aronharde

On paper this movie sounded pretty interesting, a film about exorcisms and demon hunters featuring Ma Dong seok. Sadly this premise does not translate to the screen quite as well because of the lack of narrative focus and the tired genre tropes mixed with random fight sequences that seem to exist only to give Ma Dong seok something to do. The characters and their backstories are very thin and the overall narrative is shallow. The movie does not invest much in making our protagonists interesting, and therefore it is hard to really care for them. The same applies to the girl who becomes possessed and her sister.

From that point on, the movie takes a cliched path and does not offer any unique experiences or truly enjoyable aspects. Visually, the movie is decent and the effects work well enough, but there is nothing particularly spectacular or worth highlighting. As mentioned before, the random fight sequences do not match the tone and even conflict with the overall atmosphere of the film. The climax is also rather unspectacular and unengaging, although the short animated sequence at the very end is a nice touch. Sadly, by that point I was already so disengaged that it barely mattered.

This movie is not horrible, but it is definitely far from perfect. It is fine in some moments and there are enjoyable scenes here and there, but overall it is below average, which is unfortunate since horror movies from South Korea are usually of high quality. [4,8/10]

To be completely honest, I am not the type of person who usually watches anime movies or TV series. There are many popular ones and I have tried some of them, but they never really connected with me. I know it is a beloved genre with many fans, but I personally struggle to find much enjoyment in it. That being said, I still wanted to give Chainsaw Man: The Movie - Reze Arc a try since it has spectacular ratings and I am always open to new things. I read a few summaries of the TV series, so I am at least somewhat familiar with the characters and the world building, even though that definitely does not compare to actually watching the series or reading the manga.

Chainsaw Man offers a unique world with interesting characters and a lot of brutality but also genuine emotion. I found the characters engaging, but I have to say that this movie still did not really stick with me. It combines hyper stylized violence with an emotional love story, which worked in some parts but did not in others. The film takes quite some time to establish its characters and their roles until the carnage finally begins. And even though that should normally be the exciting part, I became lost in the over the top fight sequences and the absolutely wild things happening on screen. Even though it is greatly choreographed and visually impressive, it overwhelmed me, and at no point was I genuinely worried about Denji or any of his friends.

The most interesting aspect of the movie in my opinion was Beam, since his character was so absurd yet trustworthy and loyal, and he even got a few chuckles out of me. I also enjoyed the ending, which was unexpected and thought provoking.

I understand that the fan base of the Chainsaw Man universe is very loyal and that this review will definitely be an unpopular opinion, but I wanted to share my thoughts as someone unfamiliar with the series and not particularly fond of the genre.

[4,0/10]

On paper, the idea of Keeper sounds generic, but the fact that it is directed by Osgood Perkins, who is on an absolute roll by releasing movie after movie, intrigued me enough to give it a try. His films are always unique, and even though I do not love all of them, he has certainly established a name for himself with his distinct style. We follow a woman (Tatiana Maslany) and a man (Rossif Sutherland) as they spend a romantic anniversary trip at a secluded cabin, but shortly after arriving, the man has to leave for a short time for work, and that is when eerie things begin to happen.

The movie features beautiful cinematography thanks to Jeremy Cox and a great setting that creates an atmospheric, eerie, and unsettling vibe, which has become a trademark of Osgood Perkins. However, this is definitely not your typical Blumhouse jumpscare movie, which should be clear since Neon is the distributor. It is much more of a slow burn with abstract imagery and initially confusing storytelling. It takes quite a while for the film to truly begin, and even when the first strange events occur, you are still left in the dark about what is actually happening. There are some creepy moments sprinkled throughout, but the film keeps its themes and threats unclear. At one point we get a large exposition dump, which is something Perkins tends to do in his films. It is not a very popular choice, since it would be far more effective to give the audience small hints throughout the story and trust them to put the pieces together themselves. These exposition dumps feel lazy and unspectacular and automatically make the film less engaging.

Once the full picture is revealed, we are greeted with some very creepy imagery that is unique and unsettling. Unfortunately, by that point the runtime is almost over, and the final act feels rushed. I would have preferred the reveal to be spread throughout the film and for the third act to begin earlier so we could get more of what we were finally shown.

Overall, it is a unique and interesting film that is definitely not for everyone, which becomes clear when looking at how divided the ratings and reviews are. If you enjoy slow paced horror movies with great cinematography and unusual ideas, and if you are generally a fan of Perkins, Keeper will most likely work for you. But if you expect a more conventional horror film filled with jumpscares and a plot driven structure, Keeper will probably feel boring.

I do not think you can easily generalize this movie as good or bad since it really depends on your personal taste. If what I described sounds appealing, you should watch it yourself and form your own opinion. I was personally a bit conflicted since I am not the biggest fan of these rather pretentious, slow paced horror films, and I think they only work when there is a strong story and a rewarding final act. In my opinion, this movie only had the latter.

[5,7/10]