So I guess I was tempting fate by mostly recommending Bleed yesterday. Despite its flaws (and very low imdb rating), I kind of dug its kitchen sink approach, and could easily look past its iffy story telling choices and confusing plot points. But today brought me The Dread, which is even lower rated on imdb. And while it had the same approach in terms of mashing up genres (slasher/monster/ghost, in this case?) and a similar disinterest in explaining much story-wise, it didn't fare nearly as well.
It's clearly a cheaper film than Bleed, and considering The Dread was made about 10 years prior it's not going to look as good. I think indie films like this get dumped on more than they should, but even when a taken with a considerably sized grain of salt (I want to take it easy on films in this budget range, you know?), The Dread is not very good.
My synopsis: At age 23, Teri finds out that she was adopted. After some mid-2000's internet research, she finds that her birth parents were brutally murdered when she was very young. Her (newly discovered) brother Alex - who was 7 or 8 at the time - was maybe involved, because of some creepy video game or electricity or something. So Teri tracks Alex down to a mental institution, which is closing soon - so no phone lines! Apparently, Alex has been completely non-responsive for the last 20 years. But now, the psychic link (or something) between Teri and Alex is bringing something back that is going to wreak havoc on the dozen or so people still left in the building. Maybe a monster, maybe a ghost, maybe Shocker... who knows? Whatever it is, it should fill you with... The Dread! (Because it will kill you.)
Elaborate genre: Psychological Ghost Slasher (although I guess I'd throw "monster" in there too, because dude is referred to in the end credits as "The Creature." But there's not much in the film to support that, until the very end.)
Overall: Not much to see here. Lots of dry ice/fog, I guess. If you're into that sort of thing. But mostly pretty boring.
I'm just not too sure what to say about The Dread. It doesn't really even try to explain itself - yeah, there's this monster thing who can just appear in puffs of smoke, sometimes can make people hear voices, sometimes can possess people and make them commit violent acts, sometimes can maybe fly... there are just no rules to this guy. I'm not saying you need specific rules for these slasher-types, but it's at least helpful to know which realm he's from. (Physical? Spiritual? The Dread isn't interested in answering that question.) Why is he even around? And what the hell does this wizard video game have to do with anything? So while you know there's this threat hanging around the institution, you don't know what rules it's playing by, which just saps all of the tension out of it. Apparently, he can pretty much do whatever he wants.
The Creature looks okay - he's got these raggedy wing things that look pretty neat, and he mostly looks like a shitty mummy mixed with Jeepers Creepers. (I know his name is "Creeper," but for me it's a Frankenstein/Frankenstein's Monster thing. Plus, are there Jeepers Creepers nerds out there who would get on me for such a thing?) But Creature aside, The Dread just doesn't look good - I'm no good at knowing *what* something is shot on, but I would guess it's video here. At any rate, they couldn't figure out how to make the film look good, as most of it is too dark - especially when our Creature fellow is around.
There's also your requisite nudity, as a couple break into the institution to taunt the patients and then have sex. This lady is a real jerk, but I guess she gets off on harassing the mentally ill. I'm not one to complain about breasts in horror movies, but have you ever seen a movie where it just doesn't feel right? Like I get that you were able to convince this actress to be topless - good for you, it's a win/win - and you want to get your moneys worth. But just show a little restraint in the framing of things, you know? It starts to feel a little like ogling after a while.
Um, if I had to say something nice, I kind of liked the two cops that come in after the first murder takes place. They have a kind of fun (if a little forced) bickering relationship, and sometimes I like it when totally normal looking people show up in these indie horror flicks. Also once the killings get going, the gore here is better than you might expect. Although, like Bleed, much of it happens off camera and you only really see the aftermath. But the volume of it is unexpected, and is worth a chuckle. And I liked the cover art - does that count? Although it tricked me into thinking it was a mid-80's thing, which I guess was probably the point. Please note, that is not what the creature looks like at all. Please also note, Monster Dog is pretty fun.
I would not recommend this film.
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