Bereavement

Did ANY of you prior reviewers realize this movie doesn't need an explanation because it IS an explanation? This movie is a prequel for the movie Malevolence. And a good one. The acting wasn't top billing actors (take a look at the budget), but it wasn't the worst I've seen by far. Not sure how anyone could say there's no plot. It won't replace my favorite horror movie, but I did enjoy it. Either watch Malevolence first, or watch it knowing what it is. I can see how confusing and open ended it would seem not knowing that, especially since, as far as I saw, IMDb didn't bother to mention it, either.

This movie does a great job telling the background story of how Martin became the psychopath he was in Malevolence. There were still surprises along the way. It would be nice for it to be more obvious what this movie is, because it really is not a stand alone movie like some other prequels and sequels are.

Bereavement is a slasher movie with some strong points - good acting (Michael Biehn, Alexandra Daddario and the rest of the cast) and a good cinematography and production value. The weakest point: the behavior of the victims is so dumb like they never heard any news of serial killers and maniacs or never watched some horror movies. So watching them killed I always thought - well , that's survival of the fittest, baby ;)

In a teenie-slasher with some elements of comedy such "behavior" of course is part of the deal, in a "serious" slasher like Bereavement it is not. On top, there are some implausibility and issues with the story: many girls disappear but nobody checks on the weird guy living in a old slaughterhouse, is just one of them. Also the "twist" (no, I won't spoil) I saw miles ahead coming and is just a cliche that wants to shock but can't, at least not the "serious" horror audience.

Well, with a more refine and plausible plot this movie could be easy a really good slasher. So it is a solid one, that is in the end not in every aspect convincing.

I was so bored while watching this movie. You just can't make a lame screenplay work by just using a bunch of people, put them in the countryside somewhere in the rural America, then put one or two families with young kids or teenagers just reach puberty, with one or two moms, some kind of a father figure always looked like so unhappy and angry almost anything, then a loner who as formulaic to be a psycho, like to kidnap kids, teenagers, cut them up, using lot of red dye and required all the kidnapped one kept screaming their head off and at the same time using some lame horrific sound track to give off the horror feelings. The screenplay is so lame and so hollow without any surprise or ingredients of horror. I was so bored during watching this movie, kept yawning all the time so uncontrollable that my eyes were tearing up.

Where to start.... Well I read the reviews and as always went in with an open mind since I frequently like films with bad reviews (I obviously ignored the amazing reviews from cast and crew)

I was expecting a B-Movie slasher I guess. What I got was a film trying to punch far too much above it's weight. It wanted to be taken seriously but when the leading lady has obviously been picked for her ample bosoms and permanently larger than life nipples over her acting it just ain't gonna happen!

Then there's the blood.... Lots of it obviously but could they really not get the colour right? I think the effects dept must have popped to Asda for some cheap ketchup. Very poor effort.

I think F- Movie sums it up really. AVOID.

"Brought home a boy from the valley. He's young enough to learn the business my way."

This recent entry in the "small town psychopathic serial killer" genre isn't exactly a game-changer and it doesn't try to be that scary, but it is a tense, nasty affair that will probably appeal to some horror fans. 

We've got out deranged killer that preys on young women, a young boy he kidnaps to "assist" him, and a new arrival from out of town (Alexandra Dadarrio) that enjoys taking long runs alone that just happen to pass by a sinister looking and isolated rundown meat-packing plant. If you're guessing that's a recipe for blood, brutality and death, then you're right.

Bereavement is fine for what it is, but I doubt I'll be compelled to watch it more than once. There's nothing really exceptional about it, though some of the outdoor cinematography is beautiful, there's a concentrated effort to give depth and a back-story to most of the main characters, and Alexandra is undoubtedly nice eye candy (if there was an Academy Award for filling out a halter top, she'd have it in the bag). The bottom line, though, is that this is such a thoroughly bleak movie that it's almost too realistically grim and hopeless to find entertainment in. That's not necessarily a "flaw", but it's definitely something some viewers will respond less favorably to than others. 

Oh, and I don't think I've heard this much screaming in a film in quite a while. Have your ears prepared to be assaulted.