The first impression the movie makes isn't a good one. The protagonist's expository narration is overbearing and unnecessary, and the film would have been improved without it. Stylistic flourishes of rapid sequencing and sped-up footage, and loud music, come off as gauche and overdone. One wonders if the picture would have been better of as a silent production, or at most only a partial sound feature like early transitional titles of the late 1920s. From this foundation, as the course of events progresses it's hard not to nitpick and begin to see flaws everywhere: the audio mix is distinctly imbalanced with aspects including music too high therein; the music might be altogether excessive. The voiceovers of Mystic-57 are also too high in the audio mix, and maybe just as unnecessary as the protagonist's narration; at least at the outset, editing and cinematography come off as brusque and heavy-handed.
All these matters, and others, boil down to the same overarching issue I see, which is that for all the skill that went into making 'The twisted death of a lonely madman' (what a title!), it lacks subtlety, nuance, a delicate hand. There are moments that should be forthright and in our face, certainly - yet for lack of major dynamics to provide contrast, the impact of these are diminished. And even more to the point, the movie is quite clearly built as a psychological horror-drama as protagonist Adam slips ever further into a spiral of fear and paranoia, and loses sight of cold, hard reality as he has shut out the world. Any narrative that explores the realm of the mind, however, absolutely requires a deft, refined hand to achieve its best success, and for too long and in too many ways this lacks such an advantage. An emphatic case in point: in the last several minutes we see why Mystic-57's voiceovers have been important after all, yet they are accompaniment for a series of clips, explaining the course of events in totality, that feels entirely too bare-faced and plainspoken. All that would have been required for the ending to end on a far stronger note would have been less telling and more discreet showing, with the voiceover pared down leading to the final shot.
This isn't wholly a case of "good news, bad news," but these are definite criticisms that sadly limit the full great potential of what the picture could have been. With that said, however - flawed though this may be, all due credit to filmmaker Will' Terran, and to chief stars Stewart O'Reilly and Nicola Posener, for even with its faults in mind, 'The twisted death of a lonely madman' is solid and well made. I love the screenplay, filled with splendid detail as it traces Adam's deterioration. O'Reilly gets a chance to demonstrate fine nuance in his skill set, and Posener is unquestionably having a blast with the variety of moods her role calls for. Given a smaller supporting part, Amersackie Osakonor also holds himself with excellent presence that gives him more prominence in the picture than the screenplay does. The lack of subtlety in the execution is all the more curious because as written there's some very clever, underhanded minutiae throughout the length that, while pointedly (and, again, too overtly) called to our attention in the last stretch, would be very slyly revealing for a viewer who is extra attentive.
Where applicable, the hair and makeup work and costume design are excellent. (Unless I missed it I don't see anyone specifically credited; did Posener provide her own? Holy heck, girl!) The production design and art direction are nicely done; those visual effects that are employed look fantastic. I know it seems like I've spent more time harping on what 'Twisted death' gets wrong instead of what it does well, but honestly, for the most part this is much stronger than not. I really do like it - there's sharp intelligence here, conjuring a compelling and absorbing story that's capably realized in most every way, not least of all thanks to the cast. That I otherwise do appreciate this feature just makes it all the more unfortunate that a few key choices so significantly weigh down the best possibilities. More careful discretion in the sound mix, in the script, and in the audio at large may actually have been all that would have been necessary to take the viewing experience to another level.
At the end of the day I very much believe this film is well worth watching, though I understand all the many reasons why this may not appeal to all comers. It's not without shortcomings. Its strengths outweigh those shortcomings, however, such that while it's not the perfectly captivating, fulfilling movie it could have been, it's still roundly enjoyable and a credit to all involved. Whether or not this is a must-see depends on how taken one may be with the stars, but either way, if you have the chance to watch 'The twisted death of a lonely madman,' in my book these are eighty minutes well spent.
