Perpetrator

Oh boy, where do I even start with "Perpetrator"? This movie is like a rollercoaster ride through teenage angst and supernatural chaos! It all begins with Jonny Baptiste, the rebellious teen who's about as responsible as a cat at a yarn store. She's sent to live with her estranged Aunt Hildie, and let's just say it's the ultimate punishment for any teenager. But then, on her 18th birthday, bam! She experiences a radical metamorphosis called Forevering. I mean, couldn't they have given her a heads-up with a brochure or something?

As if teenage life wasn't confusing enough, now Jonny's turned into a feral, mystical creature with a nose for trouble. And trouble she finds! When a bunch of girls go missing at her school, Jonny takes it upon herself to hunt down the perpetrator. I swear, it's like she watched too many episodes of "Scooby-Doo" and decided to become the whole mystery-solving gang by herself. But hey, who needs Scooby snacks when you've got Forevering powers, right?

In summary, "Perpetrator" is a wild ride that combines teen drama, supernatural shenanigans, and a dash of Scooby-Doo detective work. It's like someone threw "Twilight," "Nancy Drew," and "Teen Wolf" into a blender and hit the puree button. While it's not exactly an Oscar contender, it's a hilariously entertaining flick that'll leave you wondering if you, too, might secretly be a Forevering expert. Don't miss it if you're up for some teenage werewolf-ish fun!

I recently viewed Perpetrator (2023) on Shudder. The plot centers around a unique young woman who resides with her adopted father in a town plagued by a serial killer targeting young girls who keep mysteriously disappearing. As the bodies of the missing girls are discovered, the gruesome acts committed on their corpses come to light. Despite ongoing self-defense classes at the local high school, the girls remain vulnerable. Amidst these mysteries, the young woman begins to uncover her extraordinary powers, which might aid in identifying and stopping the serial killer.

Written and directed by Jennifer Reeder (V/H/S/94), this film features Alicia Silverstone (Clueless), Taylor Kinkead (Utopia), Chris Lowell (The Help), Kiah McKirnan (Night Sky), and Casimere Jollette (Tiny Pretty Things).

Perpetrator has a promising premise, intriguing characters and unique circumstances, but it squanders its potential. The acting, particularly Taylor Kinkead's performance, is commendable and authentic. However, the horror elements, particularly the mirror and face scenes, fall short of their intended impact. On a positive note, the depictions of the corpses and wounds are well-executed, and the torture scenes are excellent. The film's major flaw lies in its pacing; it takes too long to reach a truly engaging point, leaving you wishing the conclusion had occurred much earlier. The latter part of the movie had the potential to be really good but was too little too late.

In summary, Perpetrator possesses the elements needed for a compelling film but struggles to integrate them effectively until it's too late. I would rate this a 5/10 and recommend it primarily to dedicated horror enthusiasts.

Somewhere in this Cronenberg (father and son!) farrango is a story but it's not developed in any particularly interesting way.

It starts at 80 and goes straight to 100, never developing any characters or plot. Any idea writer/director Jennifer Reeder has just gets thrown into the mix.

Which is a shame as this has lashings of dark humour from Alicia Silverstone's deadpan delivery to the oddness of the high school principal - all played straight despite all the oddness around them.

Its a hugh mash up of Lynch, (aforementioned) Cronenberg but also recently Yorgos Lanthimos which is why I wanted to like it more- but they have a clear narrative structure which allows them to go in any (strange) direction they please.

It contains great photography ,especially at night, and a Carpentersque soundtrack.

They swung hard, but this movie was a bit of a mess. It was almost impressively convoluted with so little explanation that I'm not fully convinced that they were even positive what they were attempting to convey.

It kept going back-and-forth between awkwardly taking itself too seriously and this weird campiness that didn't feel self aware. The ending, or lack there of, was abrupt and pretty lazy. This felt more akin to the first three episodes of a teen tv series crammed into one that mashed up a confusing euphoria and a not well explained monster high. It generally kept my attention but I feel like it was out of a pure attempt to figure out what was going on.

They didn't really keep up, stick to or follow through with their own plot and it ended up being pretty unfulfilling overall. Not the worst movie ever and had some interesting ideas but overall would not recommend.

"Perpetrator" is a 2023 movie that left me thoroughly disappointed, earning a dismal one-star rating. This film fell short in numerous ways, making it an unpleasant viewing experience.

The most glaring issue with "Perpetrator" is its contrived and nonsensical storyline. It fails to engage viewers with a plot that is riddled with inconsistencies, leaving you puzzled and frustrated throughout the entire film. The narrative lacks depth and coherence, making it impossible to connect with the characters or their predicaments.

One of the major letdowns of "Perpetrator" is the abysmal acting. The performances are wooden, uninspiring, and void of any emotional depth. It is evident that the cast struggled to breathe life into their characters, further distancing the audience from the story. The lackluster acting is a major detriment to the movie's overall quality.

Moreover, the dialogue in "Perpetrator" is cringe-worthy at best. It feels forced and artificial, often coming across as contrived and unrealistic. This dialogue not only fails to create meaningful connections between the characters but also hampers any attempts at character development, leaving you disengaged from their struggles and journeys.

In summary, "Perpetrator" is a movie that fails to deliver on multiple fronts. Its poorly constructed plot, unconvincing performances, and cringe-inducing dialogue make it an arduous and unsatisfying viewing experience. Regrettably, this film does not merit a recommendation, as it falls far short of even the most basic cinematic standards.