I enjoy horror anthology films. They tend to be a mixed bag, and this film was no exception. The three shorts included in "Death: A Love Story" are, in order, fine, good, and fine. So, on the whole, "Death" is better than average.
The framing device is, thankfully, brief and to the point. Nic-Nac the clown hosts a midnight movie series, and delivers some Crypt Keeper-esque dad jokes in a decidedly droll manner. This is interspersed with some effective "creepy clown" quick-cuts. Nic-Nac doesn't overstay his welcome, so I'm a fan. I also enjoy his delivery, which was a pleasant break from manic movie clowns.
The first short (I think it was called "Flip") was adequate. It was well shot and the actors were fine, but there was nothing notable about the writing. I think the ending was supposed to be a twist, but it did not land for me. It was, on the whole, adequate but uninteresting. Certainly the least engaging of the three sequences, and I had trouble paying full attention.
The second, and longest, sequence is framed as a documentary following a young filmmaker who is being stalked. This segment was genuinely good -- it was well-shot, the writer establishes a credible arc for the main character, and the three leads (the actor, his girlfriend, and the documentary director) are incredibly charismatic. The interview segments featuring the actor and the director are shot in such a way, and the actors' faces are so interesting, that you just want to watch them. I was genuinely engrossed. This segment also featured a twist, which you will also see coming, but it is not as offensive as in segment 1, as the entire structure of the segment is not hung on it. While not particularly scary, this segment sucked me in with compelling characterizations and genuinely good acting.
My only complaint is that Nic-Nac makes an abrupt appearance in the middle of the segment, which was jarring -- for a moment, I thought "Is the segment over? Did I miss something?" I don't know why the director thought this was necessary, but the film would have been better without it. Maybe Nic-Nac was the director? If so, dude...not cool.
The third segment fails on the writing and acting fronts -- the lead actors are genuinely bad, and the story is so thin as to be non- existent. It is also very poorly shot -- it is "found footage", so it is shot with VHS quality and the lighting is genuinely nauseating. HOWEVER, this segment redeems itself by delivering a.) copious boobs, and b.) some genuinely uncomfortable gross-out effects. Seriously -- the director of this segment went whole-hog to make up for the relative lack of gore in the rest of the film. So, kudos to you, whoever came up with that new and interesting use for a fishhook! This segment does not at all fit the theme or the visual aesthetic of the other two segments but, honestly, who cares? Boobs and gore. I can't complain.
All in all, a perfectly adequate horror anthology. If the middle segment wasn't so strong, I'd say pass, but on the whole, this film is better than at least 80% of the horror films I watch. So, it gets seven stars! This film features adequate writing, good acting, good directing, boobs, and great gore effects -- just not all in one place. Try it out!
