Kid Cannabis (2014)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Nate Norman (Jonathan Daniel Brown) teams up with his best friend, Christopher (Kenny Wormald) to smuggle marijuana from Canada to Idaho. Motivated by dreams to provide a better life for his mother, Teressia (Amanda Tapping), and his little brother, Philip (Mark Hills), Nate relentlessly pursues the life of a drug kingpin.

In Canada, Nicole Grefard (Merritt Patterson) introduces Nate and Christopher (or “Topher”) to her father, John (John C. McGinely), her mother, Elke (Christina Cox), and her little sister, Ella. John, the mastermind behind growing and selling a high quality strain of marijuana, becomes Nate and Topher’s trusted supplier. And Nate further strengthens his empire by forming a partnership with Barry Lerner (Ron Perlman). 

Nate builds a team of runners, including Topher, Scuzz (Bryce Hodgson), and others. Millions are rolling in, as Nate’s team sneaks bricks of marijuana across the Canadian border. But Nate runs into some trouble during a feud with his rival, Brendan Butler (Aaron Yoo).

My Thoughts- Really? THIS guy? If you take one look at Nate Norman, you’d never guess he was capable of smoothly running a weed empire worth millions. Jonathan Daniel Brown delivers a convincing and good performance as Nate Norman. The nasally voice, Nate’s awkward demeanor, his attempts at trying to play it cool during Nate’s close calls, and Nate’s hilarious transition to being a more cocky drug kingpin. I wouldn’t go as far as calling it a show-stealing performance, but there’s no denying Brown’s dedication to playing Nate Norman.

Ron Perlman brings a strong and commanding presence to Barry Lerner. The scene in the car, where Barry warns Nate about betraying him is terrific. Perlman is genuinely menacing, while Barry calmly threatens Nate. A good scene, with a bit of humor added to it, because Barry’s young and oblivious son is in the backseat, while Barry goes over the gory details for what’ll happen, if Nate flips on him.

John C. McGinely plays the enlightened weed supplier. Together, The Grefard Family shares a bond as a carefree and relaxed clan. They’re basically stoner hippies, and with limited screen time, McGinely really nails John for one of the best performances in the movie, easily. 

Brendan Butler? Oh, boy. Kudos to Aaron Yoo for believably playing an egotistical and annoying shithead. Butler is obviously trying way too hard to be tough and crazy, because he’s a deeply insecure young man.

Nate’s empire crumbles, and he’s going to jail! Is it a big surprise? Well, no. You could see it all coming from a mile away. As soon as Topher starts complaining about Nate screwing him out of his fair share of the money, you know what’s coming. 

Someone in the crew, who was trying to make some extra money on the side gets caught, and guess what? He chooses to be an informant to save his own ass. Of course, Kid Cannabis has a heavier comedic tone, but if you’ve seen enough crime dramas, you should know there’s never a happy ending for the big kingpin. 

Although, I’ll give a thumbs up for how they presented the interrogations. Everyone in Nate’s crew turns on him. Topher is shown as the last one to expose Nate as the ringleader. Just going by his facial expressions, Topher looks like someone, who’s conflicted about giving up his friend, but he’s also angry and bitter about Nate treating him like another lackey, after they started the business together by themselves, while Topher was doing most of the groundwork and the heavy lifting. Remember, Topher is the one, who started the conversation with Nicole, a conversation that led both of them to John.

Clowns. They’re both clowns. It’s hard to believe Nate Norman and Brendan Butler were able to pull this off, building two empires, while raking in tons of cash. But I guess that’s the appeal of Kid Cannabis? The irony and the absurdity for two young guys, cosplaying as hardcore gangsters, works as a crazy story that’s almost too impossible to believe. And of course, when Nate finally realizes he’s way in over his head for trying to control his crew, while dodging the authorities, it’s too late.

Kid Cannabis follows a lot of the familiar tropes for movies based on a true crime story. I didn’t need to do any kind of research online, or use Google to figure out how Nate’s story ends. The mistrust between Nate and Topher, Topher questioning Nate’s leadership, crack’s in Nate’s crew, Nate’s greed, his ego, his carelessness, AND you add cocaine into the mix? Too many missteps and bad habits. It’s only a matter of time before it all comes back to bite you in the ass.

A strange real-life story, because I can at least understand why Nate chose a risky path. He’s a high school dropout, who works a dead end job delivering pizzas for a living. And Nate’s mother works as a waitress, so of course money is tight.

You could say being broke, and the frustrations for living a life that’s clearly going nowhere gave Nate the push that he needed. But Nate was truly inspired, when he delivered a pizza to a successful weed dealer named Taser (Lochlyn Munro). The big house, lots of women, and Taser is a wealthy and confident man. 

Is it foolish to risk your life and a lengthy jail sentence for that lifestyle? Yes, but you can also understand why it appeals to Nate. He’s a geeky and socially awkward guy, who was bullied in high school. Nate is shy and nervous around women, so of course he’s going to jump all over the chance to be the cool guy in town, knowing women will throw themselves at him, because he’s rich and powerful. Simply put, tearing off the label for being a loser means A LOT to someone like Nate.

The tedious cliches are hard to ignore. And what happened to the relationship between Nicole and Topher? Nicole just disappears, as the story progresses. No explanations, and they didn’t mention her again, after she helps Topher with one of his weed runs through the woods. Nicole is the reason why Nate and Topher were able to take their business to the next level, so the vanishing act is kind of strange.

But Kid Cannabis is still an entertaining true crime comedy. Director/writer John Stockwell makes some successful attempts to bring an energetic spark to Kid Cannabis. A handful of GoPro style shots, and the numerous scenes featuring security camera footage works to add more realism to the movie. And the violence is kept to a minimum here. You’ll only see one bloody scene, when a hitman Brendan hired turns on him by choking and stabbing Brendan to death. Giovanni (Corey Large) brutally murders Brendan, while his brother watches, one of the scenes that’s on a short list of heavy and series moments. 

Kid Cannabis features a well-rounded cast, including two notable and good performances from John C. McGinely and Ron Perlman. If we’re talking about different personalities, Bryce Hodgson’s Scuzz stands out in Nate’s crew of grunts, as the rebellious live-wire, who’s not afraid to challenge Nate’s authority. The laughs are also consistent. One scene that sticks out for me happens, when Nate, wearing an obvious fake mask, goes to visit a lawyer named Joe Loya (Ben Cotton) for legal advice. A genuinely hilarious scene from start to finish. 

Also, Kid Cannabis opens with some social commentary about “the war on pot.” Nate starts off the movie talking about the feds prioritizing spending $42 billion going after his operation over the war on terror, and stopping Osama Bin Laden. And let’s not forget Teressia tearfully dismissing Nate’s impending legal troubles, because “it’s just pot.” 

Kid Cannabis is a refreshing pick, if you’re looking for something different in the realm of stoner comedies. Maybe it’s a toss up for landing on the side of sympathy for Nate, what he did, and how he chose to handled everything. But one thing’s for sure, the story about a young pizza delivery driver turned weed kingpin from a small town in Idaho, is filled with a hefty amount of turbulent ups, downs, twists, and turns. 

Rating- 7/10

Kid Cannabis (2014)(Minor Spoilers)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Nate Norman (Jonathan Daniel Brown) teams up with his best friend, Christopher (Kenny Wormald) to smuggle marijuana from Canada to Idaho. Motivated by dreams to provide a better life for his mother, Teressia (Amanda Tapping), and his little brother, Philip (Mark Hills), Nate relentlessly pursues the life of a drug kingpin.

In Canada, Nicole Grefard (Merritt Patterson) introduces Nate and Christopher (or “Topher”) to her father, John (John C. McGinely), her mother, Elke (Christina Cox), and her little sister, Ella. John, the mastermind behind growing and selling a high quality strain of marijuana, becomes Nate and Topher’s trusted supplier. And Nate further strengthens his empire by forming a partnership with Barry Lerner (Ron Perlman). 

Nate builds a team of runners, including Topher, Scuzz (Bryce Hodgson), and others. Millions are rolling in, as Nate’s team sneaks bricks of marijuana across the Canadian border. But Nate runs into some trouble during a feud with his rival, Brendan Butler (Aaron Yoo).

My Thoughts- Really? THIS guy? If you take one look at Nate Norman, you’d never guess he was capable of smoothly running a weed empire worth millions. Jonathan Daniel Brown delivers a convincing and good performance as Nate Norman. The nasally voice, Nate’s awkward demeanor, his attempts at trying to play it cool during Nate’s close calls, and Nate’s hilarious transition to being a more cocky drug kingpin. I wouldn’t go as far as calling it a show-stealing performance, but there’s no denying Brown’s dedication to playing Nate Norman.

Ron Perlman brings a strong and commanding presence to Barry Lerner. The scene in the car, where Barry warns Nate about betraying him is terrific. Perlman is genuinely menacing, while Barry calmly threatens Nate. A good scene, with a bit of humor added to it, because Barry’s young and oblivious son is in the backseat, while Barry goes over the gory details for what’ll happen, if Nate flips on him.

John C. McGinely plays the enlightened weed supplier. Together, The Grefard Family shares a bond as a carefree and relaxed clan. They’re basically stoner hippies, and with limited screen time, McGinely really nails John for one of the best performances in the movie, easily.

Brendan Butler? Oh, boy. Kudos to Aaron Yoo for believably playing an egotistical and annoying shithead. Butler is obviously trying way too hard to be tough and crazy, because he’s a deeply insecure young man.

Clowns. They’re both clowns. It’s hard to believe Nate Norman and Brendan Butler were able to pull this off, building two empires, while raking in tons of cash. But I guess that’s the appeal of Kid Cannabis? The irony and the absurdity for two young guys, cosplaying as hardcore gangsters, works as a crazy story that’s almost too impossible to believe. And of course, when Nate finally realizes he’s way in over his head for trying to control his crew, while dodging the authorities, it’s too late.

Kid Cannabis follows a lot of the familiar tropes for movies based on a true crime story. I didn’t need to do any kind of research online, or use Google to figure out how Nate’s story ends. The mistrust between Nate and Topher, Topher questioning Nate’s leadership, cracks in Nate’s crew, Nate’s greed, his ego, his carelessness, AND you add cocaine into the mix? Too many missteps and bad habits. It’s only a matter of time before it all comes back to bite you in the ass.

A strange real-life story, because I can at least understand why Nate chose a risky path. He’s a high school dropout, who works a dead end job delivering pizzas for a living. And Nate’s mother works as a waitress, so of course money is tight.

You could say being broke, and the frustrations for living a life that’s clearly going nowhere gave Nate the push that he needed. But Nate was truly inspired, when he delivered a pizza to a successful weed dealer named Taser (Lochlyn Munro). The big house, lots of women, and Taser is a wealthy and confident man. 

Is it foolish to risk your life and a lengthy jail sentence for that lifestyle? Yes, but you can also understand why it appeals to Nate. He’s a geeky and socially awkward guy, who was bullied in high school. Nate is shy and nervous around women, so of course he’s going to jump all over the chance to be the cool guy in town, knowing women will throw themselves at him, because he’s rich and powerful. Simply put, tearing off the label for being a loser means A LOT to someone like Nate.

The tedious cliches are hard to ignore. And what happened to the relationship between Nicole and Topher? Nicole just disappears, as the story progresses. No explanations, and they didn’t mention her again, after she helps Topher with one of his weed runs through the woods. Nicole is the reason why Nate and Topher were able to take their business to the next level, so the vanishing act is kind of strange.

But Kid Cannabis is still an entertaining true crime comedy. Director/writer John Stockwell makes some successful attempts to bring an energetic spark to Kid Cannabis. A handful of GoPro style shots, and the numerous scenes featuring security camera footage works to add more realism to the movie. And the violence is kept to a minimum here. 

Kid Cannabis features a well-rounded cast, including two notable and good performances from John C. McGinely and Ron Perlman. If we’re talking about different personalities, Bryce Hodgson’s Scuzz stands out in Nate’s crew of grunts, as the rebellious live-wire, who’s not afraid to challenge Nate’s authority. The laughs are also consistent. One scene that sticks out for me happens, when Nate, wearing an obvious fake mask, goes to visit a lawyer named Joe Loya (Ben Cotton) for legal advice. A genuinely hilarious scene from start to finish.

Also, Kid Cannabis opens with some social commentary about “the war on pot.” Nate starts off the movie talking about the feds prioritizing spending $42 billion going after his operation over the war on terror, and stopping Osama Bin Laden. And let’s not forget Teressia tearfully dismissing Nate’s impending legal troubles, because “it’s just pot.” 

Kid Cannabis is a refreshing pick, if you’re looking for something different in the realm of stoner comedies. Maybe it’s a toss up for landing on the side of sympathy for Nate, what he did, and how he chose to handled everything. But one thing’s for sure, the story about a young pizza delivery driver turned weed kingpin from a small town in Idaho, is filled with a hefty amount of turbulent ups, downs, twists, and turns.

Rating- 7/10

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014)(Minor Spoilers Review)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- After his high school graduation in 2012, Jesse Arista (Andrew Jacobs) experiences a series of unusual changes  in Oxnard, California. Jesse’s friends, Hector (Jorge Diaz) and Hector’s cousin, Marisol (Gabrielle Walsh) tag along, as Jesse looks for answers. 

Meanwhile, Jesse’s erratic behavior endangers Hector, Marisol, his dog, Chavo, and his grandmother, Irma (Renee Victor). During his search for the truth, Jesse uncovers a strange connection between, Oscar (Carlos Pratts), the valedictorian of his graduating class, and his kookie neighbor, Ana (Gloria Sandoval). 

Oscar’s brother, Arturo (Richard Cabral) sheds light on shocking revelations. Dark secrets about Jesse’s past are revealed, drawing concerns from his father, Cesar (David Saucedo) and his sister, Evette (Noemi Gonzalez). To make matters worse, The Midwives are closing in, with plans to prepare Jesse for a sinister ritual. Can Hector, Irma, Marisol, and Arturo save Jesse?

My Thoughts- I’ve always thought it was kind of weird how Evette and Cesar weren’t more directly involved in the story. Jesse has an amazing and loyal support system around him, including Marisol, Hector, Irma, and Arturo. But his father and his sister are basically side characters with minor roles? Although, I guess you could say giving Cesar and Evette bigger parts would’ve turned the movie into a cluttered mess, because The Marked Ones is loaded with characters, who play crucial roles in Jesse’s story.

Andrew Jacobs delivers a solid performance. During the early stages, Jesse is this enthusiastic and carefree kid, who just graduated high school. He wants to have fun, but as the infection slowly consumes him, he takes a hard turn towards a darker side. He’s a dick and bully, similar to an edgier teenager, who wants to be a tough guy. Big difference is, Jesse has demonic powers and supernatural strength.

Jorge Diaz fills the role of the goofy Paranormal Activity comedy character, a jokester sidekick, but he also cares about his best friend. Irma is everything you’d expect from a grandmother. Loving, overprotective (for good reasons) at times, and she refuses to give up on her grandson. Renee Victor brings a good sense humor to Irma and a lively presence, reminding you that she might be an elderly lady, but she’s still not too old to have fun. 

Gabrielle Walsh fills plays a supportive friend, who’s not afraid to take risks to help Jesse. Arturo? There’s no denying Richard Cabral is the live-wire in the cast. The tattoos, and Arturo is supposed to be a “serious gangster,” but it’s hard to ignore Cabral noticeably hamming it up for an entertaining performance. 

The Marked Ones is the first film in the series, where I’m torn on the need to record everything that’s going on. Early on in the movie, I can understand Jesse and Hector, two knuckleheaded teenagers, recording their adventures, or both of them doing stupid things that teenagers would do. They’re just having fun. 

As the story progresses, with the exception of a few scenes, where they needed night vision and the light, there’s absolutely no reason Marisol, Jesse, or Hector should’ve been recording anything. The only reason I can come up with is, whoever had the camera is recording just so the audience can see what’s going on, but taking that approach kills a lot of the realism for a found-footage film.

Simon Says! While it’s not 100% confirmed or referenced, you have to assume Jesse is communicating with Tobi through the Simon Says game. One clue I can think of is, when Jesse wants to know, if Simon is his guardian angel, and he gets a red light for a response. Tobi is the ultimate puppet master in Paranormal Activity, so you can assume that’s who Jesse is talking to. If it’s Tobi, using Simon Says is a unique and clever method for using the demon here. Kristi and Hunter were kids, when they encountered Tobi, but Jesse is too old to go the imaginary friend route. 

The Marked Ones takes a unique approach for callbacks and references to the previous Paranormal Activity films, without dwelling on the past too much, or relying too heavily on storylines involving Kristi, Katie, or Hunter. Hector finds a VHS tape titled Katie and Kristi 1988 (Paranormal Activity 3) in Ana’s apartment, and there’s the picture with Ana, Jesse’s mother, and Grandma Lois (Paranormal Activity 3 again). There’s a news article in Oscar’s room about a psychic, who visited the home of a murder scene, referring to Dr. Fredrichs and what happened at the end of the original Paranormal Activity. Katie and Kristi (as kids) make brief appearance. A genuine surprise and one of the better jump scares in the series, when Jesse sees the ghostly vision of Katie and Kristi just standing there with black eyes. 

Ali Rey returns! Remember, Ali is Hunter’s stepsister and Kristi’s stepdaughter, so she knows what’s going on. Ali is definitely an ideal choice to drop more info on The Midwives, and after what she went through in Paranormal Activity 2, you can understand why she feels the need to help anyone in a similar situation. 

It’s ironic and kind of sad how Jesse and Oscar’s stories are so similar throughout the movie. They both start out as two happy kids, who just graduated high school, with potentially bright futures. Jesse is having fun playing around with his powers. He develops some charisma, and women love him. As the possession starts to consume them, Jesse and Oscar are no longer the victims. It’s clear they’re too far gone, with Jesse starting out as the main protagonist, who needs to be saved, only to wind up as the relentless villain.

One pet peeve I’ve always had about The Marked Ones revolves around Ana’s apartment. Arturo, Jesse, Marisol, and Hector. Why is it so easy for people to just wander in and out of a crime scene, where someone was brutally murdered?

I can’t get over how they decided to basically go with an ending that’s too close to how the final moments of Paranormal Activity 4 played out. There’s one minor change to close things out, but it’s almost the same ending.

Still, The Marked Ones was a much needed breath of fresh air for the Paranormal Activity franchise years ago. Breaking away from the tedious formula involving setting up cameras around the house, the security camera footage, and the Night #1, Night #2, and so on transitions brings a refreshing spark to The Marked Ones. It’s also the first film in the series that’s not confined to a house and the outside of the house. Watching Jesse, Hector, and Marisol travel around, going from one place to the next, helps add a layer of unpredictably, because anything can happen anywhere.

Five films in, and we do learn more details about The Midwives. There’s another connection between Jesse and Oscar, because their mothers died after childbirth. A bit weird that happened, and how they emphasized both deaths for plot points. Kristi survived giving birth to Hunter. 

There’s a bigger bombshell, when it’s revealed that whatever’s going on with Tobi is not just limited to Katie, Kristi, Hunter, Jesse, and Oscar. Missing first born sons connected to The Midwives is a world wide thing, and they’re clearly trying to build an army. Grandma Lois’ house is obviously the base of operations for The Midwives. Ana? She can’t be the only one. It’s impossible to believe there’s only one Ana, someone, who lays the foundation for The Midwives, their initiation process, and their rituals.

A new set of characters really helps here. The Marked Ones happened at a crucial point in the series, where the story finally takes a break from focusing on Katie, Kristi, and Hunter. The Marked Ones also features two oddly brutal death scenes. It’s odd, because you can clearly see the similarities for both deaths.

The Marked Ones features a handful of tense moments, some good humor, heightened levels of chaos, the finale delivers solid thrills, and a few freaky scenes throughout the movie. Jesse slowly pulling threads or strings out of his eyes, and it’s hard to forget about that scene with a naked Ana painting satanic markings on a mannequin. Jesse stalking Hector and Marisol in the dark alleyway is another good one. I’ve always loved the cleansing scene at Jesse’s apartment. That demonic roar, when Jesse is in mid air is something else.

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones has its problems, including some familiar found-footage horror tropes and cliches. Please stop recording, and focus on running away and protecting yourself! Still, if I put The Marked Ones up against the previous movies, it’s my top pick for the best film in the series. Time traveling and portals? No more playing it safe, or sticking to the formula. After four films, you can actually see a commendable effort for change to make something different, and the results are largely positive. 

Rating- 8/10

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014)(Spoiler Review)

 

**This post contains spoilers, including thoughts on the extended version and the alternate ending**

The Story- After his high school graduation in 2012, Jesse Arista (Andrew Jacobs) experiences a series of unusual changes  in Oxnard, California. Jesse’s friends, Hector (Jorge Diaz) and Hector’s cousin, Marisol (Gabrielle Walsh) tag along, as Jesse looks for answers. 

Meanwhile, Jesse’s erratic behavior endangers Hector, Marisol, his dog, Chavo, and his grandmother, Irma (Renee Victor). During his search for the truth, Jesse uncovers a strange connection between, Oscar (Carlos Pratts), the valedictorian of his graduating class, and his kookie neighbor, Ana (Gloria Sandoval). 

Oscar’s brother, Arturo (Richard Cabral) sheds light on shocking revelations. Dark secrets about Jesse’s past are revealed, drawing concerns from his father, Cesar (David Saucedo) and his sister, Evette (Noemi Gonzalez). To make matters worse, The Midwives are closing in, with plans to prepare Jesse for a sinister ritual. Can Hector, Irma, Marisol, and Arturo save Jesse?

My Thoughts- I’ve always thought it was kind of weird how Evette and Cesar weren’t more directly involved in the story. Jesse has an amazing and loyal support system around him, including Marisol, Hector, Irma, and Arturo. But his father and his sister are basically side characters with minor roles? Although, I guess you could say giving Cesar and Evette bigger parts would’ve turned the movie into a cluttered mess, because The Marked Ones is loaded with characters, who play crucial roles in Jesse’s story.

Andrew Jacobs delivers a solid performance. During the early stages, Jesse is this enthusiastic and carefree kid, who just graduated high school. He wants to have fun, but as the infection slowly consumes him, he takes a hard turn towards a darker side. He’s a dick and bully, similar to an edgier teenager, who wants to be a tough guy. Big difference is, Jesse has demonic powers and supernatural strength.

Jorge Diaz fills the role of the goofy Paranormal Activity comedy character, a jokester sidekick, but he also cares about his best friend. Irma is everything you’d expect from a grandmother. Loving, overprotective (for good reasons) at times, and she refuses to give up on her grandson. Renee Victor brings a good sense humor to Irma and a lively presence, reminding you that she might be an elderly lady, but she’s still not too old to have fun. 

Gabrielle Walsh fills plays a supportive friend, who’s not afraid to take risks to help Jesse. Arturo? There’s no denying Richard Cabral is the live-wire in the cast. The tattoos, and Arturo is supposed to be a “serious gangster,” but it’s hard to ignore Cabral noticeably hamming it up for an entertaining performance. 

The Marked Ones is the first film in the series, where I’m torn on the need to record everything that’s going on. Early on in the movie, I can understand Jesse and Hector, two knuckleheaded teenagers, recording their adventures, or both of them doing stupid things that teenagers would do. They’re just having fun. 

As the story progresses, with the exception of a few scenes, where they needed night vision and the light, there’s absolutely no reason Marisol, Jesse, or Hector should’ve been recording anything. The only reason I can come up with is, whoever had the camera is recording just so the audience can see what’s going on, but taking that approach kills a lot of the realism for a found-footage film.

Simon Says! While it’s not 100% confirmed or referenced, you have to assume Jesse is communicating with Tobi through the Simon Says game. One clue I can think of is, when Jesse wants to know, if Simon is his guardian angel, and he gets a red light for a response. Tobi is the ultimate puppet master in Paranormal Activity, so you can assume that’s who Jesse is talking to. If it’s Tobi, using Simon Says is a unique and clever method for using the demon here. Kristi and Hunter were kids, when they encountered Tobi, but Jesse is too old to go the imaginary friend route. 

There’s a scene that’s exclusive to the extended version that’s one of my favorites. Jesse, Hector, and Marisol are attempting to create their own homemade portal, after looking through Ana’s witchcraft books. The dark church at night was a perfect setting, and the banging on the bathroom door was a nice touch, before Jesse and Marisol ran away.

Yeah, I know it’s a typical stupid horror movie scene. Why would you WILLINGLY try and open a satanic portal? Because it might be fun? Potentially a catastrophic playing with fire mistake, but it’s still a good, tense nail biting scene.

There’s also another eerie scene in the extended version, where the door to Jesse’s apartment mysteriously opens in the middle of the night, with Chavo sitting in front watching. Was it Tobi, who opened the door? Maybe one of The Midwives?

The extended footage for The Marked Ones features a few peculiarities. Certain scenes are simply extended with extra footage, including a fake-out jump scare from Hector, when he’s looking for clues with Jesse in Ana’s apartment. The scene, where Hector, Marisol, and Jesse are looking through Ana’s witchcraft books is swapped around with small time differences compared to the theatrical version. 

Everything else is just more footage that doesn’t change the direction of the story. Jesse buying the camera at the pawn shop, Irma trying out her new Shake Weight, Hector eating spicy food, Irma attempting to cleanse the house of evil spirits, and Jesse’s dad presumably taking a dump.

The Marked Ones MOSTLY delivers a satisfying finale. Hector running for his life, trying to escape The Midwives and a fully possessed Jesse provides some good thrills and close calls. Also, a few genuinely bonkers moments, when Arturo blasts two Midwives with his shotgun, and the rah-rah “Let’s go smoke these b******” line. 

The big surprise happens, when Hector unknowingly goes through one of the portals, traveling back in time to Katie and Micah’s house in 2006 to the ending of the original Paranormal Activity. I’m glad they finally showed how Katie actually killed Micah. Just a crazy scene, with a scared and confused Hector pleading for help, leading to Katie brutally stabbing Micah to death.

The similarities to Paranormal Activity 3 are obvious. Sure, you can spot a few differences. Unlike Dennis, Hector was actually able to open the front door. You’ll see the army of Midwives in greater numbers, and of course there’s the time travel portal. 

One thing that really bugs me is, the room with the unicorn painting on the floor that covered The Midwives symbol, and the other satanic symbol on the opposite wall. I’m supposed to believe that unicorn painting’s been in the same spot since 1988? And Hector hid in the same closet, where Dennis and Kristi hid in PA 3, with an identical camera angle. 

The second to last final shot? Oh boy. Jesse lunging at Hector to knock him and the camera down (presumably killing Hector) is way too similar to what happened at the end of Paranormal Activity 4, with Katie lunging at Alex. The only difference is, a Midwife pops up to turn off the camera and end the movie. 

To my knowledge, the alternate ending was never released on DVD or Blu-Ray. Jesse survives after a sort of exorcism style ritual, with help from Arturo, Marisol, and Hector, but the demon jumps to a security guard!

Kind of hard to tell what might’ve happened to everyone after the security guard attacks. But it’s easy to assume Jesse, Hector, Marisol, and Arturo survived. In the theatrical ending, Marisol and Arturo are both dead. There’s a good chance Hector is dead, and Jesse is still fully possessed. So I guess you could say it’s possibly more of a happy ending. To add an extra side note, there’s also a part in the alternate ending that shows Jesse staring at a fire after the chaos, but the clip ends before that happens. Skip to 0:36, if you’re only interested in watching the alternate ending.

The Marked Ones takes a unique approach for callbacks and references to the previous Paranormal Activity films, without dwelling on the past too much, or relying too heavily on storylines involving Kristi, Katie, or Hunter. Hector finds a VHS tape titled Katie and Kristi 1988 (Paranormal Activity 3) in Ana’s apartment, and there’s the picture with Ana, Jesse’s mother, and Grandma Lois (Paranormal Activity 3 again). There’s a news article in Oscar’s room about a psychic, who visited the home of a murder scene, referring to Dr. Fredrichs and what happened at the end of the original Paranormal Activity. 

Katie and Kristi (as kids) make brief appearance. A genuine surprise and one of the better jump scares in the series, when Jesse sees the ghostly vision of Katie and Kristi just standing there with black eyes. 

Ali Rey returns! Remember, Ali is Hunter’s stepsister and Kristi’s stepdaughter, so she knows what’s going on. Ali is definitely an ideal choice to drop more info on The Midwives, and after what she went through in Paranormal Activity 2, you can understand why she feels the need to help anyone in a similar situation. 

It’s ironic and kind of sad how Jesse and Oscar’s stories are so similar throughout the movie. They both start out as two happy kids, who just graduated high school, with potentially bright futures. Jesse is having fun playing around with his powers. He develops some charisma, and women love him. 

As the possession starts to consume them, Jesse and Oscar are no longer the victims. It’s clear they’re too far gone, with Jesse starting out as the main protagonist, who needs to be saved, only to wind up as the relentless villain. Think about that evil smirk on Jesse’s face after he pushed or threw Irma from the top of the stairs, or the scene, where he used his powers to torture Chavo. 

One pet peeve I’ve always had about The Marked Ones revolves around Ana’s apartment. Arturo, Jesse, Marisol, and Hector. Why is it so easy for people to just wander in and out of a crime scene, where someone was brutally murdered?

I can’t get over how they decided to basically go with an ending that’s too close to how the final moments of Paranormal Activity 4 played out. There’s one minor change to close things out, but it’s almost the same ending.

Still, The Marked Ones was a much needed breath of fresh air for the Paranormal Activity franchise years ago. Breaking away from the tedious formula involving setting up cameras around the house, the security camera footage, and the Night #1, Night #2, and so on transitions brings a refreshing spark to The Marked Ones. It’s also the first film in the series that’s not confined to a house and the outside of the house. Watching Jesse, Hector, and Marisol travel around, going from one place to the next, helps add a layer of unpredictably, because anything can happen anywhere.

Five films in, and we do learn more details about The Midwives. There’s another connection between Jesse and Oscar, because their mothers died after childbirth. A bit weird that happened, and how they emphasized both deaths for plot points. Kristi survived giving birth to Hunter. 

There’s a bigger bombshell, when it’s revealed that whatever’s going on with Tobi is not just limited to Katie, Kristi, Hunter, Jesse, and Oscar. Missing first born sons connected to The Midwives is a world wide thing, and they’re clearly trying to build an army. Grandma Lois’ house is obviously the base of operations for The Midwives. Ana? She can’t be the only one. It’s impossible to believe there’s only one Ana, someone, who lays the foundation for The Midwives, their initiation process, and their rituals.

A new set of characters really helps here. The Marked Ones happened at a crucial point in the series, where the story finally takes a break from focusing on Katie, Kristi, and Hunter. 

The Marked Ones also features two oddly brutal death scenes. It’s odd, because you can clearly see the similarities for both deaths. Oscar committing suicide, and Marisol being thrown or dropped through the glass at Lois’ house? Oscar’s death works as a nasty ending for him and a good jump scare. The sound of Oscar’s body hitting the top of the car works perfectly. Seeing the car basically explode is enough for a squirmy reaction, because you know that had to hurt. You can say the same thing about Marisol’s death. Hector is cautiously looking for her, and bam! Marisol’s body lands right in front of him in a bed of broken glass.

The Marked Ones features a handful of tense moments, some good humor, heightened levels of chaos, the finale delivers solid thrills, and a few freaky scenes throughout the movie. Jesse slowly pulling threads or strings out of his eyes, and it’s hard to forget about that scene with a naked Ana painting satanic markings on a mannequin. Jesse stalking Hector and Marisol in the dark alleyway is another good one. I’ve always loved the cleansing scene at Jesse’s apartment. That demonic roar, when Jesse is in mid air is something else.

Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones has its problems, including some familiar found-footage horror tropes and cliches. Please stop recording, and focus on running away and protecting yourself! Still, if I put The Marked Ones up against the previous movies, it’s my top pick for the best film in the series. Time traveling and portals? No more playing it safe, or sticking to the formula. After four films, you can actually see a commendable effort for change to make something different, and the results are largely positive. 

Rating- 8/10

Unfriended (2014)(2024 Redo)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- A harmless Skype group video chat between Blaire (Shelley Hennig), her boyfriend, Mitch (Moses Storm), Adam (Will Peltz), Val (Courtney Halverson), Ken (Jacob Wysocki), and Jess (Renee Olstead) is interrupted by billie227. Billie227 oddly uses Laura Barns’ (Heather Sossaman) username and her account for the chat. Laura, Blaire’s longtime childhood friend, committed suicide at a park one year ago, after an embarrassing video was posted online. 

After numerous failed attempts to remove billie227 from the chat, billie forces everyone to play a game of Never Have I Ever. The consequences? Refuse to play, and certain death is the penalty. Secrets are exposed, and a series of strange occurrences leads to one troubling question: Has Laura Barns returned from the dead to seek revenge?

My Thoughts- Realism! There’s an upside for sticking to a screencast POV for the vast majority of the movie. Unfriended’s story plays out in real time. You’re witnessing the chaos unfold step by step, without any cuts, theme music, or big flashy special effects. If we’re talking about the overall presentation of the movie, Unfriended definitely has a raw, rough cut feel to it that benefits its style of storytelling. They ran with the simple idea of a group of friends getting together to hangout and have fun online, but when things go south, you can see the panicky sense of hopelessness, while everyone is scrambling to figure out what’s going on.

The downside? Unfriended’s screencast POV loses its wow factor pretty quickly. You REALLY have to pay close attention to everything Blaire is doing, every little detail. The messages, her research, what she decides to type or not type, the windows she opens and closes, or you might miss a crucial development that’s connected to her mindset and her true intentions during the madness. It’s a situation, where your eyes are basically forced to dart all over the screen to keep track of Blaire’s speedy actions. 

Sticking with Unfriended’s realism, using Live Leak, You Tube, Facebook, Chatroulette, and Skype worked as perfect tie-in platforms for the movie. The internet and social media were catalysts for Laura’s suicide. Laura was shamed, hurt, and alone, when the video of her drunk and laying passed out on the ground surfaced. Unfriended delivers social commentary about suicide, growing pains as a teenager, and bullying. Social media can be harmless, but there’s also a dark side to it, when thousands or millions of people can see your worst moments in an instant. 

There’s not too much I can say about the acting. Angry yelling and hurling deeply personal insults at each other eats up a lot of the screen time in Unfriended. It’s the usual group of high school personalities you’d expect. Blaire is the innocent one (well, maybe not that innocent), Mitch tries to be the levelheaded nice guy, Adam is the angry cool kid rebel, and Ken is the goofball jokester. Jess and Val clearly don’t like each other, so it’s another feud between friends here. Shelley Hennig carries most of the emotional weight with her performance, making it easy to buy into Blaire as a character, because she’s going through an unexpected emotional crisis. 

Betrayal is a big theme here. Blaire was the one who recorded and posted the video of a drunken Laura, and she lied to Mitch about saving her virginity for prom night. Blaire slept with Adam, and there’s more revelations amongst the group, including Jess starting a rumor about Blaire having an eating disorder. 

Did Laura go too far with her quest for vengeance? Well, yes. There’s no doubts about that. But we’re lead to believe Laura was an outcast, and Blaire was her only true friend in the world. So it’s gotta hurt, when someone, who you shared a trusted bond with laughs at you, while you’re passed out on the ground, and your rear is covered in feces.

Laura’s ghost is responsible for all the mayhem! That’s right, it’s confirmed during the final moments of the movie that Laura is the puppet master terrorizing Blaire and everyone else. 

Halfway through the movie, it’s more obvious that all the deaths are not purely the end result of an elaborate troll job or a prank. There’s a big clue early on for Laura’s ghost being the culprit. On Facebook, Blaire accuses Val of being the one behind the personal attacks. Notice how Blaire received a response denying Val’s involvement before she had a chance to hit the reply button. Laura’s ghost was always watching. 

All things considered, it’s a brutal ending. Laura saved Blaire for last, because she wanted her to suffer. She wanted Blaire to watch all of her friends die agonizing deaths. And we don’t actually see Laura until the final moments of the movie, because it’s supposed to be a big deal, when Laura finally appears to confront her ex-best friend. 

Unfriended has its problems. They harped on the petty teen drama bs too much, with all the constant bickering and childish name calling.

Still, there’s a serious and admirable effort to put a refreshing spin on the found-footage sub-genre with the screencast POV. You’ll see all the glitches, including the Universal logo intro, the lagging issues, and how long it takes to connect a call. 

There’s more realism with Laura’s suicide posted on Live Leak, because it’s a website that was known for grisly and disturbing unedited videos. The idea of Laura possessing each member of the group and forcing them to commit suicide is truly terrifying. Blaire, Mitch, Adam, Jess, Ken, and Val can’t run, hide, or rely on the police for help. No one can save them from Laura.

A handful of gory deaths, including Ken being mangled by a blender, Jess choking to death on a hot curling iron, and Mitch stabbing himself in the forehead. Only ONE jump scare, and it’s an appropriate jump scare, when they finally show Laura as a ghost during the final shot of the movie. There’s also some good dark humor. Laura chooses an ironic song (I Hurt Too, by Katie Herzig) after Mitch’s death, and she immediately turns Jess’ death into a meme. Unfriended isn’t a complete swing and a miss, but there’s no denying the loaded potential for a home run. 

Rating- 6/10

As Above, So Below (2014)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Determined to complete her deceased father’s work, a professor named Scarlett Marlowe (Perdita Weeks) sets out on a quest to find the philosopher’s stone, created by Nicolas Flamel. In Paris, Scarlett forms a team with her cameraman, Benji (Edwin Hodge) and a reluctant George (Ben Feldman). Needing further help to navigate the catacombs, where the stone is located, Scarlett persuades Papio (Francois Civil), Souxie (Marion Lambert), and Zed (Ali Marhyar) to join her team as guides, promising the trio half of the storied treasures. 

Strange occurrences disrupt the group’s quest to find the philosopher’s stone, escalating to a life-or-death struggle to survive, when Papio’s old friend, La Taupe (Cosme Castro) appears. 

My Thoughts- Scarlett is haunted by her father’s suicide, believing she could’ve done more to save him. Finding the philosopher’s stone is really the only form of redemption she has left to honor her father. George clearly wants nothing to do with Scarlett, when they reunite. Their relationship and how it ended left a bad taste in his mouth, but under extreme and unprecedented circumstances, George and Scarlett reconcile towards the end.

Scarlett is a daredevil. She takes bold risks, and you could say Scarlett is reckless, but it’s understandable. Coping with the deaths of loved ones and trying to move on is the foundation for As Above, So Below’s story. A parent committing suicide is a deep wound that truly never heals, so it’s easy to understand Scarlett’s fierce firmness to finish the quest. 

Teamwork! There’s usually that one obnoxiously selfish character in horror movies, or any kind of movie, who’s determined to screw everyone else over to survive, when things go south. EVERYONE works together to try and help each other out in As Above, So Below. Are the rescue attempts successful? For the most part, the simple answer is no. The survival rate is low. Still, there’s a strong and refreshing no man or woman left behind mentality amongst the main characters here. 

John Erick and Drew Dowdle did a good job of smoothly weaving Papio, George, and Scarlett’s tragedies into a handful of the eerie scenes throughout the movie. The grisly sight of Scarlett’s father and his hanging corpse, George seeing visions of his dead brother, and George franticly sifting through the bones to try and save his ghost from drowning. Papio being pulled into the burning car was a real jaw dropper. A good surprise, because it’s not so easy to predict what’s going to happen, when you see the car engulfed in flames, and Papio’s legs sticking out the ground is truly a freaky visual.

The group faces tougher emotional challenges, as they go deeper into the catacombs. There’s a full circle moment towards the end, when Scarlett realizes herself, George, and Zed have to forgive themselves and move on. In a way, they were all trapped in their own personal versions of hell for years. Scarlett urging George and Zed to literally take a leap of faith together to escape works for a satisfying ending, because facing your demons plays a big role in As Above, So Below’s story.

One big problem that drives me nuts about this one revolves around the unknown young woman, who constantly pops up throughout the movie. She makes her first appearance at the club, where she constantly stares at Benji’s camera with that weird blank look on her face. Why is she consistently wearing all white? Why is she targeting Benji? Why is she holding a presumably dead baby? Is there a reason why she’s seemingly the leader of that cult in the catacombs? The mysterious woman is an important character. She’s directly responsible for Benji’s death, but they don’t give any hints or clues about who she is, what she does, or why she’s stalking the group. 

And why is the group blindly trusting La Taupe to guide them through the catacombs? He’s obviously a demon, or a malevolent ghost, a deceiver, who’s leading them to certain doom. It’s painfully obvious he’s not the same guy Papio remembers. La Taupe’s odd mannerisms and his spaced-out facial expressions are dead giveaways. 

It’s a found-footage film, so of course you have to expect a lot of shaky cam. But there’s always a logical reason for recording, or seeing things from unusual angles. Finding the philosopher’s stone is an important discovery. Everything SHOULD be recorded, so it makes sense for everyone to wear GoPro headbands. The way As Above, So Below is presented, you’re lead to believe you’re watching a documentary that devolves into chaos in real time, adding some realism to the movie. 

The thrills during the home stretch were fantastic. After three deaths from the main cast of characters, you could buy into the possibility of anyone dying. A lot of believable close calls, including that creepy moment, when one of the hooded figures dressed in all black slowly stands up, revealing his pale white and disfigured face. 

It’s not perfect, but As Above, So Below is still a good found-footage horror film. Consistently tense, some genuinely spooky sequences, gnarly visuals (Scarlett struggling to escape the pool of blood), a solid cast, and an effective usage of claustrophobia. The darkness, the tight spaces, and Edwin Hodge selling Benji’s hysteria and panic for being stuck, while trying to climb is one of best scenes here, because it felt real, and you definitely wouldn’t want to be in Benji’s position. 

The emotional layer is relatable. Dealing with the deaths of loved ones is an agonizing process, so you can understand what Scarlett and the others were going through. As Above, So Below is truly an underrated found-footage film, and a gem for an overly crowded sub-genre. I’m also glad they went with a complete ending. No cheap cliffhangers, and it’s an appropriate ending for a movie that’s ultimately about finding closure. 

Rating- 8/10

The Guest (2014)(Minor Spoilers Review)

This review contains MINOR spoilers

The Story- Laura Peterson (Sheila Kelley) receives an unexpected visit, when David (Dan Stevens) shows up on her doorstep one day. David introduces himself as a former soldier, and a friend of Laura’s son, Caleb. Caleb was killed in action, but David’s presence brings comfort, as he shares Caleb’s messages and final words. At first, David is reluctant to accept the invitation to stay with the Peterson family, but eventually he accepts the offer, and Laura allows David to sleep in Caleb’s old room.

Laura’s husband, Spencer (Leland Orser) and her teenage son, Luke (Brendan Meyer) quickly embrace David, as Spencer  confides in and vents to David about his troubles at work, and David teaches Luke to stand up for himself as a big brother figure. For Laura, Spencer, and Luke, David is a breath of fresh air, but Laura and Spencer’s twenty year old daughter, Anna (Maika Monroe) refuses to buy into David’s goodwill mission.

Anna takes matters into her own hands, when she quietly decides to dig up more information on David. Meanwhile, David’s erratic behavior and his nasty mean streak are on full display, and at first, David’s actions are seemingly noble. A group of bullies torment and harass Luke, so David takes matters into his own hands. Anna’s friend, Kristen (Tabatha Shaun) has a tense run-in with her pushy ex-boyfriend, but David steps in to manhandle him.

David’s peculiar behavior raises more red flags, and unbeknownst to the Peterson family, a potentially fatal collision course threatens their lives, when Major Richard Carver (Lance Reddick), a man from David’s past, and a group of armed men arrive at the Peterson’s home. Laura, Spencer, Luke, Anna, her boyfriend, Zeke (Chase Williamson), her friend, Craig (Joel David Moore), and Kristen are all caught in the crossfire, as the mystery surrounding David unravels. Is David a misunderstood knight in shining armor? Or, is David hiding a shocking secret?

Review- The Petersons are a broken family. Laura is devastated over Caleb’s death, Luke is a target for a group of pesky bullies, and he’s an outcast at school. Spencer is an alcoholic, and he’s frustrated with his situation at work, and Anna is stuck in a crossroads dilemma. In the early stages of the movie, you might get the impression Anna is stuck in the rebellious teenager phase. She wants to have a beer before she turns twenty-one, and she chooses to date the sketchy boyfriend against her parent’s wishes. But as the story progresses, you’ll clearly see that’s not the case with Anna. She works  a hard job, she’s saving money for college, she loves her family, and she’ll do anything to protect her brother. Anna has a lot of heart, and Monroe really nails the character with a solid performance.

David is charismatic and charming, with a soft southern accent, so of course you WANT to believe he’s the one to fill Caleb’s void, right? Dan Stevens knocks it out of the park with a convincing and good performance as David. He is the driving force behind the conflict surrounding the character. You want to believe David is this good guy, who showed up on the Peterson’s doorstep to lend a helping hand in their time of need. After all, David single-handedly eliminates the group of bullies during the fight at the bar, he steps in to stop Kristen’s ex-boyfriend after he refuses to take no for an answer, and he steps in to save Luke from expulsion after he gets into a fight with one of the bullies at school.

The Guest is a hard-hitting, bloody, and brutal action horror-thriller. The soundtrack is excellent, The Guest has an undeniable 80’s nostalgic vibe to it, and The Guest is more than a run-of-the-mill bloodbath, with an ordinary screenplay. There’s a good balance between the crisis within The Peterson Family, the thrilling and tense action sequences, the question marks surrounding David, and The Guest features characters with real depth, and they’re characters you can actually care about.

The slow burn approach to carefully and slowly unravel all the details in David’s mysterious past really works to set up an intriguing guessing game for David’s motives, because everything is not 100% clear until the tail end of the film. Stevens’ presence brings a natural cool factor to certain scenes (the events leading up to the big brawl at the bar, David giving Anna a little lecture after the party, etc.) throughout the movie, and the cliffhanger will surely annoy some people with complaints of absurdity, but I have to believe The Guest is on its way to earning a strong and indisputable reputation as a genuine cult classic with more time.

Rating: 9/10

The Guest (2014)(Spoiler Review)

This review contains spoilers

The Story- Laura Peterson (Sheila Kelley) receives an unexpected visit, when David (Dan Stevens) shows up on her doorstep one day. David introduces himself as a former soldier, and a friend of Laura’s son, Caleb. Caleb was killed in action, but David’s presence brings comfort, as he shares Caleb’s messages and final words. At first, David is reluctant to accept the invitation to stay with the Peterson family, but eventually he accepts the offer, and Laura allows David to sleep in Caleb’s old room.

Laura’s husband, Spencer (Leland Orser) and her teenage son, Luke (Brendan Meyer) quickly embrace David, as Spencer  confides in and vents to David about his troubles at work, and David teaches Luke to stand up for himself as a big brother figure. For Laura, Spencer, and Luke, David is a breath of fresh air, but Laura and Spencer’s twenty year old daughter, Anna (Maika Monroe) refuses to buy into David’s goodwill mission.

Anna takes matters into her own hands, when she quietly decides to dig up more information on David. Meanwhile, David’s erratic behavior and his nasty mean streak are on full display, and at first, David’s actions are seemingly noble. A group of bullies torment and harass Luke, so David takes matters into his own hands. Anna’s friend, Kristen (Tabatha Shaun) has a tense run-in with her pushy ex-boyfriend, but David steps in to manhandle him.

David’s peculiar behavior raises more red flags, and unbeknownst to the Peterson family, a potentially fatal collision course threatens their lives, when Major Richard Carver (Lance Reddick), a man from David’s past, and a group of armed men arrive at the Peterson’s home. Laura, Spencer, Luke, Anna, her boyfriend, Zeke (Chase Williamson), her friend, Craig (Joel David Moore), and Kristen are all caught in the crossfire, as the mystery surrounding David unravels. Is David a misunderstood knight in shining armor? Or, is David hiding a shocking secret?

Review- The Petersons are a broken family. Laura is devastated over Caleb’s death, Luke is a target for a group of pesky bullies, and he’s an outcast at school. Spencer is an alcoholic, and he’s frustrated with his situation at work, and Anna is stuck in a crossroads dilemma. In the early stages of the movie, you might get the impression Anna is stuck in the rebellious teenager phase. She wants to have a beer before she turns twenty-one, and she chooses to date the sketchy boyfriend against her parent’s wishes. But as the story progresses, you’ll clearly see that’s not the case with Anna. She works  a hard job, she’s saving money for college, she loves her family, and she’ll do anything to protect her brother. Anna has a lot of heart, and Monroe really nails the character with a solid performance.

David is charismatic and charming, with a soft southern accent, so of course you WANT to believe he’s the one to fill Caleb’s void, right? Dan Stevens knocks it out of the park with a convincing and good performance as David. He is the driving force behind the conflict surrounding the character. You want to believe David is this good guy, who showed up on the Peterson’s doorstep to lend a helping hand in their time of need. After all, David single-handedly eliminates the group of bullies during the fight at the bar, he steps in to stop Kristen’s ex-boyfriend after he refuses to take no for an answer, and he steps in to save Luke from expulsion after he gets into a fight with one of the bullies at school.

But as the story progresses, it’s clear something is off with David, and it’s clear he’s hiding something. The final pieces of the puzzle fall into place, when Major Carver finally tells Anna the truth: David was apart of a top secret military project, and he faked his death to escape, and David will kill anyone, who comprises or threatens his cover to protect the project. The friendly helper is a ruthless killing machine, and he murders Spencer, Laura, and Kristen in cold blood.

Stevens’ ability to quickly switch gears between the kind and caring David, and David The Assassin is impressive. He’s showing remorse before he does what he knows he has to do before killing Sarah and Spencer, and the fiasco in the Halloween maze and on the dance is something else, with David luring Carver into a trap, Anna turning the tables on David, luring him into a trap of her own, and Luke saving Anna’s life with David’s butterfly knife (a gift from David). And David’s reaction to Luke literally stabbing him in the back was priceless. He wasn’t mad, and he didn’t feel betrayed, because Luke did the right thing.

After the smoke clears, Anna and Luke are sitting together in the back of an ambulance as the sole survivors, a limping fireman emerges from the crime scene…..and it’s David. On one hand, I had my doubts about Luke finishing David off for good (the guy did survive an ambush from a group of armed men), but David surviving the two on one assault/last stand from Anna and Luke is still a great cliffhanger, because when you think about everything David endured (the attacks, the car crash, etc.), watching him limp away from the madness is truly shocking.

The Guest is a hard-hitting, bloody, and brutal action horror-thriller. The soundtrack is excellent, The Guest has an undeniable 80’s nostalgic vibe to it, and The Guest is more than a run-of-the-mill bloodbath, with an ordinary screenplay. There’s a good balance between the crisis within The Peterson Family, the thrilling and tense action sequences, the question marks surrounding David, and The Guest features characters with real depth, and they’re characters you can actually care about.

The slow burn approach to carefully and slowly unravel all the details in David’s mysterious past really works to set up an intriguing guessing game for David’s motives, because everything is not 100% clear until the tail end of the film. Stevens’ presence brings a natural cool factor to certain scenes (the events leading up to the big brawl at the bar, David giving Anna a little lecture after the party, etc.) throughout the movie, and the cliffhanger will surely annoy some people with complaints of absurdity, but I have to believe The Guest is on its way to earning a strong and indisputable reputation as a genuine cult classic with more time.

Rating: 9/10

Alien Abduction (2014)(Minor Spoilers Review)

This review contains MINOR spoilers, no major reveals or character deaths.

The Story- During a camping trip to Brown Mountain, North Carolina, an eleven-year-old boy named Riley Morris (Riley Polanski) decides to bring a video camera. Diagnosed with autism, Riley joins his father, Peter (Peter Holden), his mother, Katie (Katherine Sigismund), his older brother, Corey (Corey Eid), and his teenage sister, Jillian (Jillian Clare). Riley uses his video camera to record the family’s trip, but The Morris Family runs into a series of bizarre problems.

One night, Riley, Corey, and Jillian witness erratic movements from three flashing objects in the sky, but the mysterious objects disappear before the trio has a real chance to investigate or alert their parents. As the trip takes a turn for the worse, a frustrated Peter reaches a boiling point, and to make matters worse, the car is running low on gas. Lost, confused, and running low on patience, the family searches for a road to the highway, but they run into an unpleasant surprise, when they find a clustered mess of abandoned cars blocking the entrance to a tunnel.

Peter, Corey, and Riley cautiously explore the dark tunnel littered with abandoned cars, including a police car, and Peter calls for help, when he spots a shadowy figure in the distance. But Peter, Riley, and Corey are forced to retreat, when Peter realizes the shadowy figure is actually an alien. Peter urges Riley and Corey to return to the car, as more aliens surround the group. Riley and Corey escape, but Peter is abducted by the aliens.

With a limited number of options in front of them, the remaining members of The Morris Family join forces with Sean (Jeff Bowser), a reclusive local, who lives in the Brown Mountain community. A reluctant Sean allows Riley, Corey, Jillian, and Katie to take refuge in his isolated cabin, and Sean explains the mysteries and rumors behind the Brown Mountain Lights and rumored alien abductions in the area. Eventually, the aliens return to wreak havoc, and with their backs against the wall, the group clings to slim hopes of an escape, as Sean fights side by side with the family to survive another attack from the aliens.

Review- Alien Abduction adds a touch of realism with documentary style interviews from residents, paranormal experts, and eye witnesses. On top of that, the movie starts off Riley’s recorded footage, and they make sure to remind us this footage is recovered  by the US Air Force. It’s always nice to see the extra effort to maintain suspension of disbelief for found-footage, so it’s easier to buy into real people running into an incomprehensible dilemma. More often than not, you’ll just see the routine found-footage formula about a random cameraman or woman inexplicably recording a series of close calls, deaths, chases, and at the same time, they’re screaming and turning the camera on themselves, so they can explain what’s happening to complete strangers, who might or might not see the recorded footage.

Yes, Alien Abduction deserves some bonus points for going the extra mile to convince the audience they’re watching real archived and top secret footage complete with one on one interviews. The jump scares feel forced, but it‘s not a major problem, so I can‘t complain too much. But one of the bigger problems in Alien Abduction is, the movie sticks to a repetitive formula, when the aliens appear. The aliens show up, the survivors run and hide, and it’s only a matter of time before they’re cornered, and someone is abducted and/or abducted and murdered. The rinse and repeat strategy really crossed a tedious line for me, and towards the end, it’s not that hard to predict what’s going to happen next, when the aliens corner the protagonists.

Still, I’ll go with a passing score for Alien Abduction. Alien Abduction is not good enough to stand out amongst the crowded found-footage pack, the movie features a good amount of shaky cam abuse, and yes, you’ll see more than enough familiar tropes here. But the main cast delivers a nice set of solid performances, and to add to that, they’re likable characters, who are willing to risk everything to save and protect each other. Is anyone familiar with the typical cowardly “To hell with the rest of you! I’m going to do anything I can to save my own a**!” character in horror films? You know, that one person (or persons), who won’t hesitate to sabotage, abandon, or manipulate the rest of the group to escape and save themselves? Well, you won’t see that in Alien Abduction, because bravery is a reoccurring theme here. Also, kudos to director Matty Beckerman for some genuinely eerie and creepy (the scattered pile of dead crows on the desolate mountain roads and the dark tunnel full of abandoned cars) visuals.

When it’s all said and done, Alien Abduction is nothing to brag about. Still, if you’re a fan of aliens and sci-fi/horror, it’s not the worst film to take a chance on. Alien Abduction falls into a few slumps every now and then, but on a positive note, the brief 1hr. & 25 min. runtime is barely noticeable.

Rating- 5/10

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Alien Abduction (2014)(Spoiler Review)

This review contains spoilers.


The Story- During a camping trip to Brown Mountain, North Carolina, an eleven-year-old boy named Riley Morris (Riley Polanski) decides to bring a video camera. Diagnosed with autism, Riley joins his father, Peter (Peter Holden), his mother, Katie (Katherine Sigismund), his older brother, Corey (Corey Eid), and his teenage sister, Jillian (Jillian Clare). Riley uses his video camera to record the family’s trip, but The Morris Family runs into a series of bizarre problems.

One night, Riley, Corey, and Jillian witness erratic movements from three flashing objects in the sky, but the mysterious objects disappear before the trio has a real chance to investigate or alert their parents. As the trip takes a turn for the worse, a frustrated Peter reaches a boiling point, and to make matters worse, the car is running low on gas. Lost, confused, and running low on patience, the family searches for a road to the highway, but they run into an unpleasant surprise, when they find a clustered mess of abandoned cars blocking the entrance to a tunnel.

Peter, Corey, and Riley cautiously explore the dark tunnel littered with abandoned cars, including a police car, and Peter calls for help, when he spots a shadowy figure in the distance. But Peter, Riley, and Corey are forced to retreat, when Peter realizes the shadowy figure is actually an alien. Peter urges Riley and Corey to return to the car, as more aliens surround the group. Riley and Corey escape, but Peter is abducted by the aliens.

With a limited number of options in front of them, the remaining members of The Morris Family join forces with Sean (Jeff Bowser), a reclusive local, who lives in the Brown Mountain community. A reluctant Sean allows Riley, Corey, Jillian, and Katie to take refuge in his isolated cabin, and Sean explains the mysteries and rumors behind the Brown Mountain Lights and rumored alien abductions in the area. Eventually, the aliens return to wreak havoc, and with their backs against the wall, the group clings to slim hopes of an escape, as Sean fights side by side with the family to survive another attack from the aliens.

Review- Alien Abduction adds a touch of realism with documentary style interviews from residents, paranormal experts, and eye witnesses. On top of that, the movie starts off Riley’s recorded footage, and they make sure to remind us this footage is recovered  by the US Air Force. It’s always nice to see the extra effort to maintain suspension of disbelief for found-footage, so it’s easier to buy into real people running into an incomprehensible dilemma. More often than not, you’ll just see the routine found-footage formula about a random cameraman or woman inexplicably recording a series of close calls, deaths, chases, and at the same time, they’re screaming and turning the camera on themselves, so they can explain what’s happening to complete strangers, who might or might not see the recorded footage.

So what happens to The Morris Family? Well, in Sean’s cabin the aliens eventually corner Corey, Riley, Jillian, and Katie (Sean leaves to rescue his brother after hearing a desperate plea for help on a radio message). Feeling remorse, grief, and regret after Peter’s abduction (Corey believes he could’ve and should’ve done more to save his father), Corey decides to stay behind and fight (with a rifle) the aliens by himself, while Riley, Katie, and Jillian hide underground in a cellar, and of course the aliens abduct Corey during his ill-fated last stand.

Sean eventually returns, and the group decides to leave his cabin, so they can flee to a nearby town for safety. But during the short road trip, the aliens show up again. The remaining members of The Morris Family run to a barn, but Sean willingly stays behind to fight the aliens.

In the barn, Sean returns (again) after escaping another attack, but the aliens corner the survivors. The aliens abduct and kill Katie and Sean, leaving Jillian and Riley alone. For a brief period of time, Riley loses Jillian in the woods, but Jillian finds her brother, and the two successfully evade the aliens until sunrise.

In the morning, Jillian and Riley share a moment of relief, when a police officer shows up to help. But Riley and Jillian’s luck runs out, when the aliens return to abduct them and the policeman. The final moments of the movie show Riley (holding on to the video camera) rapidly ascending into the sky, and you’ll see a few brief shots from inside the alien’s spaceship, and you can clearly hear screams from victims, who are presumably suffering a painful dissection or examination.

To add to this, the movie ends with men in hazmat suits taking Riley’s camera, and the credits start to roll. But it’s not over yet, because a mid-credits scene pops up. In the mid-credits scene, a policeman finds Peter alone and naked on the streets one year after the events in the movie. They never reveal the identity (or identities) of the other survivor or survivors, but it’s heavily implied Peter is NOT the only survivor from the recent string of alien abductions.  

Well, I can’t sit here and say it was 100% easy to telegraph Corey sacrificing himself to save the family in Sean’s cabin, but at the same time, Corey’s sacrifice is not a genuine surprise or a true shocking moment. In his own mind, Corey couldn’t escape the guilt for not doing enough to prevent Peter’s abduction. Corey clearly placed all the blame on his shoulders, so he had to kill two birds with one stone (i.e. giving his family a chance to escape, and taking a second chance to stand and fight the aliens without running away).

Yes, Alien Abduction deserves some bonus points for going the extra mile to convince the audience they’re watching real archived and top secret footage complete with one on one interviews. The jump scares feel forced, but it‘s not a major problem, so I can‘t complain too much. But one of the bigger problems in Alien Abduction is, the movie sticks to a repetitive formula, when the aliens appear. The aliens show up, the survivors run and hide, and it’s only a matter of time before they’re cornered, and someone is abducted and/or abducted and murdered. The rinse and repeat strategy really crossed a tedious line for me, and towards the end, it’s not that hard to predict what’s going to happen next, when the aliens corner the protagonists.

Still, I’ll go with a passing score for Alien Abduction. Alien Abduction is not good enough to stand out amongst the crowded found-footage pack, the movie features a good amount of shaky cam abuse, and yes, you’ll see more than enough familiar tropes here. But the main cast delivers a nice set of solid performances, and to add to that, they’re likable characters, who are willing to risk everything to save and protect each other. Is anyone familiar with the typical cowardly “To hell with the rest of you! I’m going to do anything I can to save my own a**!” character in horror films? You know, that one person (or persons), who won’t hesitate to sabotage, abandon, or manipulate the rest of the group to escape and save themselves? Well, you won’t see that in Alien Abduction, because bravery is a reoccurring theme here. Also, kudos to director Matty Beckerman for some genuinely eerie and creepy (the scattered pile of dead crows on the desolate mountain roads and the dark tunnel full of abandoned cars) visuals, and the grisly sight of Katie’s body literally bending backwards and snapping during her abduction/death is more than enough to pull a reaction out of you.

When it’s all said and done, Alien Abduction is nothing to brag about. Still, if you’re a fan of aliens and sci-fi/horror, it’s not the worst film to take a chance on. Alien Abduction falls into a few slumps every now and then, but on a positive note, the brief 1hr. & 25 min. runtime is barely noticeable.

Rating- 5/10

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In The Blood (2014)(Minor Spoilers Review)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers. No major character deaths or reveals**

In 2002, a teenage Ava lives with her father, Casey (Stephen Lang) in a shabby Bridgeport, Conneticut home. As a hardened outlaw, Casey trains his daughter to be a lethal fighting machine with rigorous survival exercises and intense sparring sessions.

One night, a group of thugs invade Casey and Ava’s home. The intruders murder Casey, but Ava turns the tables with a shotgun. Ava murders the remaining thugs to survive the attack, but a callous Ava refuses to shed one tear for her father’s death.

Twelve years later, a reformed Ava (Gina Carano) prepares for her wedding ceremony in Arlington, Virgina. Derek Grant (Cam Gigandet) met Ava at a narcotics  anonymous meeting, and he’s ready to trust and spend the rest of his life with her, but Derek’s wealthy father, Robert (Treat Williams) doesn’t trust Ava and her motvations for marrying Derek. Ava’s troubled past raises a red flag for Robert, and the thought of Ava devising a scheme to marry Derek for a piece of the family fortune is too much to handle, so Mr. Grant pushes Derek to sign a prenuptial agreement. To prove his loyalty to Ava, Derek refuses his father’s request, and he tears the prenup in half to erase any doubts.

After the wedding,  Derek and Ava take a trip to a Caribbean island for their honeymoon, and Derek uses his grandfather’s old house as a vacation home. On the island, Derek and Ava meet a friendly local named Manny (Ismael Cruz Cordova). Manny convinces Derek and Ava to join him for a wild night at a local nightclub. Here, Ava and Derek cross paths with Big Biz (Danny Trejo), a powerful and respected gangster on the island. Big Biz tries to seduce Ava, but Derek intervenes. Ava fights off an assault to protect Derek, and Manny helps the couple escape in a taxi. After the brawl, Big Biz’s rival, Silvio Lugo (Amaury Nolasco) issues a stern warning about disrupting the peaceful and festive environment at the club. 

In the morning, Derek and Ava take a chance on ziplining after a persuasive pitch from Manny. The ziplining instructor JoJo (Oscar H. Guerrero) reassures a nervous Ava, but Derek suffers a nasty leg injury after a potentially fatal fall from faulty equipment on the zipline.

JoJo calls for an ambulance, but Manny disappears. Ava tries to fight her way into the ambulance with Derek, but the paramedics deny Ava’s attempts for insurance concerns. Ava follows the ambulance to the hospital. She loses Derek and the ambulance after a fall, but a friendly local helps Ava with a ride to the hospital.  

At the hospital, Ava runs into an unpleasant surprise, when Leta (Yvette Yates), a receptionist,  can’t find any records of Derek’s name in the system. Ava forces her way through the doors, but after a quick search, it’s clear Derek is not in the hospital.

Ava  turns to the local police for help after an unsuccessful search in every clinic and hospital on the island. Police Chief Ramon Garza (Luis Guzman) is reluctant to help Ava, and after a visit from Derek’s family, Ava takes matters into her own hands to find and rescue Derek. 

Ava suspects a cover up after JoJo completely denies knowing, seeing, and assisting Derek, Ava, and Manny on the zipline. A determined Ava embarks on a bloody and deadly mission to find Manny and the paramedics for more answers, and rescue Derek before it‘s too late. But during the fight to uncover the truth behind the conspiracy, Ava unintentionally brings the bitter feud between Big Biz and Silvio to a dangerous boiling point.

Gina Carano has the tools to carve out a sustainable career for herself, as a recognizable face and name in the action genre. When it comes to sex appeal, she has the perfect balance. You notice Carano’s beauty, but her looks are never the main focus for her character, because she has what it takes to be a physical force. That, or Carano’s character(s) can use her good looks to deceive any adversaries (the bathroom scene on the boat is a good example for In The Blood.), and Carano’s MMA background is no secret, so she can rely on a touch of legitimacy for her film roles.

Carano’s Ava is a no-nonsense fighting machine, and Carano delivers another entertaining performance in her comfort zone here. Carano delivers on the physical side of things, and it’s not limited to the fight scenes. Carano carries herself well with convincing body language and an unflinching demeanor, and she’s decent enough in a few emotional scenes.

Although, I will say this, In The Blood constantly tip-toes on a suspension of disbelief line with Ava throughout the movie. Flashbacks show Ava’s tough training sessions with her strict father, and yes, in real life Carano has the MMA credentials, but it’s hard to ignore In The Blood constantly going way over the top to showcase Ava’s deadly combat skills. One scene that sticks out as an example, is Ava trying to fight her way out of the police station, and it takes an entire group of cops to restrain her, and force her to the ground.

As far as the rest of the cast goes, I can’t say too much. Danny Trejo fans shouldn’t get their hopes up too high, because Trejo’s screen time is limited here, and you can say the same thing about Cam Gigandet. If we’re talking about personalities, Trejo plays the powerful hot head, while Gigandet is the loyal husband, and that’s about it. Nolasco’s Silvio is your typical cocky and greedy bad guy, he’s a bully, and that’s about it.

There’s some potential for a feud between Treat Williams’ Robert and Carano’s Ava. To give an example, there’s a scene, where Robert accuses Ava of planning Derek’s disappearance to collect some of the family fortune, and Ava responds to the accusations with a defiant “f*** you.” Robert resented Ava, because he believes she’s nothing more than a junkie and a crazy fraud, who’s trying to take advantage of his son, but Ava is willing to fight and die for Derek, because he saved her from a miserable life. The bitter distrust on Robert’s side, and Ava’s loyalty is believable, but the big problem is the feud never has a chance to develop, because Williams’ screen time is limited, and his character disappears after the visit to the island.

Overall, director John Stockwell’s work behind the camera is hit-and-miss. The editing for Ava and Derek’s honeymoon highlight reel and Ava’s risky bike ride through the city looks and feels clunky and choppy. The hiccups are not enough to drag In The Blood down into the gutter quality wise, but they’re noticeable.

If you’re looking for an artsy and stylish action/crime thriller, In The Blood is not for you. But if you’re looking for some mindless fun action, and hard hitting fight scenes, In The Blood is a satisfying film. Yes, the torture, interrogate, fight, kick ass, and repeat formula during Ava’s “WHERE’S MY HUSBAND?!?!” mission feels repetitive and tedious at times, but Carano consistently delivers a good show throughout In The Blood on the physical side of the film. Again, In The Blood is not a masterpiece, the dialogue sounds rigid and contrived most of the time, and the characters are one-dimensional, but if you’re looking for an entertaining guilty pleasure, it’s worth a try. And the big twist at the at the end is a little far-fetched, but it's a genuine and refreshing surprise. 

As I said before, Gina Carano has a future in the action world. For now, I won’t go as far as using the superstar tag, but she has what it takes to make a real name for herself. Haywire is still Carano’s best starring action role to date, and nothing comes close. It’s true Carano was surrounded by a talented cast in Haywire, and you can say the likes of Fassbender and McGregor helped hide her flaws, but Carano doesn’t need to deliver an Oscar worthy performance. The potential is there, and she can build her career around the persona of a lethal action heroine, but she needs more time and more films to build a more solid résumé.

Rating: 6/10

In The Blood (2014)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**

In 2002, a teenage Ava lives with her father, Casey (Stephen Lang) in a shabby Bridgeport, Conneticut home. As a hardened outlaw, Casey trains his daughter to be a lethal fighting machine with rigorous survival exercises and intense sparring sessions.

One night, a group of thugs invade Casey and Ava’s home. The intruders murder Casey, but Ava turns the tables with a shotgun. Ava murders the remaining thugs to survive the attack, but a callous Ava refuses to shed one tear for her father’s death.

Twelve years later, a reformed Ava (Gina Carano) prepares for her wedding ceremony in Arlington, Virgina. Derek Grant (Cam Gigandet) met Ava at a narcotics  anonymous meeting, and he’s ready to trust and spend the rest of his life with her, but Derek’s wealthy father, Robert (Treat Williams) doesn’t trust Ava and her motvations for marrying Derek. Ava’s troubled past raises a red flag for Robert, and the thought of Ava devising a scheme to marry Derek for a piece of the family fortune is too much to handle, so Mr. Grant pushes Derek to sign a prenuptial agreement. To prove his loyalty to Ava, Derek refuses his father’s request, and he tears the prenup in half to erase any doubts.

After the wedding,  Derek and Ava take a trip to a Caribbean island for their honeymoon, and Derek uses his grandfather’s old house as a vacation home. On the island, Derek and Ava meet a friendly local named Manny (Ismael Cruz Cordova). Manny convinces Derek and Ava to join him for a wild night at a local nightclub. Here, Ava and Derek cross paths with Big Biz (Danny Trejo), a powerful and respected gangster on the island. Big Biz tries to seduce Ava, but Derek intervenes. Ava fights off an assault to protect Derek, and Manny helps the couple escape in a taxi. After the brawl, Big Biz’s rival, Silvio Lugo (Amaury Nolasco) issues a stern warning about disrupting the peaceful and festive environment at the club. 

In the morning, Derek and Ava take a chance on ziplining after a persuasive pitch from Manny. The ziplining instructor JoJo (Oscar H. Guerrero) reassures a nervous Ava, but Derek suffers a nasty leg injury after a potentially fatal fall from faulty equipment on the zipline.

JoJo calls for an ambulance, but Manny disappears. Ava tries to fight her way into the ambulance with Derek, but the paramedics deny Ava’s attempts for insurance concerns. Ava follows the ambulance to the hospital. She loses Derek and the ambulance after a fall, but a friendly local helps Ava with a ride to the hospital.  

At the hospital, Ava runs into an unpleasant surprise, when Leta (Yvette Yates), a receptionist,  can’t find any records of Derek’s name in the system. Ava forces her way through the doors, but after a quick search, it’s clear Derek is not in the hospital.

Ava  turns to the local police for help after an unsuccessful search in every clinic and hospital on the island. Police Chief Ramon Garza (Luis Guzman) is reluctant to help Ava, and after a visit from Derek’s family, Ava takes matters into her own hands to find and rescue Derek. 

Ava suspects a cover up after JoJo completely denies knowing, seeing, and assisting Derek, Ava, and Manny on the zipline. A determined Ava embarks on a bloody and deadly mission to find Manny and the paramedics for more answers, and rescue Derek before it‘s too late. But during the fight to uncover the truth behind the conspiracy, Ava unintentionally brings the bitter feud between Big Biz and Silvio to a dangerous boiling point.

Gina Carano has the tools to carve out a sustainable career for herself, as a recognizable face and name in the action genre. When it comes to sex appeal, she has the perfect balance. You notice Carano’s beauty, but her looks are never the main focus for her character, because she has what it takes to be a physical force. That, or Carano’s character(s) can use her good looks to deceive any adversaries (the bathroom scene on the boat is a good example for In The Blood.), and Carano’s MMA background is no secret, so she can rely on a touch of legitimacy for her film roles.

Carano’s Ava is a no-nonsense fighting machine, and Carano delivers another entertaining performance in her comfort zone here. Carano delivers on the physical side of things, and it’s not limited to the fight scenes. Carano carries herself well with convincing body language and an unflinching demeanor, and she’s decent enough in a few emotional scenes.

Although, I will say this, In The Blood constantly tip-toes on a suspension of disbelief line with Ava throughout the movie. Flashbacks show Ava’s tough training sessions with her strict father, and yes, in real life Carano has the MMA credentials, but it’s hard to ignore In The Blood constantly going way over the top to showcase Ava’s deadly combat skills. One scene that sticks out as an example, is Ava trying to fight her way out of the police station, and it takes an entire group of cops to restrain her, and force her to the ground.

As far as the rest of the cast goes, I can’t say too much. Danny Trejo fans shouldn’t get their hopes up too high, because Trejo’s screen time is limited here, and you can say the same thing about Cam Gigandet. If we’re talking about personalities, Trejo plays the powerful hot head, while Gigandet is the loyal husband, and that’s about it. Nolasco’s Silvio is your typical cocky and greedy bad guy, he’s a bully, and that’s about it.

There’s some potential for a feud between Treat Williams’ Robert and Carano’s Ava. To give an example, there’s a scene, where Robert accuses Ava of planning Derek’s disappearance to collect some of the family fortune, and Ava responds to the accusations with a defiant “f*** you.” Robert resented Ava, because he believes she’s nothing more than a junkie and a crazy fraud, who’s trying to take advantage of his son, but Ava is willing to fight and die for Derek, because he saved her from a miserable life. The bitter distrust on Robert’s side, and Ava’s loyalty is believable, but the big problem is the feud never has a chance to develop, because Williams’ screen time is limited, and his character disappears after the visit to the island.

So what happened to Derek? Was it a kidnapping? Are the kidnappers asking for a ransom? Is he dead? Well, after torturing him in the night club at a bathroom, Ava forces a reluctant Manny to help her find Derek and his kidnappers. To add to that, the two paramedics played a part in Derek’s disappearance.

Eventually, Ava escapes police custody twice, she foils a last second execution attempt, and after a chat with Chief Garza, Ava learns the truth about Derek’s disappearance: Derek died on the operating table during a botched surgery, and Chief Garza played a part in covering up the death as a favor to the doctor. An enraged Ava gives Chief Garza a choice for his death. Ava gives Garza the choice of a box cutter or a gun, and Garza chooses the cutter, because he doesn’t want to startle  his sleeping daughter.

But wait a minute! It’s not over yet. Ava wants to “finish” her mission, so she infiltrates the hospital. Ava kills the receptionist (Leta), who lied to her earlier in the film, and she tortures the doctor, who performed the surgery on Derek  for more answers….and Ava witnesses a shocking revelation, when she spots a wheelchair-bound  Derek entering the hospital with Silvio and his men.

Silvio suffers from a rare type of cancer, and he needs stem cell transfusions for bone marrow. Derek is a perfect match, and Silvio constantly uses Derek as a reliable source to prolong his life.

Using a doctor’s outfit as a disguise, Ava rescues Derek from the hospital, but a wounded and drugged Silvio (Ava sabotaged Silvio’s IV at the hospital) chases Ava and Derek through the island with help from his crew and a few locals. Manny helps Derek and Ava hide, but Silvio and his gang trap Ava and Derek in Manny’s neighborhood. Derek and Ava systemically eliminate Silvio’s gang, and Ava faces Silvio in a one on one fight.

During the fight, Ava turns the tables on Silvio, and she holds a knife to his throat. The neighborhood cheers for Silvio’s death, but Big Biz interrupts the fight. Ava reluctantly gives the knife to Big Biz, and Biz uses the knife to murder Silvio. Why did Biz murder Silvio? Silvio was bad for business. The deaths of two Americans would hurt the island from a financial standpoint, and Biz wasn’t happy about the idea of Silvio risking his way of life (i.e. money from American men paying for his prostitutes, gambling, etc.). Biz reclaims his spot as the dominant force on the island, and he allows Derek and Ava to leave. To end the movie, Derek and Ava say their good-byes to Manny, and they leave the island together for the long trip home.

No real complaints about the big showdown between Silvio and Ava, and a few extra bonus points for the “Derek is still alive” twist. It’s a genuine surprise, because after Graza’s confession, you had to believe Derek was gone for good. Also, I’m glad they avoided a clichéd “islanders kidnap wealthy Americans for profit in an underground operation” twist. Silvio’s cancer revelation and Silvio using Derek to stay alive is a little far-fetched, but it’s nice to see an action/crime thriller take a chance on something different.

Overall, director John Stockwell’s work behind the camera is hit-and-miss. The editing for Ava and Derek’s honeymoon highlight reel and Ava’s risky bike ride through the city looks and feels clunky and choppy. The hiccups are not enough to drag In The Blood down into the gutter quality wise, but they’re noticeable.

If you’re looking for an artsy and stylish action/crime thriller, In The Blood is not for you. But if you’re looking for some mindless fun action, and hard hitting fight scenes, In The Blood is a satisfying film. Yes, the torture, interrogate, fight, kick ass, and repeat formula during Ava’s “WHERE’S MY HUSBAND?!?!” mission feels repetitive and tedious at times, but Carano consistently delivers a good show throughout In The Blood on the physical side of the film. Again, In The Blood is not a masterpiece, the dialogue sounds rigid and contrived most of the time, and the characters are one-dimensional, but if you’re looking for an entertaining guilty pleasure, it’s worth a try.

As I said before, Gina Carano has a future in the action world. For now, I won’t go as far as using the superstar tag, but she has what it takes to make a real name for herself. Haywire is still Carano’s best starring action role to date, and nothing comes close. It’s true Carano was surrounded by a talented cast in Haywire, and you can say the likes of Fassbender and McGregor helped hide her flaws, but Carano doesn’t need to deliver an Oscar worthy performance. The potential is there, and she can build her career around the persona of a lethal action heroine, but she needs more time and more films to build a more solid résumé.

Rating: 6/10