Horror Movie Reviews

You will find on this page all the latest Horror Movie Reviews. My reviews are usually short and avoid spoilers. The idea is to give you a quick feedback on whether I believe a movie is worth watching or not.

Feel free to agree and disagree in the comments or submit your own reviews.

Cabin Fever 2 (2009) Review

February 25, 2014 by Eric S. Leave a Comment

Synopsis: A high school prom faces a deadly threat: a flesh-eating virus that spreads via a popular brand of bottled water.

My Review: The follow-up to Eli Roth’s acclaimed Cabin Fever turns out to be much better than I first expected.

I was not a big fan of Cabin fever and I actually believe the sequel to be better. There is no shift in tone this time and the movie successfully keeps the american pie style humor all the way to the end. Deputy winston is as funny as can be and the whole high school prom spoof while not original, is well played out.

The gore does not shy away and some scenes are really disgusting (one involving puss squirting out a penis will make you feel sick I promise).

Contrary to most, I’m not a big fan of Ti West and none of his movies have impressed me so far (I have yet to see The Sacrament). He has a tendency to let things drag for too long without the cinematography chops to make those long scenes even remotely interesting.

In Cabin Fever 2 there is no dead time and to me at least this is his best film. Ironically it’s the one that he disavows, go figure!!

If you enjoy gross out horror comedy, this one is for you but if you were looking for a more serious attempt to disease type horror, you might be disappointed.

My Rating: 5.5/10

Director: Ti West

Origin: US

Click Here to Watch Cabin Fever 2 Online Now!

Hidden 3D (2011) Review

February 23, 2014 by Eric S. Leave a Comment

Synopsis: Susan Carter experimented with an insect toxin that physically manifests addiction so that it can be removed, but things went wrong when the antigen took on a life of its own. When she dies, she leaves her converted-monastery rehab center and whatever may be inside, to her son, Brian.

Leslie’s Review: I have a confession to make. I did not watch Hidden 3D in 3D. I watched basically the way I watch all horror movies, on my computer in regular, old 2D. I can’t do horror movies in the theater, and I certainly don’t do them in 3D (except that one time I watched The Birds at Disney when I was 8, still not over that). Really loud noises and jumpy scenes freak me out, but when I can turn the volume down and the screen isn’t fifty feet tall, I really enjoy select horror films.

Hidden 3D one got reamed, hard. But I don’t totally agree with all the people that bashed it on the interwebs. The CGI is definitely not perfect, and the acting isn’t exactly oscar worthy, but I have seen low-budget, horror movies with far less imagination.

I read somewhere that the original writers dropped the project due to a difference of opinion with the producers, so that explains some issues with the storyline. It’s still a decent, if rehashed idea.

Storywise, I was worried about cliched tropes such as the rehashed haunted house story where the couple sneaks off to have sex, but tropes do exist because they fit the formula, and the writers here at least try to give them a little something extra.

The house is a rehab center converted from an old monastery with hidden caverns. The young lovers are interrupted by strange noises before they can actually have sex, and fueled with Ecstasy, they are not sure if what they find is real or simply the result of a bad trip.

Maybe I was seeing past the final execution to what the original writers may have intended, but as a viewer who can appreciate not-so-great horror and going in with absolutely no expectations, I wasn’t disappointed.

The best part of this movie, by far, was the cinematography. I now want to see everything Benoit Beaulieu has done. Almost every shot is beautifully framed as if for a still photograph instead of a moving picture, and the experiment with color tinting suits both the remote, snowy setting and the creepy atmosphere.

While watching this film, I jumped several times, cringed from some of the small, tight spaces, and was thoroughly creeped out by parasitic, childlike creatures without being horrified by unnecessary gore or checking my watch during a climax that ran on too long. I don’t think I can ask for much more than that.

Watch it for free on Hulu here: http://www.hulu.com/watch/595499

Director: Antoine Thomas

Origin: Italy/Canada

This post was originally written by Leslie Shaip. You can follow her rants and movie reviews on her blog: Gallimaufry

Europa Report (2013) Review

February 20, 2014 by Eric S. Leave a Comment

Synopsis: An international crew of astronauts undertakes a privately funded mission to search for life on Jupiter’s fourth largest moon.

Quick Review: Europa Report is more Sci-Fi than pure horror but the documentary style used for this movie brings us closer to the braveness of space travelers and the terror they might have to face when confronted with the unknown.

Technically, Europa Report is flawless and really allows us to get closer to the astronauts using cameras placed within the ship as well as on the exterior of the spacecraft. And the footage actually looks like it could have been provided by the NASA.

The performances by most of the actors are spot-on and convey the claustrophobia of being trapped in such a closed space for so long.

But is it scary? Well, for one, it’s not Alien, and you will not find jump scares scattered throughout the movie. Europa Report is more about the growing tension and sense of helplessness that those astronauts have to endure.

Therefore, as I said in the beginning, Europa Report might not be a traditional found footage horror movie but I will take this one over an Apollo 18 anytime.

My Rating: 7/10

Director: Sebastián Cordero

Origin: US

Click Here To watch Europa Report Online Now!

State of Emergency (2011) Review

February 17, 2014 by Eric S. Leave a Comment

Synopsis: Chaos consumes a small town when a chemical facility explodes releasing a deadly toxin. Moments after the leak, the town’s residents show signs of mutation, causing the military to quarantine the area leaving any survivors helpless and trapped inside. The story follows Jim, a young man isolated within the red zone, as he eludes flesh eating zombies in an attempt to win back his freedom.

Quick Review: State of Emergency is an interesting low budget indie movie that spends more time focusing on its characters than it does on zombie attacks.

And it’s not as bad as it sounds actually. Quite similar to The Battery, strong leads and character development all make up for the lack of action on screen.

State of Emergency feels like an episode of The Walking Dead (you know one of this episode where not much happens until the end) with better dialog.

Unfortunately, technically it also sounds and looks like a TV movie. The sound mixing is quite awful and the score reminiscent of the numerous horror/fantastic shows on tv right now. The special effects are quite awkward but fortunately the zombies make-up are alright.

If you’re a fan of the post-apocalyptic genre and zombies in particular, you will enjoy State of Emergency for what it is, a low-key entry in the genre.

My Rating: 5.5/10

Director: Turner Clay

Origin: US

Click Here to watch State of Emergency Online Now!

The Creepy Doll (2011) Review

February 16, 2014 by Eric S. Leave a Comment

Synopsis: Newlyweds Jason and Kate Carraway are expecting a baby, but when Kate’s grandmother sends them Kate’s childhood doll collection, things get, well, creepy. Jason notices his bride slowly turning into someone he doesn’t recognize, and the doll may be causing it.

Leslie’s Review: I’ve heard they are making a movie about Annabell, the doll from The Conjuring, and this story reminded me of that subplot (I loved everything about The Conjuring), so I really wanted to like this movie.

It’s independent, it’s low budget, and the premise is intriguing. The one review on IMDB is favorable, so I thought I’d give it a try. It’s a good idea, but the movie lacks polished execution. There are a few dynamic shots (I really liked the black and white shots from the point of view of the doll), but the acting was a bit off, and the relationship drama dulled the horror feeling for me.

It comes together pretty well, but by the time we finally arrived at the end, I didn’t really care anymore.

At one point, Kate explains that where her grandmother’s family is from, little girls receive guardian dolls as gifts. Sometimes a bear or wolf would be found dead in the village, with bloody tracks leading away from the house. People said that the dolls came to life to protect the children. Occasionally, they’d find a man who had been killed the same way, and that was how the people knew he was a, “good-for-nothing scoundrel.”

I honestly feel like a movie about that story would have been more entertaining. Amazon Prime members can stream it for free right now, and I applaud the filmmakers for their idea and attempt, but I’m not sure I can recommend it.

Director: P.J. Woodside

Origin: US

Click Here if you want to Watch The Creepy Doll Online Now!

This post was originally written by Leslie Shaip. You can follow her rants and movie reviews on her blog: Gallimaufry