Movies
The Collector (Midnight Man)
“It’s no shock that working on the past three SAW films has influenced the duo, and it shows in THE COLLECTOR, a raw, gritty and uncompromising horror film that puts the previous SAW film to shame.”
Any horror fan that has been paying attention over the past few years knows that two of the biggest writers in the genre are Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton, who broke onto the scene with FEAST and have since gone on to write a few of the SAW films and do re-writes for various big franchise films. So when Dimension Films was looking for a no-brainer project, it only made sense to let the duo make a project to call their own.
THE COLLECTOR (previously known as MIDNIGHT MAN), was Dunstan’s directorial debut from a screenplay his co-wrote with Melton. Originally pitched as a prequel to SAW, the story centers on an ex-con who is in desperate need of money to pay off his ex-wife to prevent her from leaving town with their daughter. When he breaks into the country home of his wealthy employer in an effort to steal a valuable jewel, he realizes that his family has been abducted by a masked killer who has rigged the house with deadly traps.
It’s no shock that working on the past three SAW films has influenced the duo, and it shows in THE COLLECTOR, a raw, gritty and uncompromising horror film that puts the previous SAW film to shame. While I don’t personally believe in the term “torture porn,” this teeters on the edge of being in the same sub-genre.
For the horror fans that want it hardcore and want it brutal, THE COLLECTOR delivers. The film is littered with insane traps that would make Jigsaw jealous, and without giving anything away, you can expect to cringe and cover your eyes quite a few times. The film is edited in a way where the viewer is given no chance to hide, so when a character is dragged across the floor ripping their nails off, you see it. To avoid, don’t even bother coming to the theater.
Most impressive about this new slasher/torture hybrid is the debut of a potential horror icon. The Collector (played by Juan Fernandez) is a creepy character that has two different colored eyed and an S&M-esque mask tied tight to his face (you can see him in the one sheet). His motives take a cue from classic slashers as it’s as simple as “he just wants to own you.” There’s no revenge or idiotic motive behind this mask, he’s quite simply EVIL.
If anything, THE COLLECTOR is a well-shot new modern slasher film, only the killer doesn’t have a specific weapon of choice, he prefers to play a few games. The cinematography is stunning and gives this low-budget project some serious street cred. There is real potential behind this film and Freestyle Releasing is doing such a great thing for horror fans by getting this into theaters. The could be just the beginning folks, you need to witness the birth of THE COLLECTOR in theaters this July or this potential icon will become just a myth…
Just three years after Evil Dead Rise set the box office on fire with a $147 million worldwide haul, Evil Dead Burn was unleashed into theaters this past weekend. Unfortunately, the opening weekend for Evil Dead Burn wasn’t quite as strong as the debut for its predecessor.
Evil Dead Burn debuted in 3,004 theaters across North America and scared up $13.7 million in its domestic debut, about $10 million less than Evil Dead Rise‘s $24.5 million opening.
Worldwide, Evil Dead Burn debuted with $25 million. Given the film’s production budget was somewhere in the ballpark of $20 million, all is certainly not lost for Evil Dead Burn. That said, Warner Bros. and New Line no doubt hoped that Burn would top or at least match the domestic opening of Rise, but instead we’re looking at a case of diminishing franchise returns.
The good news for fans? Next installment Evil Dead Wrath has already wrapped production for expected release in 2028, so there’s no danger of the franchise ending with Evil Dead Burn.
Evil Dead Wrath from director Francis Galluppi (The Last Stop in Yuma County) is currently set for theatrical release on April 7, 2028, though that could change in the coming months.
Will the Evil Dead franchise be taking a break after Evil Dead Wrath? That all depends on how Wrath performs at the box office. But for what it’s worth, the post-credits scene at the end of Evil Dead Burn suggests that the franchise’s creators are hopeful for a bright future ahead.
The critical reception for Evil Dead Burn was a bit less positive than the reception to Evil Dead Rise, with Rise hitting 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and Burn currently sitting at 71%. It’s interesting to note, however, that the “Popcornmeter” on Rotten Tomatoes is a bit higher for Burn than it was for Rise, with Burn‘s currently at 80% and Rise‘s sitting a tad lower at 76%.
The site’s “Popcornmeter” scores are decided by users, rather than verified movie critics.
Which do you prefer? Evil Dead Rise or Evil Dead Burn? Sound off below.
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