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[Review] ‘Cam2Cam’ Needs To Unplug And Learn Storytelling

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Cam2Cam

We’re far from the glory days of the slasher genre. And while some people (Hollywood included) would rather drop the genre completely, there are others who would still want to pursue it. That’s fine and all, but coming up with a new and inventive way to execute it is the problem. Director Joel Soisson looks to remedy that with Cam2Cam, focusing on the video chat technology we’ve been using now for a few years. It obviously opens up a few different scenarios and possibilities, but the question of whether they can be executed properly is the main thing.

After the murder of her sister in Bangkok, Allie travels to Thailand to bring her sister’s killer to justice. Allie decides to rent out a room at an apartment complex, where she meets up with other twenty-somethings renting in the same complex. Her new friends use a website called Cam2Cam, in which people strip for money. Allie soon discovers that other people who use the website aren’t there for the amateur stripping.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, Cam2Cam plays it safe by opening with the standard “woman alone at home”. It plays out similar to the opening of Scream, save for the change in technology. There’s still a very real fear that accompanies the anonymity with chatting on the internet, and in this case, the anonymity goes out the window once you turn on the webcam or share pictures. Adding to that fear is being put in a foreign land (Thailand) with the obvious barriers that come with it.

Unfortunately, the film’s problems begin right from the start. First off, the opening sequence takes up 30 minutes of runtime. Out of a total runtime of 91 minutes. Also, it’s rather insulting that the lady in question doesn’t quite make the connection that the person who she’s chatting with is using a pre-recorded video. And, with a full-body shot, can’t possibly be typing and stripping at the same time. Maybe it’s just me, but the use of shorthand misspellings that many people use while talking online is aggravating to no end. So, of course, the opening sequence uses a ton of it. To top it off, the payoff results in a blood splatter on the curtains. Great.

The rest of the film doesn’t fare much better. While the opening sequence tries to capitalize on the potential tension that the concept and locale presents, it’s all again just wasted. Characters that we’re supposed to care about like Allie (played by Tammin Sursock, who kind of looks like Kate Beckinsale) are underdeveloped or have multiple personalities, acting one way in one scene and then acting completely different in the next. The horrible dialogue doesn’t make things any easier. I suppose that the screenwriters were aiming to say something about the dangers of the internet, but instead decided to make a heavy-handed after school special with the message that once you start using the internet, you’ll end up making amateur porn and die soon after. Or should I say “attempted” amateur porn? Even that is done in a halfhearted way, as if they had an extreme reluctance to show nudity. Even the opening sequence with a bunch of extras doing whatever was more provocative than this clearly lame attempt at being real.

Cam2Cam is definitely a missed opportunity. The film could’ve gone in so many directions, but instead bumbled along, apathetically trying to make the viewer care. The only consolation are the beautiful locales in Thailand, which are far more appealing and interesting than the film itself. Even then, they still serve as a reminder of what the film could’ve been doing to make it stand out. If you’re in the mood for a slasher, go check out something from the genre’s heyday. Sure, the formula is the same for a lot of them, but at least you’ll be able to glean some entertainment.

Video/Audio:

Presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, Cam2Cam looks acceptable for an independent release. Detail is adequate throughout, with bright colours and accurate fleshtones. There’s no noise to speak of, but there are some instances of artifacting during the darker scenes.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 track is alright, though nothing spectacular. It’s also pretty quiet, leaving you to have to fight with the volume to be able to hear things. Dialogue is clear and free of any distortion, but again, you’ll have to crank up the volume to hear what’s being said.

Extras:

Other than the film’s trailer, the disc comes with an Audio Commentary with director Joel Soisson. Soisson covers a variety of topics, including how he came onto the project, casting, how certain scenes were filmed, and so on. It’s a fairly mundane commmentary that unfortunately borders on Soisson just droning on, with a few gaps of silence where Soisson is watching the film instead of commentating. The track could’ve used another person to moderate or provide additional input.

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‘Herencia Diabólica’ – 1993’s “Mexican Child’s Play” Finally Has a Blu-ray Release [Review]

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Did you know that there is a Child’s Play-inspired film from Mexico? If you didn’t, you can thank Vinegar Syndrome’s new label Degausser Video for making 1993’s Herencia Diabólica available for the masses to watch. Or at least for the VS hardcore fanbase, Chucky completists and anyone else who needs something like this in their lives.

Director Alfredo Salazar, known for his writing connection to the 70s Santo film series, also serves as the writer here to bring us a film seemingly inspired from the Child’s Play franchise. While it has been recently labeled as the “Mexican Child’s Play” (there’s a special feature on the disc with that very title), the killer doll concept is where the comparison should start and end. Despite having some seeds planted by that franchise, Salazar delivers a story that blossoms into something unique.

Tony (Roberto Guinar) receives a letter informing him that his aunt has died, and he has inherited her estate in Mexico. He quits his job and uproots his life in New York with his wife Annie (Holda Ramírez) to relocate south of the border and move into his new crib. Now I know what you’re thinking, what person just quits their job and drags their wife to another country without having reliable monetary income? Tony does, everyone, Tony does.

And what’s the first thing they do once they arrive in Mexico and check out the estate? They hit the bedroom, naturally. We are treated to a sex scene with an erotica song that feels like a knockoff of “Sadness” by Enigma (remember them?). Sounds fun and all, but the scene takes place completely in the dark and we see absolutely nothing. Maybe that’s why the sexy-time tune was pumping, so we could know what was exactly going down.

While Tony goes on a job interview, Annie explores the estate’s grounds in a tedious chore to experience, going room by room, plodding along. But it does lead us to her discovery of our antagonist—the evil clown doll, Payasito! Of all the things in the house, she decides to bring this monstrosity down to show Tony when he gets home. What an exciting way to celebrate (sic)! Then out of nowhere, she spouts off some exposition about rumors that Tony’s aunt dabbled in the dark arts and now we know where our title Diabolical Inheritance (the English translation for Herencia Diabólica) originates. For those of you who keep score for things like that.

Before proceeding with this review, you really need to visualize what Payasito looks like to truly embrace the rest of the film’s shenanigans. While Chucky resembles a cute ginger child, Payasito resembles a small clown that is much larger in stature than Chucky. That’s because Payasito is performed by an actor (Margarito Esparaza) in clown cosplay whenever he’s on the move (like Mannequin 2), and makes some really horrible facial expressions. Chucky dresses in “Good Guys” overalls and a striped shirt, but Payasito wears a new wave Santa hat while sporting a Sgt. Pepper jacket and Peter Pan tights. As you can now tell, he is quite beautiful.

Back to our story, Payasito begins to spook Annie cerebrally until she becomes unnerved to the point of having a complete mental break down, making her easy prey to eliminate. She dies but the unborn child survives, with Tony believing that her death was caused by her mental instability. Fast forward some years later and the couple’s surviving spawn has grown into child Roy (Alan Fernando), who at this point has already bonded with Payasito to help him over the loss of his mother. Dun-dun-duuunnn!

Meanwhile wealthy Tony remains single, still grieving his late wife, until his blonde assistant Doris encourages him to move on with his life and start seeing other people. And by other people, she naturally means herself. As the old Kanye West song lyric goes, “I ain’t saying she’s a gold digger…”, and it seems that she might be until we learn more about her character. Doris is played by the stunning Lorena Hererra who has an extremely extensive resume in Mexico, and she carries most of the film quite well during the feature’s second half. The singer and former Playboy centerfold for their Mexico edition is by far the most recognizable face in the cast.

Doris and Tony do indeed hookup and she moves into La casa de Herencia, where she does her best to impress Roy and lessen his obsession with the doll. There is a scene where they go to a nearby park without Payasito that is filled with famous fairytale figures, such as Pinocchio, Cinderella and King Kong! What, you didn’t know King Kong is a fairytale? Me neither. But Roy continues to be obsessed with Payasito after their trip, much to Doris’ chagrin.

Her actions to separate him from Roy gets Payasito angry, setting up the film’s most memorable scene. We already know that Payasito is a devil doll like Chucky, but now we learn he also has the power to invade people’s dreams like Freddy Krueger! Does Payasito enter the dream world and concoct a creative way to kill Doris in her sleep? No, he harnesses his power to sexually assault her instead. Yes that actually happens. After she awakens, Doris grabs the doll and tosses him into a lake, only to find him waiting for her by the time she gets back to the house. So now we know he also maintains the ability to “transport” like Jason Voorhees too. This doll is the total package!

More insanity happens before we close out the film with the longest victim chase sequence ever. It makes the previously mentioned painful house search scene seem like an eyeblink. It feels like it’s the film’s entire third act, filled with so much padding that you could soundproof an entire three-story house.

So how’s the transfer? Considering it was created using a mix of VHS and film source elements from 1993, they did one heck of a job! The work they put into it is especially noticeable in the dream invasion sequence, with the pulsing multi-colored psychedelic visuals. Super trippy stuff. Even the film’s score provides a pretty chill vibe, during the times when Payasito isn’t on the prowl.

If anything you read has piqued your interest in the very least, you should give it a shot. But if not, it is best to leave this doll on the shelf.

Herencia Diabólica is now available to purchase at VinegarSyndrome.com.

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