Editorials
Bloody Disgusting’s 2022 Summer Horror Movie Preview!
It’s nearly that time of year again when the summer months ignite the box office and herald in a slew of big summer releases. Only this year, the busy summer months are getting a head start, beginning with a packed May for horror releases.
This summer belongs to horror between streaming platforms, digital, VOD, and theatrical releases. It’s a densely packed slate, and this is only the tip of the iceberg for what’s ahead.
To help you prepare for a summer of screams, here’s what is coming soon…
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – May 6 (Theaters)
Doctor Stephen Strange casts a forbidden spell that opens to door to the multiverse, where he traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities to face a dangerous new adversary. Director Sam Raimi’s sequel promises to “make fans of Evil Dead II very happy.”
The Sadness – May 12 (Shudder)
Director Rob Jabbaz’s feature debut deserves all the content warnings and then some. The plot sees a couple desperate to reunite amidst a city ravaged by an evolved virus that transforms the afflicted into bloodthirsty sadists. It’s extreme horror in the most stomach-churning ways (our review).
Firestarter – May 13 (Theaters/Peacock)
In the new adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, a young girl develops pyrokinetic abilities. She gets abducted by a secret government agency that wants to harness her powerful gift as a weapon. It’s directed by Keith Thomas (The Vigil) and stars Zac Efron and Michael Greyeyes.
The Innocents – May 13
Writer/Director Eskil Vogt’s coming-of-age horror drama follows four children discovering supernatural powers over the summer holiday. Their innocent play takes a dark turn, and strange things happen—emphasis on dark.
The Found Footage Phenomenon – May 19 (Shudder)
Shudder’s latest documentary tracks the origins of the found footage technique and how it transformed with technological changes throughout the last few decades. It features interviews with integral found footage directors whose films impacted the horror genre.
Men – May 20 (Theaters)
Harper (Jessie Buckley) retreats alone to the beautiful English countryside, hoping to have found a place to heal after a personal tragedy. But someone or something from the surrounding woods appears to be stalking her in Alex Garland’s shape-shifting folk horror movie.
DASHCAM – June 3 (Theaters and VOD)
Host director Rob Savage’s latest captures an abrasive musician’s (Annie Hardy) wild night as she steals her friend’s car and agrees to transport an older woman. She finds herself caught up in sinister forces that threaten everyone around her (our review).
The Passenger – June 3 (Theaters)
A group of strangers sharing a ride has their trip interrupted when the driver hits a woman hiking in the dark of night. They decide to help her, but quickly learn that something is wrong and that they shouldn’t have let her in at all.
Watcher – June 3 (Theaters)
Watcher stars Maika Monroe as a woman who moves to a new country with her fiancé and becomes tormented by the feeling that someone is following her. V/H/S/94 director Chloe Okuno channels Roman Polanski and Alfred Hitchcock for her moody, paranoid thriller (our review).
Jurassic World Dominion – June 10 (Theaters)
Two generations unite for the first time in what’s promised to be the epic conclusion to the Jurassic era. Four years after Isla Nublar was destroyed, dinosaurs now roam and hunt among humans. It’ll determine whether human beings will remain the planet’s apex predator once and for all. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are joined by Oscar®-winner Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neill.
Crimes of the Future – June 10 (Theaters)
David Cronenberg is back! In his latest, “As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body under goes new transformations and mutations. With his partner Caprice (Léa Seydoux), Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen), celebrity performance artist, publicly showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, whichi s when a mysterious group is revealed… Their mission –to use Saul’s notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.” Crimes of the Future releases in NY and LA on June 3 before expanding on June 10.
Gatlopp – June 16 (VOD)
In this supernatural comedy, “A group of old friends reunites for a nostalgic evening of fun and games after a decade apart. After one too many, they decide to play a drinking game, but it’s quickly revealed that this game comes with supernatural stakes. Mischief leads to mayhem, and the group realizes that if they can’t come together to win the game by sunrise, they will be forced to play for eternity – in hell.”
Story Game – June 21 (Screambox)
A horror anthology that brings to life three legendary Japanese ghost stories. Three friends try to outwit and scare each other with scary stories while camping in Hawaii. But only one can win the Story Game.
The Black Phone – June 24 (Theaters)
Ethan Hawke as a sadistic killer known as “The Grabber” in The Black Phone, directed by Scott Derrickson.
A 13-year-old boy locked up in his kidnapper’s basement receives unlikely help from past victims who call through a broken telephone. The latest by director Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill (Sinister) brings the scares and a pair of remarkable lead performances in this adaptation of Joe Hill’s short story (our review).
Neon Lights – July 12 (VOD)
In this horror thriller, “Guests begin disappearing in an off-grid location, during a family reunion of misfit siblings and their offspring.”
Welcome to Hell (Bienvenidos Al Infierno) – July 12 (Screambox)
Lucía lives secluded in a remote cabin in the middle of a forest with her mute grandmother. She thinks she’s safe after escaping El Monje Negro, the dark and ruthless leader of a black metal band and father of her unborn child. Only El Monje Negro intends to sacrifice Lucia and the baby in a ritual.
Bed Rest – July 15 (Theaters)
Julie Rivers (Melissa Barrera) is pregnant again after years of attempting to start a family. Mandatory bed red causes her to unravel, prompting a battle as Julie must face past demons and questions of mental stability. Lori Evans Taylor directs the supernatural thriller.
She Will – July 15 (VOD)
She Will is the directorial debut of Charlotte Colbert and stars Alice Krige as Veronica Ghent, who, after a double mastectomy, goes to a healing retreat in rural Scotland. There she confronts past traumas as a mysterious force grants her the power to enact revenge (our review). Malcolm McDowell also stars.
Nope – July 22 (Theaters)
As is the trend, plot details remain shrouded in mystery for writer/director Jordan Peele’s third horror movie. Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) reteams with Peele on the enigmatic film, with the cast also including Steven Yeun (“The Walking Dead,” Mayhem) and Keke Palmer (“Scream”). Nope looks to be THE summer horror to watch here in 2022, involving aliens and more.
Pennywise: The Story of IT – July 26 (Screambox)
Co-directors John Campopiano (Unearthed & Untold: The Path to Pet Sematary) and Christopher Griffiths (Leviathan: The Story of Hellraiser) team to deliver an in-depth look into the creation of Stephen King’s iconic villain through dozens of interviews with cast and crew.
Hypochondriac – July 29 (Theaters)
Will (Zach Villa, American Horror Story: 94) is an upbeat potter with a selfish boss but a supportive boyfriend in Luke (Devon Graye, I Don’t Feel At Home in This World Anymore). Behind that plucky demeanor lies a dark past and history with mental illness. After receiving a call from his mother after a decade of silence, Will begins exhibiting bizarre symptoms and spirals into obsession in this psychological horror movie (our review).
Bodies Bodies Bodies – August 5 (Theaters)
The latest A24 horror movie revolves around a party game turned deadly for a group of affluent 20-somethings trapped inside by a hurricane. It’s a biting social satire with a body count, starring Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Pete Davidson, Rachel Sennott, Myha’la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, and Lee Pace. Read our review here.
Resurrection – August 5 (VOD)
Margaret (Rebecca Hall) leads a successful and orderly life as a career woman and single parent. That careful balance is upended when an unwelcome shadow from her past, David (Tim Roth), returns, carrying the horrors of Margaret’s past with him. Writer/Director Andrew Semans delivers a gripping psychological thriller unafraid to get grim (our review).
Beast – August 19
This Universal survival thriller finds Idris Elba’s character on a trip to South Africa, only for him and his two teenage daughters to be hunted by a massive rogue lion intent on proving that the savanna has but one apex predator.
Dark Harvest – September 9
Set on Halloween 1963, Norman Partridge’s horror novel Dark Harvest is headed to the big screen, with David Slade (Hard Candy, 30 Days of Night, “Hannibal”) directing. Every fall, teen boys in a small Midwestern town participate in a hunt to catch Sawtooth Jack.
Salem’s Lot – September 9
James Wan is producing the new take on Stephen King’s vampire story Salem’s Lot for Warner Bros. and New Line, with Gary Dauberman (It, The Nun, Annabelle Comes Home) attached to write and direct the film. The plot sees an author return to his hometown, only to find it under the sway of a bloodthirsty vampire.
Prey – Summer (Hulu)
Director Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) helms the Predator sequel set in 1719. Amber Midthunder (“Legion”) stars as a Comanche woman who goes against gender norms and traditions to become a warrior. Release date for this one forthcoming, so stay tuned.
Which Summer Horror movies are you looking forward to most? Let us know!
In this day and age, the word “troll” is often used to describe various online nuisances. Yet as abundant and irksome as the modern troll can be, they aren’t usually as fearsome as their mythological counterparts. I’m not talking about the small and gentler versions that have become more common to see in media. No, there are much bigger and scarier trolls out there—and André Øvredal’s movie Troll Hunter is one of the best places to find them.
It doesn’t take long for Troll Hunter (or Trolljegeren) to dump the Blair Witch Project-esque setup and aim for something a lot fresher. The trajectory of the story is augmented by Otto Jespersen’s character Hans, the titular Troll Hunter. The second he comes barreling out of the deep, dark woods and shouts “troll” at the camera, this movie takes a turn into what feels like uncharted territory. Not only subject-wise, but also conceptually.
For fantastical and made-up subject matter in cinema, found footage is a fast way to add a guise of believability. After all, what we accept to be the most crucial aspect of documentaries—the truth—rubs off on pseudo-documentaries, despite our understanding of the pretense involved. That is what Øvredal delivered with Troll Hunter: a movie so convincing that some viewers wondered if trolls really do exist. So, had this been straightforwardly made, it likely wouldn’t have been as effective. Conventional narratives would be more inclined to treat something like trolls as flat out unreal, and never try to convince the audience to think otherwise.
Hans petrifies the three-headed Tusseladd troll.
The viewers, like the characters trailing Hans, are quickly thrown into the deeper end of that extraordinary story. They have to process all this new information while staying on the go. So, although there is no significant amount of meandering, narratively or physically, there is still a good amount of atmosphere, not to mention tension building. It’s never anything frightful, but then again, Troll Hunter isn’t your standard offering of horror; it’s more on the low end of the dark fantasy spectrum. We aren’t ever spirited away to a faraway world—we stay in rather familiar surroundings, as well as dip into those less so. The outcome is a movie where you’re constantly more in awe than in terror.
As fantasy fiction might do, Troll Hunter prefers not to deal with incredulity. There is no time to waste on doubt, as interviewer Thomas (Glenn Erland Tosterud), soundperson Johanna (Johanna Mørck), and cameraman Kalle (Tomas Alf Larsen) all follow Hans around, recording whatever this character is willing to reveal about his bizarre job. Of course, the Troll Hunter himself is not an open book; in that respect, the diegetic documentary fails to fully capture and unpack the more interesting of its two subjects. Yes, all those giant, monstrous trolls are indeed incredible, but understandably, your mind wanders to their pursuer. What kind of person signs up for this gig and then chooses to stick with it for so long?
Reviews have called out Troll Hunter for its lack of character development. In regard to Thomas and his fellow documentarians, that criticism is valid, but bear in mind, they aren’t the focus of the story, either. Meanwhile, Hans is a well-crafted character. At least better than first realized. Before he was introduced, Hans had already grown tired of the troll grind. Fed up with that low compensation for his services, resentful of the bureaucracy, and wanting to expose his employer on a large scale, Hans’ discontent is glaring.
Then there are those finer details about the Troll Hunter, such as that indifference to both the natural splendor of his everyday surroundings and the affections of an obviously smitten colleague, that also suggest some level of despondency. So it is fair to say this movie doesn’t feature any sizable growth for its characters; however, the namesake isn’t underwritten. No doubt, putting a real-life character like Otto Jespersen in that role is partly why Hans is so fascinating—maybe even relatable.
Otto Jespersen as Hans the Troll Hunter.
There is always a small risk whenever using the term “mockumentary” to describe a found-footage movie, as the word could imply humor where there is none. In the case of Troll Hunter, the term’s usage is appropriate. Some folks have claimed the English-dubbed version has the more comedic tone, however, the Norwegian cut isn’t exactly humorless. Apart from the trolls’ absurd appearances, this is a movie where the characters nearly choke on the monsters’ farts, and Christians are like walking targets. Hans’ complete apathy towards everything is another cause of laughter. Overall, the comedy is intentionally dry and inconsistent. Unfunny, though? Absolutely not.
In a movie where endemic creatures are maltreated, as well as disavowed from living freely and peacefully, it’s hard not to notice the ecological message buried beneath the story. In addition to that is the unmistakable political satire. There is this whole business about intrusive and unsightly power lines—like trolls, they’re big blemishes on the land—that leads to what is perhaps the movie’s funniest moment. The scene in question is that one where certain electric lines, the ones secretly being used to keep the trolls at bay, go in a loop and don’t actually send power to any residents. Yet the monitors of said lines don’t find this at all weird. So it stands to reason that Øvredal was having a go at those who accept the government’s doings without question.
Looking past the fact that trolls aren’t actually real, this movie is an enlightening source of information. And not just for international audiences; Norwegians, too, get schooled about their homeland’s own mythology. It’s also evident from everything on screen that Øvredal and his crew were enthusiastic about the topic. The creature designs are the most indicative of that zeal; those imaginative yet myth-accurate manifestations are equally amusing and grotesque. One second you’re laughing at their phallic noses, the next you’re white-knuckling during a hairy sequence. Most surprisingly is how well the trolls’ visual effects hold up after fifteen years. It’s not all spotless, but on the whole, they remain impressive.
Vouching for a mockumentary about trolls isn’t easy, but those who do come around and give it a shot will more than likely be grateful for the recommendation. For Troll Hunter is a real find in that vast and varied genre we call “found footage“.
A bridge troll reaches up for food and finds Hans decked out in armor.
You must be logged in to post a comment.