Angel Baby

A nice entry into a more cerebral, psychological horror. I went into this not knowing what exactly to expect as this is Mr. Tait's directorial debut. It is not perfect by any means, but I felt it was quite entertaining and the ending is open to your own interpretation. To this end, I like and was pleasantly surprised. There is nice dramatic moments, and a nice uneasiness that sustains the length and direction of the film. While there could have been more outright frightful moments, The acting was solid, and overall the movie carried you to the climax upon its set path and pace. Acting was solid.

I knew this was going to be an awesome story before I ever watched it. The lead performances were off the charts! I had a feeling the actors and actress would enhance the experience with their talents, and I was right. Effects are very amazing, as is the cinematography. Groundbreaking camera work, breathtaking use of angles, picture-perfect shots in every scene. Everyone who worked on this production brought their A-game, that is clear. Their efforts pop off the screen. The people hired as key grips did top-notch work, and it pays off in every frame. The director certainly was able to induce everyone on the film to reach new heights of achievement because of his willingness to make each one of them feel valued. It is so refreshing to see such a well-made movie where everyone worked in harmony to produce something that will stand the test of time.

Oh Yes! Rebecca De Mornay give me some Risky Business!!!!

So a couple goes on a retreat to a cabin in the woods! As we all know, nothing bad ever happens at a cabin in the woods! There is no safer place to be than in a cabin in the woods!!! Plus, this really saves on a movie's budget since you don't need to have a lot of extras and face it, filming in the city is expensive!

Of course early on we get a rule breaker, -1 Star for a bathtub scene with no nudity shown. We don't like that. It's so unnecessary.

Then Rebecca shows up. Wow this movie is halfway over and nothing has happened -1 Star.

LAter on there is a sex scene, until of course the demon or whatever reveals. And again, no nudity. Another rule broken -1 Star

So when is the horror supposed to start here?

Okay so there's a fight at the end that is somewhat entertaining. But the end is not good enough for a star.

2/10.

Angel Baby pretends to be a grief-soaked cabin chiller, but it mostly feels like watching paint dry in the dark. Dialogue is wooden, performances flatter than the freeway Val flees, and the script borrows every haunted-house beat without adding pulse. This movie pretends to cradle grief and dread, yet spends an hour trudging through colourless corridors where nothing, and no one, is alive. Every haunted-cabin beat-creaks, music-box, shadow figure-plays like bargain-bin déjà vu, shot in flat TV gloss. A last-minute twist finally flickers, but it's too skinny to nourish the 105 empty minutes before it. Save it for laundry day when you crave lightweight horror wallpaper and can't reach the remote.

I really enjoyed the build up, the film kept me engaged. Isabel's performance was awesome and even though Rebecca De Mornay was only in the film for a short bit, her performace was amazing . If you are a fan of psychological horror this is the film for you. The film has a great setting, a creepy cabin in the woods. What could go wrong right? The setting and ambience add to the overall tension and arc of the film.

This was the first feature film directed by horror icon Doug Tait and I was really impressed with his shot selection and overall feel of the film. I would definitely recommend this film.