marcusfernandez-28887 Reviews

The Evil Dead (1981)

Grates on Your Skin Like Sandpaper in the Best Way Possible

[8/10 · 27 November 2020]

Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead is a beloved horror classic. Despite playing with familiar tropes, what The Evil Dead manages is completely unique. It's a wild ride that ignited one of the most exciting horror franchises. However, it was no easy task to bring The Evil Dead to life.

The story is really as simple as it gets. A group of friends travel to a cabin and accidently awaken demonic spirits from the book of the dead. It's a straightforward premise that wastes no time.

The audience is swiftly introduced to the characters led by Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell). Barring a few scenes, the film rarely strays much further than the cabin. The majority of the movie takes place at night with the characters stranded and surrounded by the woods.

It's a brilliant set up and before you know it, the adventure begins.

The Evil Dead is completely aware of what it is. It doesn't try to reach beyond its budget, nor does it shy away from taking risks. What makes The Evil Dead special is its bizarre realism. As unusual as that sounds, it's precisely what puts The Evil Dead in its own sub-genre of horror.

The film masterfully hints at something evil at the cabin long before the demons show up. From the bench that repeatedly knocks the side of the cabin to the long and silent shots of the woods. The first act of the film uses its setting, the sounds and cinematography to create a sense of foreboding.

It's an unsettling atmosphere that perfectly sets the mood for what's to come.

However, the real trademark of The Evil Dead and of the franchise is the campiness. It's horror that borders on being silly. The film brings together genres that are normally regarded logical opposites. Horror and comedy.

Audiences were caught unawares, despite being undoubtedly a horror movie, The Evil Dead finds a way to simultaneously be amusing. A lot of that rides on Bruce Campbell's excellent performance.

Ash Williams is your typical reckless teenager, wild and bold. Campbell gives Ash that fiery spirit. Yes, his performance is over-the-top and exaggerated but it's clearly intentional. Campbell, rather ironically, gives The Evil Dead life.

Ash is instantly likeable despite his character making questionable choices throughout the film. That being said, character development is not the film's strength. We don't learn much about any of the characters and most of the performances are just about decent enough. However, these rough edges only add to the experience. Raimi is not looking for an Oscar here, he instead crafts something crude and raw that grates on your skin like sandpaper.

The film pulls no punches, despite its tiny budget, The Evil Dead is a gorefest like no other. It's a beautiful display of practical effects from demon trees to melting corpses. The film was banned in several countries and even Sam Raimi acknowledges that he may have gone too far at times. Yet despite the storm it kicked up, it only proved the film's commitment. Without the intervention of studios or executives, The Evil Dead was Raimi's vision actualized.

The Evil Dead was a journey and not an easy one. Made with a budget under half a million dollars, Sam Raimi had to squeeze dry the few resources he had to complete the film. Frequent collaborators and friends since kids, Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell managed to gather the funds for the movie.

Soon production began and filming started at the cabin. Bruce Campbell would later describe it in an interview as "twelve weeks of mirthless exercise in agony" yet despite the setbacks and consistent hurdles as a result of the small budget, The Evil Dead was a film created with passion and a true love for filmmaking.

Several actors left during production, the crew had to cease production often to gather funds, a multitude of injuries occurred on set and yet Raimi pushed on with his vision. The result was a film that grossed $2.4 million domestically and received the praise of Stephen King who called it one of his favorite films.

There's no denying The Evil Dead is flawed, and it certainly is not a film for everyone. But the flaws are part of the flavor. In fact, polishing the rough edges in the film might in fact result in an inferior experience. It's unusual but it's another of several reasons that makes The Evil Dead special.

Despite being a horror movie, it also finds a way to poke fun at the genre, an approach that would take center stage in the subsequent films. It's silly, it's exaggerated but also relentlessly distressing. It's an interesting emotional concoction that no other franchise has quite created.

Yes, it's a horror movie but it's also something else. A genre that cannot be labelled or perhaps shouldn't be and that belongs solely to the remarkable work of Raimi and Campbell.

Yet the strongest message of The Evil Dead is the fact that with passion behind and in front of the camera, with a true love for filmmaking, a movie is unstoppable.

Ad Astra (2019)

Bold and Beautiful

[8/10 · 13 December 2019]

Brad Pitt has been on fire this year following up his incredible performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood with another outstanding display of his skill as an actor. Another subdued, subtle but powerful performance that at the very least deserves a nomination. Ad Astra is a gradual, thoughtful movie with perhaps some of the best use of voice over narration in recent times. The film is not concerned with the science of space but instead the psychological effects it can have on the human mind, and for that reason it's likely to disappoint audiences expecting something more in the vein of Interstellar.

Ad Astra may look like Interstellar but it's a vastly different feel. Nolan's film was an intellectual, cerebral exploration of the infinite expanse of space and interdimensional travel while Ad Astra is an emotional exploration and a character study. Interstellar worked out brains, Ad Astra works out hearts.

Ad Astra is a patient film, it's not a sci-fi adventure and that very fact makes the film a bold choice for today's audiences however it's execution proves that a film in space doesn't always have to involve laser battles and space ship chases, sometimes the silence is more profound.

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Look out there. Out there is the perfect lap. You see it?

[10/10 · 25 November 2019]

Ford v Ferrari tells the incredible true story set in the 1960s, the movie follows the renowned ex racer, Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon), a short tempered and mildly arrogant but extremely talented driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) as they attempt to beat the Ferrari, the fastest car at the time with a Ford in the famous 24 hours of Le Mans.

Arguably one of the most talented directors working today, James Mangold is a steady hand at the helm of this two-and-a-half-hour experience. The film's brilliance is however not the result of any single cog working to perfection but every moving part working in tandem to build a flawless machine. The direction, the editing, the performances, the score, the production design, Ford v Ferrari very literally fires on all cylinders.

With a film centred on race cars and the thrill of 7000 RPM, turning the film into an unofficial Fast and Furious sequel is an unfortunate possibility. Mangold however sought something deeper than the action with this film, something more profound. At its heart Ford v Ferrari is about character and a powerful friendship. Ken Miles is a brash, often rude driver and car mechanic, a man whose real home is behind the wheel or under the hood. Shelby is a man haunted by his days of glory yet determined to push his cars across the finish line. Meanwhile the Ford Motor Company desperately searches for a revival in business, they eventually find hope for their company on the racetrack, challenging the mighty Ferrari in the 24 hours of Le Mans. Shelby, the only American who has ever won the Le Mans and Miles, the only driver who could give Ford a fighting chance tirelessly begin their work building the ultimate speed machine. The real story in this journey is the friendship between these two men and the tireless pursuit for excellence.

Christian Bale once again disappears into his character, after portraying Dick Cheney in Vice, Ken Miles is a starkly different character especially physically and yet again Bale pulls off an incredible physical transformation proving once again his unbelievable commitment to his craft. Miles goes through perhaps the most elaborate emotional arcs of any character in the film, a passion for cars, a family to support, and an intolerance for the polished self-importance of big corporations. Bale conveys the sophistication of this character with ease, he becomes Miles enchanting the audience with a brash charm delivering a performance that is nothing short of Oscar worthy.

Carroll Shelby is perhaps the one man who really understands Miles, the only man who sees the real brilliance of Miles and perhaps the only true friend Mile has. Damon gives this performance the force it deserves portraying a great American car manufacturer who believed in excellence and who truly understood what it took to carry home a Le Mans victory. Shelby is the audience's character, we see experience the film in his shoes, we understand the difficulty of the decisions he is forced to make, we feel the victories, the defeats and the pain with Shelby and Matt Damon brings that emotional range to his performance which again is worthy of the highest honours.

When the film does hit the racetrack, when the audience is put behind the wheel, the film reveals a whole new adrenaline rush. The races are jaw droppingly brilliant. The film gives the car fanatics exactly what they want and more, the growl of the engines, the burning rubber, the screeching metal, the thrill of the race, it's all dialled to eleven. The sequences are masterfully shot, the camera is low and tight, interiors are close to the driver, we feel their heart pound as they knock the car into fifth gear, the exteriors shots are close to the ground, we see the sparks and rubble fly, we feel the heat. The grit and danger of a race is perfectly portrayed, nothing is predictable, no one is safe. Mangold creates a claustrophobic, tense yet realistic portrayal of a race giving the audience some of the greatest race sequences perhaps of all time.

Ford v Ferrari is one of 2019's most entertaining experiences while telling a compelling and emotional story at the same time. There is not a moment the film takes its foot of the gas, no missed opportunities, no weak performances, no broken moments. The film is clear contender for the best of the year and is certainly worthy of the title, not only is it a cut above most of the year's filmography but it will likely stand the test of time to cement a place in Hollywood's finest moments. In a powerful moment with his son Ken Miles says, Out there is the perfect lap. You see it? As far as movies go, Ford v Ferrari is the perfect lap.

A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)

This is not a Die Hard movie. Period.

[2/10 · 23 June 2019]

The Die Hard franchise is one of the best out there. Not only are the movies great (yes I love the 4th one too) but they gave us one of cinema's coolest characters, John McClane. The one man army John McClane. This was all until the 5th one. You simply cannot consider this film a part of the franchise that redefined action. Die Hard 5 couldn't have been further away from a Die Hard movie. To begin with, John McClane, the very character this franchise is built on, is pushed to the margins. Bruce Willis tries but he's working with a script that would work better as a Transformers movie. Secondly, there's really no villain in this movie, there's no Rickman or Irons or Olyphant. What makes the first four great is the challenge, the formidable, menacing yet charismatic opposition. That was completely absent in this catastrophe. Sure, there was action, and not all of it awful but there was never the intensity or tension that the previous films had. There were loud, big explosions, there were car chases and crashes but there was never a moment in the film that you were with the characters, never a moment you felt the frustration and emotion. At the end of the day, Die Hard 5 not only fell flat, it shattered before impact. A Die Hard movie is better than loud noises and explosions, it's about character and survival and pushing against impossible odds. I guess it wasn't that hard for this franchise to die, just put John Moore behind the wheel and throw in Jai Courtney as well. Voila! Franchise dead.

The Possession of Hannah Grace (2018)

Not bad, but Not Memorable

[7/10 · 15 December 2018]

This film should have been garbage, it is a new take on an old concept but the trailers weren't spectacular and seemed like a film that belongs in the horror wasteland of January. However, to be entirely honest it really isn't that bad and it's fair to say that for the most part it exceeded my low expectations. The central performance was quite good and most of the first and second act was pretty tense. The setting is solid and the director clearly was genuinely trying. That being said, the film does become extremely predictable, and not all the scares land. The third act explodes into cliche, and there are perhaps too many plot holes for me to just ignore. Overall, The Possession of Hannah Grace is better than the trailers suggest, it's a well acted enjoyable ride and does have some good scares, but the frequent jump scares, predictable flow of events and plot holes prevent this film from being anything memorable.

It (I) (2017)

IT - Not Your Average Horror Film

[8/10 · 18 September 2017]

There is certainly no scarcity of Stephen King adaptations in Hollywood, from the gems that were the Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Misery and The Shining, to the wasteland of movies like Cell and Sleep Walkers. These adaptations occupy both extremes of the spectrum. IT is yet another adaptation of perhaps one of the author's more popular novels, the thousand page book was adapted into a mini series in the 90s with a great performance from Tim Curry as the iconic character Pennywise the clown, the series however received mixed reviews yet all the same is considered a beloved by many King fans. Needless to say this latest remake had some high expectations to live up too. After less than a month in cinemas it is safe to say IT has exceeded them.

Andy Muschietti has helmed horror before, his 2013 flick Mama although trampled by critics was adored by audiences. Mama did well enough at the box office, earning $146 million, to pique the interests of studios for the IT adaptation which was at that time in a dormant period of production. Finally in the early months of 2016 Muschietti signed on and production hit the fast lane. Almost two years in the making, with little marketing Muschietti has managed to craft a film nothing short of profound.

IT is not your average horror film, it's not the run of the mill, cliché overflowing jump scare fest that most modern horror films are, but instead a sophisticated and character driven thrill ride. The film doesn't deliver because of a single aspect , it's not just the scares or just the acting, or just the sets it's every cog turning to work the bigger machine.

Perhaps the the most vital component of a horror film is, well… the horror and IT doesn't disappoint. The two hour fifteen minute run time is a hundred and thirty five minutes of high quality horror. Are there jump scares? Yes, but not only are they justified but they work. So rest assured, there are no raccoons jumping out of trash cans to give the audience cardiac arrest. Bill Skarsgard's acting as Pennywise is really what fuels the horror in this film, the fact that he looks evil and hides in dark sewers is not what makes his character terrifying. It's the range he shows within this character, at times he really does seem like a great guy to hang out with, that is of course before he dismembers you. The opening scene of this movie really sums up Pennywise, the scene is one of the most powerful scenes in the movie and perhaps one of the greatest scenes of tension and terror in modern horror. Skarsgard effortlessly embodies his character perfectly creating the sadistic, diabolical and twisted Pennywise the clown.

Now the scares aside, does IT work as a film? This is often the fear audiences have walking into a horror film, often directors get so caught up in making a genre film they forget to make a good movie. IT has a great antagonist but the audience needs to root for someone, they need the relatable but realistic protagonists that modern horror often overlooks. Our protagonists in IT are the losers club, a band of bullied kids in the town of Derry. They are quickly thrown into the whirlpool of evil and soon become the town's only hope. The cast includes Jaeden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Jack Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs and Jeremy Taylor. They're all kids yet they play their characters like they've been acting for years. The chemistry between these teens is perfect, their characters well written and varying, however to the extent that you believe they are true friends not paper thin, expendable victims. In fact the acting all around is near perfect, the characters are not exposition machines, the kids act like real kids not mature adults in child bodies, the result is a film with characters you are invested in and characters you care about.

Andy Muschietti said it himself in an IMDb review, "this is not your average horror film", it really isn't. Muschietti doesn't treat the movie as a pure genre film, he weaves in humour and light hearted moments which do not come off as abrupt or out of place but natural within the setting and among the characters. The film in addition, adds details and hints throughout that may not directly affect the plot but that certainly do contribute a layer of complexity and depth to the outcome. For example the film opens with the haunting and beautifully composed score. As the scene progresses we see the score is not in the background but is being played on a piano by a character. There's a scene in a library, keep your eye on the librarian. It's moments like these that set this film apart from conventional horror. From the horror to the acting the film grasps every opportunity to craft a meaningful horror film. IT will last, it is far from forgettable and deserves repeat viewings not so much to comprehend but to notice the artistry. King fans will be pleased, horror fans will be pleased and all of them will be up at night after this one.