There's a quote that this movie reminds me of - "Horror is not a genre, but an emotion."
Is this a typical horror movie? No. Is this an atypical horror movie? Absolutely.
From the beginning, the dialogue and characters pull us into their unhealthy relationship...all stemming from the protagonist feeling guilty for burning his parents to death, and leaving his sister disfigured. Not only is he unable to form healthy, loving relationships as an adult, he also has seizures periodically (one of which is in a classic bedroom scene).
When his girlfriend tells him she's pregnant, the idea does not go over well, but he does have a revelation that he wants to really try to love. She demands they visit his grandmother and sister so he can make reprimands and learn to become a healthy family.
From the second they arrive, the relationship with the religious zealot Grandmother is tense...and it only gets worse from there. The emotions boil over, and once we see the true misguided darkness in the Grandmother. Everything is balanced with humor. The climax builds slowly, and the final scene explodes. This is definitely not a horror movie for those wanting mindless slashing and brutality.
I would have given this horror movie a 9 or 10 if the ending had a little more power, like the director's previous work, "Excision." But I felt the final scene lacked a little shock value. Other than that, the movie is fantastic...horror, but not typical. If you liked "Excision," you won't be disappointed.
Is this a typical horror movie? No. Is this an atypical horror movie? Absolutely.
From the beginning, the dialogue and characters pull us into their unhealthy relationship...all stemming from the protagonist feeling guilty for burning his parents to death, and leaving his sister disfigured. Not only is he unable to form healthy, loving relationships as an adult, he also has seizures periodically (one of which is in a classic bedroom scene).
When his girlfriend tells him she's pregnant, the idea does not go over well, but he does have a revelation that he wants to really try to love. She demands they visit his grandmother and sister so he can make reprimands and learn to become a healthy family.
From the second they arrive, the relationship with the religious zealot Grandmother is tense...and it only gets worse from there. The emotions boil over, and once we see the true misguided darkness in the Grandmother. Everything is balanced with humor. The climax builds slowly, and the final scene explodes. This is definitely not a horror movie for those wanting mindless slashing and brutality.
I would have given this horror movie a 9 or 10 if the ending had a little more power, like the director's previous work, "Excision." But I felt the final scene lacked a little shock value. Other than that, the movie is fantastic...horror, but not typical. If you liked "Excision," you won't be disappointed.