellent.

As a horror film, this is rather less successful. The scares are tepid and it's down to the ambience of the opulent surroundings to provide something creepy - which it does, but I could have done with more actual thrills. By the end though, the twisting plot pays off and brings to an end a highly enjoyable film. My score is 8 out of 10.

Not everybody goes for slow-burning horror films, but I do. So 'Dogged' won't be for everyone. It's a low-budget venture that lasts for nearly two hours. For those who like spectacular, fast-moving jump scares and mind-altering special effects, this probably won't appeal.

Director, producer and co-writer Richard Rowntree's folk horror would have been more effective if its rich and atmospheric camera work was achieved in a grainy filmic texture; here the video causes it to lose its richness somewhat. But make no mistake, 'Dogged' is an immersive experience, and if you go with it, it'll provide you with a rewarding 116 minutes. Funded via Kickstarter, it tells the story of Sam (Sam Saunders) who returns to his coastal island home to attend a funeral. Here, he discovers that things seem to have changed in his absence, and the local ambience has taken on a very sinister tone. Women folk have been relegated to a position of subservience, while their men have claimed a certain unchallenged dominance. Things get darker here on in ... My score is 8 out of 10.

Ever since the seminal film from 1973, exorcisms have been a thriving subject for various horror productions. Director and co-writer Marc Carreté’s story provides something a little different. We are still treated to 'wailing and gnashing of teeth' as we would expect when demonic forces are expelled from the human host, but this Spanish film concentrates more on the exorcists themselves. Fifteen-year-old Alba (Clàudia Pons) and her grandfather Eloy de Palma (Lluís Marco) travel from city to city to help the possessed, usually comprising of those existing in the lower end of society.

Jordi Dalmau's excellent score is worth mentioning because it enhances the dread. When we realise that even those we thought of as the 'good guys' turn out to have dark secrets of their own, we're inclined to believe that nowhere is safe. Well worth a watch. My score is 7 out of 10.

This, the first Spanish horror film to be shot in 3-D, takes its cues from several cliched American slasher films, which doesn't immediately bode well. A handful of perfectly manicured young friends posture and gesticulate throughout the early scenes, inciting nothing much from the audience except perhaps irritation at such characterless, self-satisfied people. The usual bland prog-rock music score accompanies their every pout, too. So far, several points lost, I'm sorry to say.

Once we drift into more isolated locations, Director Sergi Vizcaino’s camera is disinclined to dwell so much on the bottoms of the females in the group to take in the rugged beauty of the world in which they now find themselves, and things begin to pick up. The performances all round become more enthusiastic. Our villain Dr. Matarga (Manuel de Blas) fails to make much of an impression when we first meet him, but like the story, he grows on us - and on the cast of characters too, only not in the way they relish.

'Paranormal Xperience' is the very definition of a 'grower'. It's worth sticking with and, even though we may not ultimately get the explanations we're looking for, it's a good, chilling ride. My score is 6 out of 10.