Netflix And Chill: Lord Of Misrule (2023)

I might not have taken a chance on Lord Of Misrule if I'd remembered some of the past films from the director and writer. William Brent Bell has more good than bad in his filmography, just, but writer Tom de Ville was responsible for one of the worst mainstream modern horror movies of the last decade (although his screenplay for The Quiet Ones was then filtered so thoroughly through a trio of other writers that I barely mentioned him in my review of it). Anyway, it's thanks to the cast that I decided to give this a go. I am glad that I did.

Tuppence Middleton plays Rebecca Holland, a new minister in a small country village. The area has the usual traditions and local lore that you'd expect to encounter, especially if you have seen any folk horror movie over the years, but Rebecca tries to balance her traditional approach to ministering with the unique sensibilities of the locals. Things change for the worse when her daughter, Grace (Evie Templeton), goes missing, leading both Rebecca and her husband, Henry (Matt Stokoe), to believe that everyone around them is actually conspiring to ensure that there's not going to be a happy resolution to the situation. Jocelyn Abney (Ralph Ineson) should know how this feels, having lost his own son about twelve years ago, but he's resolute in his belief that everything happens for a very good reason.

There's nothing here that is going to surprise anyone with even the slightest experience with movies in this vein, but neither Bell nor De Ville ever attempt to convince viewers that they are looking to surprise anyone or create something startling new to add to this particular area of the horror landscape. It may be a bit too predictable and derivative, but at least there are a number of individual moments that all simply work. There's less chance to build a sense of dread when you know roughly what's going to happen, but Brett Detar tries to help with his musical score, and Simon Rowling's cinematography also helps add to the atmosphere.

The biggest plus point that the movie has is Ineson though, a fantastic actor who is used to great effect here. Brooding, often slightly ambiguous even as everything around him becomes much more overt and obvious, and with that distinctive voice making every word he utters feel like a tombstone being moved into place, Ineson is the essential ingredient that helps to make this a success. Not to take too much away from Middleton, Stokoe, and Templeton, or anyone else appearing onscreen. Everyone delivers solid performances, whether they are shown acting in a relatively normal manner, or getting ready to don masks and robes and join in with the kind of festivities that would amuse and please Lord Summerisle.

I liked this. A quick look around shows that most people didn’t, and the main complaint tends to be the familiar feeling that permeates it, as well as many claiming that it just isn’t scary. I can see their point, but I felt that the atmosphere and pacing worked well, even as I knew where we would be heading for the third act.

7/10

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Shudder Saturday: Rose: A Love Story (2020)

For better or for worse, Rose: A Love Story feels like what it is, a directorial feature debut from Jennifer Sheridan. Written by Matt Stokoe, who also shares the lead duties with his real-life partner, Sophie Rundle, it's a nice and sedate little drama, tinged with horror, and everything is kept more controlled and manageable by generally never having more than three people onscreen at any one time. I'm not sure what others will make of it though, as it doesn't ever settle down to establish itself as one thing or another.

Rundle plays Rose, and Stokoe is her partner, Sam. The two live an isolated life in a cabin in the middle of some woods. They have very occasional deliveries of goods, avoid other people, and generally seem to be making the most of a bad situation. Something's up with Rose, but Sam does his best to care for her and keep her, and himself, safe. Unfortunately, the situation is jeopardised when a young woman, Amber (Olive Gray) accidentally stands in a trap that leaves her with a broken and bleeding leg. Sam wants her out of the way as quickly as possible, but Rose believes they should be as helpful as they can.

Although it isn't outright telling you everything as the movie unfolds, this is a film that isn't looking to shock or surprise you. It's very easy to figure out what's going on, and the atmosphere throughout gives you an idea of where it's all going to end. That's not necessarily a bad thing though. In fact, it's much preferable to other ways this material could have been presented. What you get here is a film focusing on the main performances, and characters unable to escape the dark clouds moving overhead.

Stokoe and Rundle are both very good in their roles, although the former has the easier task of being the more quiet and gruff type (showing that he loves his partner above everything else, but keeping a good distance between himself and anyone or anything else that could create some kind of connection). Rundle makes the wise decision to play her afflicted character without overdoing any signs of illness or weakness, and she has a bit more positivity in her outlook, helped by the fact that she never actually sees herself during her worst episodes. Gray is an excellent third participant, physically vulnerable from her very first scene, but strong and determined enough to want to get back to her normal life as soon as possible.

It's thanks to the acting that the film works as well as it does, because neither the direction or script are exactly ground-breaking. They don't have to be, of course, but there's something lacking here that could have helped to raise the whole thing. I'm not sure whether that's a bit more work on the characters, a few more moments of tension and drama, or some outright horror, but it needed at least one kick up the backside to give it a jolt. Others may disagree though.

Worth your time, but not necessarily one that will be remembered years down the line. I'd definitely be interested in seeing whatever Sheridan, Rundle, and Stokoe work on in the future though, whether they remain in collaboration or head their separate ways.

7/10

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The Dyatlov Pass Incident AKA Devil's Pass (2013)

Perhaps it's time I parted ways with Renny Harlin, time I stopped thinking that he still has what it takes to keep me entertained with the dumb fun he presents. It's been a while since I've loved anything that he's done now, and this is coming from a guy who enjoyed The Covenant, and it's clear that the peak of his career will always be the run that he had throughout the 1990s.

In Devil's Pass (known here in the UK as The Dyatlov Pass Incident) he wanders into overcrowded found footage territory. The end result may be far from the worst film to be created in that style, but it never rises above average either.

The plot is about a team of eager youngsters who want to retrace the steps of some mountain climbers who died at the Dyatlov Pass, in mysterious circumstances, many years ago. The Dyatlov Pass incident is true, and it is one of those mysteries that has fascinated people for many years. I'm not going to cover everything in detail here but I encourage people to check out the full story, or just use this movie as a very broad launchpad for more research.

The acting from everyone onscreen is solid, I guess. Nobody will win any awards for this one, and the script doesn't help to keep everyone separate from one another (it gets better as the movie unfolds, but I kept forgetting who was Jensen, played by Matt Stokoe, and who was JP, played by Luke Albright). Holly Goss is the nominal lead, Gemma Atkinson doesn't get a hell of a lot to do, and Ryan Hawley is stuck with being one of the more irritating members of the group.

The most frustrating thing about Devil's Pass, arguably, is seeing just how easy it would be to improve. The incident being used to kick off the chain of events is a fascinating one, but writer Vikram Weet decides to use it to develop a theory that swiftly moves from the eerie and interesting to the ridiculous and annoying (although the final minute is a good "punchline"). There's also no decent atmosphere created in the movie until the last ten minutes or so, which is just lazy and wasteful.

As divisive as it was, at least YellowBrickRoad took a very similiar premise and tried to go down a different path with it, no pun intended. There's enough here to keep film fans reasonably entertained, and Harlin has never been an incompetent director (even if you don't like the material he has worked with), but horror fans may end up, rightfully, throwing this one on the "not recommended" pile.

5/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Dyatlov-Pass-Incident-Blu-ray/dp/B00CYMMTJC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1389218703&sr=8-3&keywords=the+devil%27s+pass