adamwinter2 Reviews

Hellraiser (2022)

A lot to like... and a lot to dislike

[6/10 · 15 October 2022]

I was born in 1980 so Hellraiser had a huge role in my journey to horror and macabre storytelling. I haven't enjoyed any of the movies after Inferno (which I was surprised to like). I've been dying for a new instalment and crossing fingers, toes and everything that it will deliver. This almost does.

This isn't a reboot or re-imagining, it could be a sequel or "here's how this happened in a parallel universe" like the Chris Pine Trek movies.

Jamie Clayton and co are great as the cenobites and there's some truly grotesque creations horrifically/beautifully realised. The cinematography & SFX to show the physics of the realm are absolutely gorgeous.

BUT the cast chemistry, and in parts the acting, isn't up to scratch. It's patchy, and so is the script. The "incidental" plot is lazy & cliché, and the characters just not developed enough, nor quite believable, though I enjoyed the way Voight and Colin were portrayed.

There was real opportunity here to expand the universe, the mythos and the wider context of the cenobites and the Lemarchand configuration. We get a glimpse. There are some cool ideas around the configurations - and a suggestion as to how and why cenobites are created, with a big hint on a new one for the next instalment - but not the actual mythos itself.

A word to the makers of the next Hellraiser - please, please, please make sure the story is compelling and the plot original. Without this you can give us 20 amazing new creations of cenobites and we'll still be underwhelmed.

This is still an enjoyable contribution - and it looks fantastic - just don't expect it to blow you away.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

Really Poor :-(

[4/10 · 13 April 2022]

Such a shame. There is so much scope for a great sequel to the original classic, I'm amazing that there still hasn't been one. Guess we'll have to wait, fingers crossed, for the next attempt. 😕

Homeless Ashes (2019)

An exceptional achievement

[9/10 · 15 December 2019]

Before I start I'll just add that I'm not part of the crowd funding campaign or any other affiliation of the film, and I have seen it.

Made over 4 years on a budget reportedly less than £200k, this is a universal and poignant story for the current social-political landscape in the UK. A hard subject to tackle with such scope but this is done with real heart and integrity, which is truly admirable. Add to this that there is some great performances, fantastic choreography and some truly jaw-dropping visuals, I could only feel admiration for what this film set out and managed to achieve.

It's not flawless, but if this is what Marc Zammit (and crew) can achieve with a tiny budget, imagine what they can do with £5m. If this is a launching pad for the careers behind the film, it's a damn good one.

Midsommar (2019)

An interesting take on cult horror, but...

[6/10 · 20 November 2019]

... I didn't care about the characters. None of them! Nope, not even the girl. If you're going to do slow-burn horror then you MUST make us care. Some really nice visuals and some pretty shocking moments - the most powerful of which comes too early on, but really it just didn't matter to me what happened in the end. Hereditary is a flawed but fascinating homage to classic slow-burn horror, but Midsommar felt unfinished.

You Were Never Really Here (2017)

This is a gem!

[8/10 · 30 November 2018]

Initially I was concerned about the obvious similarities to Taxi Driver, but this is poignant, beautiful and melancholy in the most bitter sweet way. Pheonix's Performance is superb, as is the rest of the cast. Brutal but in the most beautiful way. Watch it.

The Crazies (2010)

Surprised at just how good this is!

[8/10 · 28 November 2018]

A bit late to the party on this one. For some reason the Crazies never really grabbed me and so I've only just seen it on AmPrime as a commute watch. Really good film and well worth checking it out. Great acting, script is pretty tight, but it's just schlocky enough for genre diehards to have a grin at. Give it a chance. You'll be impressed.

Suicide Squad (2016)

I'm sorry but...

[2/10 · 16 November 2018]

This is one of the worst films I've ever seen. Awful script full of bad dialogue and plot holes. Awful acting. The VO for Enchantress was laughable. No plot whatsoever. Most of the cast are good-great actors, just not in this film.

Clown (2014)

I'm sorry...

[2/10 · 19 October 2018]

I really tried to like this and give it a chance but it was just too boring. Nothing happens for a loooooooooooong time. I really feel the ok, but schlocky, premise has been let down by poor pacing and an unpolished script. The cast do their best. I just couldn't persevere with it. I got to around 60mins and stopped it there. Wasn't scary either. Shame.

The Exorcist (2016–2018)

Fantastic Show that is yet another victim of Fox Poor Decisions.

[9/10 · 10 October 2018]

Great show, nothing else quite like it at the moment and such a shame that Fox has wielded the axe on a promising asset once again. I think i'll Boycott Fox shows in future to save myself the disappointment when they inevitably axe it.

The Predator (2018)

Predator meets Skyline

[3/10 · 25 September 2018]

Had some great moments, and the super Predator - despite awful CGI - was an interesting idea. BUT tonally it was all over the place, structurally the story was all over the place and the editing frankly shocking.

To add insult to injury, did anyone see that terrible film, Skyline? Well someone somewhere at Fox must've loved it because the end scene of The Predator is a big fat rip-off of the ending of Skyline.

What could have been an amazing return has, I fear, proved the final nail in the coffin of a beloved franchise (and character) to so many, that has been desperately let down time and time again. Stick to Pred 1, 2, and even Predators if you must. The Predator will disappoint you. Sorry.