Movies
Don’t Let Him In (V)
Once things take a turn for the worse in a rather predictable fashion, we’re treated to yet another predictable twist that attempts to make the film more than it really is. Wrap it up with a cheap explanation as to why everything is happening at the end, and you’ve got nothing more than a lazy 79-minute bore.
Indie British thrillers are usually a sure thing. Maybe it’s their dry humor or tendency to simply charm the pants off of us with their accents, but flicks like Severance and Eden Lake prove that low-budget, independent thrillers from across the pond are generally a welcome addition to your DVD collection. Sadly, Don’t Let Him In is not one of those movies.
Don’t Let Him In follows the unfortunate experience of two couples as they visit a cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway. Happy couple Paige and Calvin is forced to deal with Mandy, Calvin’s immature sister, and Tristan, her most recent one-night stand. Upon their arrival they learn of the “Tree Surgeon,” a serial killer with a penchant for hanging body parts from the trees. As they settle in for a night of incessant bickering and a healthy dose of mistrust, the arrival of a mysterious man, stabbed by an unknown assailant, causes an otherwise ordinary night to devolve into a struggle for survival. Mediocrity ensues.
Which is a shame, really. Don’t Let Him In is, at heart, a slasher film, yet it desperately wants to be a psychological thriller. Working under the auspices of the “whodunit” motif, the film starts off slow, attempting to build suspense through questionable characters with unclear motives. Once things take a turn for the worse in a rather predictable fashion, we’re treated to yet another predictable twist that attempts to make the film more than it really is. Wrap it up with a cheap explanation as to why everything is happening at the end, and you’ve got nothing more than a lazy 79-minute bore.
Given that it’s direct-to-DVD, the amount of extras are pretty impressive, with a behind-the-scenes featurette, clocking in at 41:22, topping the list. While the film itself leaves a lot to be desired, the opening spiel by writer/director/producer Kelly Smith talking about the long road that lead him to making the film is rather interesting. In watching Smith discuss the idea behind his film, his words echo many of mine in the review above. I suppose this is a good thing; he did get the point across, it just didn’t work in the way he had hoped. Despite this, hearing Smith talk about the film gives you a newfound respect for it. You may not like the movie, but his passion and love for it and independent film is undeniable and admirable.
Sadly, fans of visual FX are left with little more than a 01:16 collection of scenes that quickly compares before and after scenes of many of the film’s effects shots, created by Aetas Film. Sure, it’s interesting (as someone ignorant of how most effects or done, I found it rather intriguing), but it’s so short it’s nothing more than a tease. Tack on a trailer and the requisite commentary, the latter of which is pretty impressive for a DTV independent horror flick, and you round out the special features. Some good, some bad, but enough to compel fans of the film to purchase it.
Movies
‘Werewolf By Night 2’? Michael Giacchino Says It’s Being Talked About But “Everything Takes Forever”
It was Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino who sat in the director’s chair for Marvel’s Disney+ Halloween special Werewolf by Night back in 2022, which was released in both throwback black & white as well as full color. But are we ever getting a sequel?
Giacchino tells Screen Rant in a new chat this week that he remains hopeful.
“We’re talking about it,” Giacchino explains. “Everything takes forever to do. There’s a lot of planning that has to happen. Everything has to fit in a particular place at a particular time.”
He adds, “So, nothing moves as fast as we’d like it to. But I hope one day that you will be sitting there watching another Werewolf by Night. That’s my hope.”
Inspired by horror films of the ’30s and ’40s, Marvel Studios’ Werewolf by Night takes place on a dark and somber night as a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader.
In a strange memorial to the leader’s life, the attendees are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic—a hunt that will ultimately bring them face to face with a dangerous monster.
Meagan Navarro wrote in her review for BD, “The MCU kicked the horror into overdrive with Werewolf by Night. The nearly hour-long feature presents as a classic horror movie, dropping viewers into the middle of a secret world of monster hunters. Film composer Michael Giacchino directs the special, penned by Heather Quinn and Peter Cameron. Giacchino focuses on evoking the classic horror vibe to assist in the initial worldbuilding. The events play out in monochrome, save for the vibrant red glow of the Bloodstone. Cigarette burns and film grain get added for that retro look. The rules of the hunt get relayed to the cutthroat candidates by way of reanimated dead, albeit in a much campier and family-friendly way via animatronics.”
“Aside from the aesthetics, Werewolf leans heavily into the mysterious,” Meagan continued. “The black and white cinematography more than sets the retro vibe; it allows the feature to remain accessible to a wider audience even as it lets its monsters and monster hunters spill plenty of blood. Toss in a Jack Pierce-inspired beast with practical application, and you’ve got a modern superhero story with a classic Universal Monsters makeover.”