Shudder Saturday: Rabid (2019)

If you're going to remake/rework a David Cronenberg movie then there's no point in taking on any of his outright classics. Any remake CAN work, if done right, but why would you give yourself such a monumental task? Choosing one of his relatively lesser works though, that might lead to some good results. And that is what The Soska Sisters (Jen and Sylvia) have done here, in a way. They've also tried to do something else, but I'll get to that later.

Laura Vandervoort is Rose, a young woman who hopes to be a fashion designer one day. She lacks the confidence to make any impact though, seemingly destined to be a hard-working doormat for the more dominant personalities all around her. Unfortunately, Rose is soon involved in a major accident that leaves her with horrific facial damage. Fortunately, she can be made even better than before with some breakthrough medical treatment. That treatment comes at a hell of a cost though, and it will start a chain reaction that leads to violence and chaos throughout the city.

Rabid isn't a bad film. It's a solid little horror movie, perhaps suffering slightly from some scenes that are played in a very simplistic way, and I think the pacing could have been tightened up a bit. These, however, are criticisms that could also be levelled at the original film. There are some good practical gore effects here, and the implication of one sick woman kicking off what could become a major pandemic, and those scenes help to make this more enjoyable (punctuated by moments in which people lose their will and lunch into a “rabid” attack on someone else in front of them). 

Using the framework of the film to explore themes they have explored so well in previous films - the Soskas love showing women become empowered in a way that rightly unnerves men who used to dismiss/abuse them - and mixing in a number of references to other Cronenberg work, it is the attempt to mix in commentary that sadly holds this back a bit. Rose doesn’t feel like the right character to focus on, sadly, and her transformation would be better if she left behind the whole world of fashion, depicted here in a way that makes you question anyone involved in it. It's this approach to reframing the material that undermines it, creating an uncomfortable mix of visceral horror with misplaced reverence for the baggage brought along by the source material.

Alongside writer John Serge, the Soskas make the mistake of padding out what should remain a streamlined bit of nastiness. The character growth is hard to care about, because of the environment it is placed in, and the bigger picture is something we are only given a small look at, even if that is understandable when considering the budget and resources available to the makers of the film.

Vandervoort is a good lead, and she does well with everything asked of her, whether acting nervous and meek or turning into a hungry maneater. Other people who manage to stand out include Ted Atherton (named a bit too on the nose as Dr. William Burroughs), Mackenzie Gray (as Gunter, a top name in the fashion world that Rose is a part of), and Stephen McHattie (playing a doctor who has the bonus of being Stephen McHattie). Benjamin Hollingsworth, Hanneke Talbot, Stephen Huszer, and CM Punk are also involved, but I cannot say that any of them made any impression of me. In fact, I cared more about the nurse (played by Tristan Risk) who only appears in one main sequence than I cared about most of the main supporting characters.

Not half as bad as it could have been, Rabid is just slightly mishandled by people who try to expand an idea that arguably works best without any added complications. You can do this in a “down ‘n’ dirty” way, you can do it as a blood-soaked virus film on a grand scale. You just can’t succeed by trying to fit in the middle, and this tries to fit in the middle.

6/10

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Jigsaw (2017)

As much as I love the Saw series, and I do, my eyes rolled hard when I heard that they were adding to it with one more instalment (for now). Unlike many people, I was very pleased with how the last instalment had attempted to tie up numerous strands and end things on a satisfying note for fans.

Then I discovered that the Spierig brothers (Peter and Michael) were going to be involved, and I've been a fan of almost all of their previous movies. This made me tentatively optimistic. Then I saw the trailer. I was sold.

The plot is exactly what you expect from a Saw movie. A group of people come around and find that they have been unwillingly volunteered to participate in some deadly games. Everyone has a reason to be there, but will any of them be able to survive? Two detectives (Callum Keith Rennie and Cle Bennett) are on the case, and two pathologists (Matt Passmore and Hannah Emily Anderson) start their own investigation, with each party mistrusting the other.

Jigsaw delivers exactly what you want it to deliver. You get some great traps, a number of twists and turns, and editing sleight of hand that tries to keep you in the dark for as long as possible. Of course, part of the fun with these movies now comes from trying to figure out just where the trickery is taking place, not just with the traps but with the structural playfulness and the hidden character motivations. The script, by Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg (who also gave us the fun of both Piranha 3D and Sorority Row), isn't as clever as it thinks it is. Saw movie scripts seldom are, however, and it works as a gory thriller that at least attempts to avoid being as dumb as possible.

The visual palette feels similar to previous instalments, yet the Spierig brothers even manage to effect some positive changes here. You get the feeling that a lot of the environments are quite dingy, and perhaps covered with blood shed from past victims, but there's also a cool hue to many of the scenes that save it from being as relentlessly dour and murky as some of the other films.

You don't come to these movies for the acting, let's all admit that, but I'm happy to say that nobody stinks up the screen here. Rennie, Bennett, Passmore, and Anderson all have moments of being a bit over the top in acceptable ways, and Laura Vandervoort, Paul Braunstein, Mandela Van Peebles, and Brittany Allen actually do pretty solid work as some of the chosen players.

It's completely unnecessary, often a bit ridiculous, and a bit overly familiar in the many scenes that obviously nod and wink to past deathtraps . . . and I will happily buy a ticket whenever they decide to do another one, especially if it's once again helmed by the talented Spierig brothers.

8/10

Jigsaw is available to buy here.
Americans can get it here.

Desperately Seeking Santa (2011)

Laura Vandervoot plays Jennifer, a young and ambitious career woman who is put in charge of the Christmas promotion in the shopping mall that she works for. This year differs from other years, the need for sales is more important, and Jennifer needs to come up with a GREAT idea to get those tills a-ringing. She decides to create a competition to find a sexy Santa, which puts her in close proximity to David Morretti (Nick Zano). David has his own reasons for entering the competition. He'll do what he has to do, but he'll keep a chip on his shoulder while doing it. Jennifer doesn't like David, but all of the women seem to love him. And as the movie unfolds, Jennifer starts to warm to the man that she initially disliked so much.

This would be standard rom-com stuff and standard Christmas movie fare if it wasn't quite so bland and flat and unengaging. Writer Michael J. Murray doesn't take any care with the characters or plot developments, and director Craig Pryce takes the same approach with the direction. There's nothing here that you can't predict within the first few scenes, but there's an extra degree of laziness to it all. Characters change and transform just in time for the finale with very little genuine motivation.

Vandervoot is okay in her role, despite the fact that she's given very little to work with. Her character is the standard Christmas meanie who changes as the film unfolds, although in a slightly different way from other Christmas meanies (what with her actually enjoying Christmas). She's easy enough to like, which makes it more jarring during the "boo, hiss" moments in the first half of the movie. Zano is also okay in his role, he's handsome enough and too-good-to-be-true in a way that will make many a woman swoon for him. There are some decent supporting turns, with Natalie Krill being good fun as the lovestruck Brittany, but this is all about the two leads, with others just popping up occasionally to cause friction and/or drive the plot forward.

I don't know why I dislike this more than recent Christmas movies I have watched, but it just felt like everyone involved . . . . . . . . . . . wasn't trying very hard. That kind of laziness just covers any film like an old, unwashed cloak made of itchy wool.

3/10

Another one not available on DVD at the moment, so have a look at this selection - http://www.amazon.com/Holiday-Romance-Collection-Movie-Pack/dp/B00DNLZRLU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1386624754&sr=8-2&keywords=desperately+seeking+santa