Masters of Horror (TV Series) Right to Die (2007) User Reviews

Average - reasonable ...

[Vic_max · 5/10 · 7 January 2007]

This movie was a mix of good and bad points. In general, it's actually a hair above average, but not by much. Compared to other movies in the "Masters of Horror" series, it is above average.

Basically the story centers around a couple that is involved in a car accident that leaves the husband OK, but the wife in comatose, completely burned condition. In line with what he believes she would want, he works to get her off of life support. Things get strange when unpleasant things begin to happen to the husband.

The story is reasonably predictable but there are a few decent plot twists thrown in. The mode in which the story is told is pretty good - as we watch the story unfold, we get flashbacks of the past which give us more insight into what is happening.

The problem with this movie is that the horror element is pretty standard fare and the story is not interesting enough to carry the movie. There was nothing really shocking or scary. Furthermore, there were some long, predictable scenes that could really have been cut down.

Overall, the movie doesn't really drop-off or take-off. If you don't watch it, you won't have missed much. If you're a fan of the "Masters of Horror" series, then this movie will be a step up from the norm.

Mediocre MoH episode

[Witchfinder-General-666 · 5/10 · 3 February 2009]

The ninth episode in the second season of "Masters Of Horror", Rob Schmidt's "Right To Die" is a mediocre entry to the generally great series. I have become quite a fan of "Masters Of Horror", but it has to be said that the episodes differ immensely in quality and scariness. While some episodes such as Takashi Miike's "Imprint", the two episodes by master Dario Argento, or John Carpenter's "Cigarette Burns" are absolutely great, some others such as "The V-Word" or "We All Scream For Ice Cream" sucked big time in my opinion. "Right To Die" is one of several episodes that are neither very good nor very bad. The episode is exceptionally morbid and it bears enough creepiness and originality, and yet it does not really get scary, simply because none of the characters is even only slightly likable. As some other MoH episodes, "Right to Die" has a somewhat political theme, namely the euthanasia debate. A dentist (Martin Donovan) decides to pull the plug on his wife (Julia Anderson), who is comatose and disfigured after an accident. He has to figure out, however, that her vengeful spirit is on the loose... The performances are neither very good nor very bad, but one has to say that Julia Anderson and Robin Sydney make a very hot female cast (hot female cast members are a quality of almost all MoH episodes). The episode is decently shot, there is some very creepy imagery and some scenes are extremely morbid. I couldn't say that I disliked the episode, and yet it sure didn't blow me away either. The characters are unlikable, which makes it quite hard to be scared for them. Still some scenes are creepy enough, and overall the episode is worth the time for fans of the series.

Hot

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 24 September 2010]

The ingredients to this are more than apt. The story is good enough, the acting is decent too. You get to see quite a lot of "skin" (and no skin, pun intended), but everything serves the purpose of the movie. I guess you won't have easy answers or characters that are without flaws, but why would you want it any other way. The movie (and it's director) know exactly what they want.

And that is to entertain and (possibly) shock a little. It's a nice little story, that is being told in a twisted kind of way. And while the director had not done that many movies, to qualify for the tag "Masters of Horror", he does a good job here, as do other directors of this series with not so much background or experience. It's light entertainment and fulfills everything you should expect it to be

Good Episode

[Michael_Elliott · 26 February 2008]

Right to Die (2007)

*** (out of 4)

Pretty good Masters of Horror entry about a husband (Martin Donovan) who cheats on his wife (Julie Anderson). Later that night they get in a car wreck and the wife is burned 100% over her body and the husband agrees that his wife wouldn't want to be kept alive. However, the girl's mother starts a legal battle to keep her alive so every time the woman dies she is brought back. By doing this, her spirit gets irritated and every time she's brought back, the spirit comes back to haunt the husband. It would seem there would be all sorts of political jabs in this but thankfully director Rob Schmidt keeps that out and instead goes for the horror. There's some pretty gory moments including one scene where they give the burned wife a bath. The revenge segment is pretty good and the performances are better than average.

To euthanasia or not to euthanasia?

[Coventry · 7/10 · 27 December 2008]

I'm not entirely sure Rob Schmidt qualifies as a "Master" in the genre of horror, since he previously just directed one horror film called "Wrong Turn" and that one was actually just was slightly above mediocre, but fact is that he made with "Right to Die" one of the best and creepiest episodes of the entire second season of the "Masters of Horror" franchise. There was a similar underdog story in season one, when William Malone made on of the best episodes with "The Fair Haired Child" even though his other long feature films "Fear Dot Com" and "House on Haunted Hill" sucked pretty badly.

The story of "Right to Die" cleverly picks in on the nowadays piping hot social debate of euthanasia, but thankfully also features multiple old-fashioned horror themes like ghostly vengeance, murderous conspiracies, pitch black humor and comic book styled violence. Whilst driving home late one night and discussing the husband's continuous adultery, the Addison couple are involved in a terrible car accident. Cliff walks away from the wreck unharmed but his wife Abby is fully burned and needs to be kept alive artificially. Whilst Cliff and his sleazy attorney (Corbin Bernsen of "The Dentist") want to plug the plug on her and sue the car constructor, Abbey's mum sets up a giant media campaign to keep her daughter alive as a vegetable and blame everything on Cliff. Meanwhile Abbey's hateful spirit comes back for revenge and kills someone in Cliff's surrounding whenever she has a near fatal experience with the medical devices. After a few victims, Cliff realizes it might be safer for him to keep his wife alive if he wants to remain alive as well. "Right to Die" is a stupendous episode and exactly the type of stuff I always hoped to see from a TV-series concept like "Masters of Horror". It's violent and gory with a sick & twisted sense of humor and loads of sleaze sequences. The euthanasia theme and the whole obligatory media circus that surrounds it is processed into the script very well, yet without unnecessarily reverting to political standpoints or morality lessons. The atmosphere is suspenseful and the killing sequences are suitably nasty and unsettling. Actresses Julia Anderson and Robin Sydney both have pretty face and impressively voluptuous racks, which is always a welcome plus, and Corbin Bernsen is finally offered the chance again to depict a mean-spirited and egocentric bastard. Great "MoH" episode; definitely one of the highlights of both seasons.

Surprisingly good

[ODDBear · 7/10 · 29 October 2008]

What starts out as a very predictable and somewhat drab affair is in the end quite hilarious and entertaining. "Right to Die" is not very suspenseful but it more than makes up for that with some outlandish set pieces and over the top gore.

Spoilers here:

Top credits also go to the dead-on performance from Martin Donovan as one of the most despicable characters ever to grace the screen. Playing the character in a great "aloof" fashion, you nearly feel bad for the guy in the end when his grand plan ultimately fails. Corbin Bernsen also chews up the scenery playing a not-so-good-guy who gets his just desserts.

End of Spoiler.

As a revenge-from-the-dead flick, "Right to Die" benefits heavily from it's performers and is more than an OK way to spend less than an hour.

""I don't know about soul's, I'm a lawyer." Another decent Masers of Horror episode.

[poolandrews · 7/10 · 13 March 2007]

Masters of Horror: Right to Die starts late one night as married couple Abby (Julia Anderson) & Ciff Addison (Martin Donovan) are driving home, however while talking Cliff is distracted & crashes into a tree that has fallen across the road. Cliff's airbag works OK & he walks away with minor injuries, unfortunately for Abby hers didn't & she ended up as toast when she was thrown from the car & doused in petrol which set alight burning her entire body. Abby's life is saved, just. She is taken to hospital where she is on life support seriously injured & horribly disfigured from the burns. Cliff decides that she should die, his selfish lawyer Ira (Corbin Bersen) thinks they should let Abby die, sue the car manufacturer & get rich while Abby's mum Pam (Linda Sorenson) wants to blame Cliff, get rich & save Abby. However Abby has other plans of her own...

This American Canadian co-production was directed by Rob Schmidt (whose only horror film previously was Wrong Turn (2003) which on it's own hardly qualifies him to direct a Masters of Horror episode) & was episode 9 from season 2 of the Masters of Horror TV series, while I didn't think Right to Die was the best Masters of Horror episode I've seen I thought it was a decent enough effort all the same & still doesn't come close to being as bad as The Screwfly Solution (2006). The script by John Esposito has a neat central idea that isn't anything new but it uses it effectively enough although I'd say it's a bit uneven, the first 15 minutes of this focuses on the horror element of the story but then it goes into a lull for 20 odd minutes as it becomes a drama as the legal wrangling over Abby's life & the affair Cliff is having take center stage before it gets back on track it a deliciously gory & twisted climax that may not be for the faint of heart. The character's are a bit clichéd, the weak man, the bent lawyer, the protective mum & the young tart who has sex to get what she wants but they all serve their purpose well enough, the dialogue is OK, the story moves along at a nice pace & overall I liked Right to Die apart from a few minutes here & there where it loses it's focus a bit & I wasn't that keen on the ambiguous ending.

Director Schmidt does a good job & there are some effective scenes, this tries to alternate between low key spooky atmosphere & out-and-out blood & gore. There are some fantastic special make-up effects as usual, there's shots of Abby where she has had all of the skin burned off her body & the image of her bandaged head with her teeth showing because she has no lips left is pretty gross (images & make-up effects that reminded me of similar scenes in Hellraiser (1987) & it's sequels), then there's the main course at the end where Cliff literally skins someone complete with close-ups of scalpels slicing skin open & him peeling it off the muscle & putting it into a cooler box! Very messy. There are also various assorted body parts. There's some nudity here as well with at least a couple of pretty ladies getting naked...

Technically Right to Die is excellent, the special effects are brilliant & as most Masters of Horror episodes it doesn't look like a cheap made-for-TV show which basically if the truth be told it is. The acting was fine but there's no big 'names' in this one.

Right to Die is another enjoyable & somewhat twisted Masters of Horror episode that most horror fans should definitely check out if not just for the terrific skinning scene! Well worth a watch... for those with the stomach.

I like it's dark atmosphere

[Fernando-Rodrigues · 5/10 · 22 November 2020]

It addresses such an amazing topic (the "right to die"), but it is limited by a weak script. (with such a weak plot twist: it's a twist on Abby's death, she didn't die with the fire in the car crash. her husband crashed the car and set fire at her.)

Outstanding horror mini-movie

[Indyrod · 8/10 · 7 January 2007]

This was a superb episode, one of the best of both seasons. Down right horror for a change, with a story that is way way above the average MOH episodes, if there is such a thing. A man's wife is almost burned to death in a tragic car wreck, in which he was driving. His airbag worked, her's didn't. She is burned beyond recognition (great makeup btw), and not given much of a chance to live without a full skin graft. BUT, even in a coma, she keeps dying but brought back by modern technology, and when she does die for a few minutes, her ghost appears as a very vengeful spirit. Carnage of course ensues, and also some extremely gory killings, and also, some extremely sexy scenes. What more could you ask for, you might ask? Well, not much, because this baby has it all, and a very satirical ending, that should leave a smile on most viewers faces. I just loved Rob Schmidt's (Wrong Turn) direction too, he has a great knack for horror. Excellent episode, this is one I'm buying for sure.

Right to watch

[oligarquiachacarera-1 · 7/10 · 16 December 2008]

This is one of the best episode from the second season of MOH, I think Mick Garris has a problem with women... He kill'em all, they are often the victims (Screwfly solution, Pro-life, Valerie on the stairs, I don't remember the Argento's episode in season 1, etc., obviously Imprint). I think he enjoys to watch women been burn, torture, mutilated and I don't know. Never least "Right to die" is one of the best, with good turns and graphic scenes and suspense (specially with the photos from the cell scene, wonderful). The acting is like the entire series, regular I could be worst like "Pro-life" or "We scream for Ice cream". Also I think the plot it could be made for a movie and not just for an episode. The ideology of the series is horrible, killing and terminating women, mutilating animals and on and on... the first season it was better than the second one with episodes like "Cigarrette burns" (The best of all), "Homecoming" (The most funny), "Imprint" (really shocking).

Gets under your skin

[Naturezrevenge · 8/10 · 4 February 2007]

Maybe it's just because I have an intense fear of hospitals and medical stuff, but this one got under my skin (pardon the pun). This piece is brave, not afraid to go over the top and as satisfying as they come in terms of revenge movies. Not only did I find myself feeling lots of hatred for the screwer and lots of sympathy towards the "screwee", I felt myself cringe and feel pangs of disgust at certain junctures which is really a rare and delightful thing for a somewhat jaded horror viewer like myself. Some parts are very reminiscant of "Hellraiser", but come off as tribute rather than imitation. It's a heavy handed piece that does not offer the viewer much to consider, but I enjoy being assaulted by a film once and awhile. This piece brings it and doesn't appologize. I liked this one a lot. Do NOT watch whilst eating pudding.

Appy or Abby ?

[bingobearuk · 7/10 · 14 November 2007]

Why did it sound like the husband kept calling her Appy ? It ruined a great episode and so I can only give it a 6. Proper grammar and pronunciation are essential to a film.

It was very Hellraiser what with all the skin ripping though I dunno how anyone can survive without skin the skin is a vital organ to the body the biggest organ actually and without we would die. The more a horror film is true the more creepy it can be and more entertaining.

I do admit though that the stories from the great horror directors are very disappointing and very mediocre.

6/10 come on Yankies get your English up to par !

Propaganda against euthanasia

[Bored_Dragon · 7/10 · 12 May 2018]

Shortly after being caught in adultery, dentist experience a car accident from which he comes out almost unscathed, while his wife ends up in a coma with minimal chances of recovery. While in hospital, wife dies several times and doctors revive her, but every time while in a state of clinical death, her spirit uses the opportunity to take revenge on the people which she considers guilty for her situation.

At first seemingly uninteresting, this episode hides some pleasant surprises, in the form of good acting, a few extremely erotic scenes and several great plot twists that I did not expect. I especially liked the end, which is both creepy and very witty in dark humorous way. I have only one objection. I think that the episode would be more effective as a psychological horror, where instead of the most severely disfigured woman and explicit violence, the victims are waiting in suspense to be attacked by her invisible spirit. I would get rid of the most of the gore and keep just the bathtub scene and the last scene with mistress.

7,5/10

Pure EC Ghoulishness...

[cchase · 8/10 · 10 January 2007]

Fans of the HBO series "Tales From the Crypt" are going to love this MOH episode. Those who know the basic archetypal stories that most of the classic EC comics were based on, will recognize this one right off the bat.

Underrated indie favorite Martin Donovan (also an excellent writer - co-author of the screenplays for APARTMENT ZERO and DEATH BECOMES HER) is the kind of guy whose everyman good looks can go either way. He could play a really nice if misunderstood guy-next-door, or he can play the same role with a creepy undertone of corrosive sleaziness. In the case of RIGHT TO DIE, he takes the latter approach, and it definitely works.

Donovan is a doctor who has recently had an affair with his slutty office receptionist (Robin Sydney), much to the displeasure of his inconsolable, unforgiving spouse, Abbey (Julia Anderson). When the two of them get involved in a terrible car accident while returning from an unsuccessful weekend of "making up," and she's horribly burned in a fire, he's reluctant to pull the plug on her, not without some enthusiastic nudging from his even sleazier lawyer and best buddy (Corbin Bernsen, looking the worse for wear these days.)

But Abbey's never been one to give up without a fight, and that's where the EC-theme of the episode comes in. Cuckolded husbands - and wives - have always been the genre's favorite subject matter for some spooky (and OOKY) supernatural shenanigans, and this case is definitely no exception. If anything, the ramped-up quotient of sex and gore must have Bill Gaines cackling with glee in his mausoleum somewhere.

And that's not to mention that John Esposito's original script does give the adultery angle just a slight twist. You don't realize as you're watching that you only know half the story, until close to the end...(think WHAT LIES BENEATH with more guts and gazongas, and you're there.)

Not a bad effort, but not the best of the lot, either. At least Rob Schmidt does display touches of flair here and there with the direction, especially in a scene that makes cell phone picture messaging into a truly horrifying experience indeed! As with most MOH episodes, this one is following a prevalent theme this season of flaying and dismemberment, so the extremely squeamish need not apply.

Finally....

[timhayes-1 · 8/10 · 12 January 2007]

Well its about time. I had really given up any and all hope that there was going to be a standout episode among this season's entries. While there have still been far too many drab to hohum entries, at least this episode turned out well. Its rather funny that director Rob Schmidt who only has the not bad Wrong Turn to his credit and writer John Esposito whose only scripting chores to date have included Tale Of The Mummy and Graveyard Shift should be the ones to give us the best written and most thought provoking episode of the season. In "Right To Die" we are treated to the story of Cliff and Abbey. At the start of the episode the couple are having a conversation. Abbey has caught Cliff cheating and he is desperately trying to win her back. While they speak, they find themselves in a car accident where Cliff is left with only scratches and bruises, but Abbey is thrown from the car and catches on fire when a spark ignites and gasoline that had dripped onto her catches her on fire. And this is just the setup people. Once in the hospital Cliff must decide whether or not Abbey should live in this state with no skin and only nerve reflexes. There's also a side effect too. Every time she flatlines, Abbey goes a walking as a ghost and causes trouble for all sorts of people. Hands down this is the best episode of the season and certainly ranks as one of the top episodes ever. From the gruesome effects to the taut script which threw in a few twists I never saw coming and suspense so palpable you can almost touch it, Right To Die should have the right to go on living forever.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorched...

[sunflwrgrrl · 9/10 · 8 January 2007]

I was all ready to pan this episode, seeing that this 'Master' really doesn't have any horror films under his belt.. but this is easily the best episode of the season.

The acting was good!! I don't know how he wrangled it, but we've got some real talent in this episode! And while you could see things coming from a mile away plot wise, at least it was entertaining and managed to keep me engaged for the full 56 mins, something that has been lacking up to this point in the series.

I especially liked the bit at the end, not a twist per say, but just a funny little bit where he becomes, as ever, the hen-pecked hubby.

Really good effort. Like I've said in other reviews- these are not true masters doing a lot of these episodes.. but they may someday end up being masters in the future.

The Hidden Treasure in Season Two

[gavin6942 · 8/10 · 8 February 2007]

A man and his wife get in a horrible car accident. When the wife is left in a persistent vegetative state, the man must choose between pulling the plug and letting her live. The decision is made even harder when he realizes her ghost wants to extract revenge on him and those around him.

This comes to us from director Rob Schmidt, who made "Wrong Turn" (a film I have not seen). With only one horror film under his belt, and not a particularly notorious one at that, I was a bit reluctant to watch this episode, expecting Schmidt to be a "Master of Horror" in only the most liberal sense. My apologies to him for my underestimation. As of episode 10 in a 13 episode season, this was actually the best one yet.

The issue of the "right to die" is dealt with and covered in enough detail to be a solid plot device. However, this is only the foundation on which the story revolves. Once the horror elements show up, the film goes from "decent" to "spectacular". Great acting, great plot, great dialogue, great suspense. I was a little creeped out at times (which is good) and most of all: the gore is in extreme abundance! I read a review of this episode prior to watching it, where the reviewer said there is a strong hint of "Hellraiser" in this. Through the first part of the show, I had no idea what they were talking about. Then there is a bit later where some images do remind me of "Hellraiser 2". However, I in no way wish to say that this takes away from the film. I can see no other way to create the effect that was created, and in my opinion this looks remarkably better than "Hellraiser 2".

Some plot twists show up later on, and might invite the viewer to give the film a second look. I didn't watch it a second time, but I think the beginning would make more sense if I had (not that it's confusing). The subplot with the dental hygienist is also nice, and I found myself going back and forth about whether I disliked the main character for his relationship with her or if I felt bad for him. He's somewhat of an anti-hero to the whole story, if you will. I feel inclined to cheer for him as the protagonist, but he's completely unlovable.

While the Stuart Gordon episode may be better and I'm excited about the "Washingtonians" episode, I think I could safely bet that this is the key episode of the season and by far the saving grace of what was otherwise lackluster and routine. When legends like John Carpenter let me down (again) I get a bit worried about the genre's future, but then a fresh face like Rob Schmidt comes along and gives me hope. This one is a keeper, and please bring Schmidt back for season 3!

old school horror

[trashgang · 8/10 · 6 June 2013]

Only 10 minutes into Right To Die I thought not again another story with a lot of talking going on and things you see coming from miles away. But I was wrong. It's only at the end that the plot change comes in and you get to know what really was going on the last 50 minutes.

It starts with a couple Abby (Julia Benson) and Cliff (Martin Donovan) driving and having a small argue. When Abby wants to show Cliff something they both doesn't notice the road and when they do there's a tree laying on the ground on which they crash, leaving Cliff alive and well but Abby being burned. Flashforward were Cliff wakes up at the hospital and notice that Abby is still alive but heavily burned. He feels guilty, he had an affair with Trish (Robin Sydney) and he couldn't save his wife Abby.

From there on slowly we see what really happened with both of them. Abby somehow comes back in a vengeful spirit but even Cliff has a gruesome mind.

I must agree that it also somehow reminded me of the Hellraiser (1987) were flesh is needed to survive. It also has a few nice gory shots and a bit of CGI here and there but CGI I didn't mind at all by which I mean the one when Cliff is taking a bath and having a sex dream with his wife Abby. And by saying that yes there's a bit of nudity from Robin and Julia. But what I really liked is the fact that you think what will happen do happen but there's another plot change you couldn't see coming.

This could easily have been a full feature. Some strong performances by all and some decent effects too. The burned body is a must see and the part at the hospital when the advocate get his punishment by Abby is pure horror. This episode has an old school horror feeling and it even reminded me of Franco's Faceless (1987). A must see for the old school buffs even as it isn't really gory at all.

Gore 1,5/5 Nudity 2/5 Effects 4/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5

"Do I Have a Cavity?"

[BaronBl00d · 8/10 · 10 July 2012]

Well, a man and his wife set out for their cabin one dark night. They have been fighting - for she, Abby, had recently discovered that her husband Cliff had been unfaithful(and pretty stupid it seems as the whole episode was filmed on his camera((By whom?))with his dental assistant Trish. As they go down that dark, deserted, and deadly road, they hit a fallen tree. She ends up being burned all over and covered in bandages except for her haunting eyes and mouth. He wakes up unscathed. The rest of the episode deals with Cliff having such feelings of loss over his wife's condition that he feels he must pull the plug for her benefit as she has no skin - no skin at all. The episode then gets lots of ups and downs, and even some real low points with regard to good taste, and some highlights with both Robin Sydney and even more impressively with Julia Anderson(now Benson). Check out her highlights in that tub scene. That scene has her in all her bare-chested glory, but the director Rob Schmidt also has Ave Maria playing in the background. He uses that music again in the most unorthodox and, for me, disgustingly enjoyable scene in the episode - the flaying. I really thought this episode was done very well. Schmidt obviously has loads of talent. Actor Martin Donovan has enough quirky screen persona and ambiguity to carry off what will by the episode's end be a much more complex role that might be first imagined. The script has some fun with things. Sure there are holes, but this was scary, riveting, and strangely poetic at brief times. And how about Abby's two major contribution as well as Trish's! Corbin Bernsen is here as well as a blood-sucking lawyer given his "burn notice." Wrong show, maybe he was just PSYCHed out.

Another Moral Debate Done Well

[ShadowsBeneathTheLight · 8/10 · 18 August 2022]

Pro-Life gave us a well done horror twist on abortion, and Right to Die now gives us a great twist on the question of Pulling the Plug. What starts off as a wife falling into coma from a car accident quickly turns into a terrifying nightmare for the surviving husband.

I think this episode did a great job of exploring the coma debate. We see both the usual moral arguments for why someone in a coma should live or die, but we also see how people abuse those issues. Allthewhile, the husband is haunted by his wife's vengeful spirit and is torn between pulling the plug or keeping her "Alive."

Acting is top-notch all around, from our main character, to the flashbacks of his wife when she was still concious, to even his side chick. The practical effects used are also great, as the wife looks truly nightmarish burned head to toe from the fire and then having the dead flesh peeled off. The story does get a little ridiculous near the end causing me to score an 8 instead of higher, but I won't spoil where it goes.