voliveri Reviews

Double Trouble (I) (1992)

Not good, but fun!

[5/10 · 6 May 2024]

Other reviewers are correct about the technical elements of the movie. The story is generic. The performances are decent, but not exceptional. Nevertheless, I felt compelled to review it because although it's not a great movie, it's a competent genre exercise, elevated by the impish charm of the Barbarian Brothers and the gravitas of Roddy McDowell and David Carradine. My only complaints: not enough A J. Johnson or Timothy Stack. If you can tolerate those straight-to-video action flicks from the late 80s and early 90s, you'll have a good time with this.

My score: 5/10

1-3: don't waste your time 4-6: good 7-9: great 10: outstanding.

The Survivor (1998)

Enjoyable but forgettable sci-fi actioner featuring a fantastic Richard Moll

[5/10 · 22 April 2024]

Not a bad sci-fi actioner. It can drag a bit in parts. What undermines it, for me, are some missed opportunities, story-wise, that I can't go into detail about without spoiling the movie. Nevertheless, I will say I found the heroes unheroic and selfish at the end, which dampened the ending for me.

The Outsiders, a tribal race whose origins are unexplored, are forgettable and seemingly unimportant. Other than filling time, they don't contribute much to the story.

Additionally, there were some egregious omissions when it came to developing the relationship of a key protagonist and the antagonist of the movie. The movie would have been far stronger had it spent some time on that, but perhaps they didn't want to slow things down any further. As it was, the movie had too many slow moments.

Performances were adequate. Xavier Decile is good enough as Tarkin, but Lisa Robin Kelly's performance as Devin is a delight. She's spunky, luscious, ballsy. She is one of the few sparks that elevates the movie.

Of course, Richard Moll as Kyla is the real draw here. He's menacing, he's calculating, he's funny--he commands every scene he's in, though I give credit to Richard Herd, as President Bradford, who more than holds his own in his scenes with Moll. \

These three performers bring life and verve to the picture.

Special effects were fine, as were fight sequences.

The Survivor is forgettable, but it's not horrible. You could do a lot worse.

The Los Angeles Ripper (2011)

Watch it for Randy Tobin

[3/10 · 13 April 2024]

Hilarious no-budget slasher elevated by Randy Tobin's performance as Graham.

I was surprised this movie wasn't labeled a comedy, because Tobin's performance is hilarious. This isn't a knock against the movie--he's not unintentionally hilarious. In fact, his performance might be the only thing that makes this movie worth watching. He nails a sort of coked-out-awkwardness. If you're a fan of cringe humor, you will adore his performance.

Unfortunately, there are several problems with the movie that diminish my rating. As another reviewer pointed out, there is a fair amount of ad-libbing going on. Sometimes, this works for the scene, but other times it very much does not. Additionally, the plot, which hangs together pretty well during the first half, REALLY falls apart at the end. Finally, many of the characters serve no real purpose to the story.

I would love to tell you that if you're a fan of no-budget slashers, you'll enjoy this one. I can't.

Zombie Strippers! (2008)

Fun movie with a not-too-subtle message

[5/10 · 20 February 2024]

I had fun watching Zombie Strippers and will likely watch it again. I love b-movies and thoroughly enjoyed watching Robert Englund chew the scenery. It's not an exceptional movie that will be remembered by history, but it's entertaining. And, hey, strippers.

Zombie Strippers is a satire. The broad parodic elements that frame the movie are just that--broad, parodic, easy and cheap shots at the right and the military-industrial complex. Safe stuff. The main story, however, is clearly a metaphor for what the adult entertainment industry does to women--how it encourages them to change themselves to attain greater rewards, how it changes their perception of their bodies, and how it ultimately consumes them, a pun that I and the movie both intend. It is evident that the male consumers of the strip club in the film are only interested in the act of consumption. In this respect, Zombie Strippers follows in Romero's footsteps--Romero always used zombies for social and cultural critique, and his critiques of consumerism and the military in Dawn and Day of the Dead are seminal for movies like Zombie Strippers. This puts Zombie Strippers in the femsploitation category as well--critiquing the culture's obsession and consumption of female bodies while enticing and inviting the very gaze it critiques. For these reasons, casting Jenna Jameson was an excellent choice. Her presence cements the connection between this movie's themes and the adult entertainment industry.

All that said, a movie can have a message, but the message doesn't always justify the opportunity cost of watching the movie. I had fun watching Zombie Strippers and will likely watch it again. That said, it's not exceptional--it's standard b-movie fare. I credit the script with surprising me early on, but after that it's all fairly predictable. Performances were a mixed bag, but most of the cast were acceptable. As I said earlier, Englund was fantastic.

I would normally give this movie 4/10, but I'll tack on an extra star because I appreciated the message of the movie, even though it hits you over the head with it.

1-3: Don't waste your time 4-6: Good 7-9: Great 10: Outstanding.

Killer Piñata (2015)

Thank God for Lindsay Ashcroft

[3/10 · 6 February 2024]

Because there's little other reason to watch this movie. I didn't care about the characters and I don't understand why any of these people are friends, except for the two women (the Scott character is particularly irritating).

The actors did their jobs capably. Eliza-Jane Morris was very strong, as was Lindsay Ashcroft. The actors playing the parents were fantastic despite limited screentime. Nate Bryan and Billy Chengary were adequate. I don't blame the actors for their performances--I think they did the best they could with the script they were given, though neither is a stand-out for me simply because I loathed the characters they played.

Joette Waters is phenomenal as the shop keeper, totally deserving the "and" credit. She makes the absolute most of her screen time and is a joy to watch. I wish they had done more with her character.

Yes, the special effects are amateur, but I expected as much going in, so I don't count these against the movie.

Some will complain about the preposterousness of a killer pinata. Honestly, that was one of the few things in the movie that worked for me.

This probably would have worked better as a 30-minute short.

Horror fans hoping for T&A will be disappointed. There's very little.

Red Clover (2012 TV Movie)

Uneven

[4/10 · 6 February 2024]

Starts off great--great tension, atmosphere, characters, mystery. Somewhere along the way, it starts making mistakes. Diminishes Zane's character for no reason. Tries to introduce a romance between the protagonist that doesn't work due to poor writing and absence of chemistry. The creature doesn't quite obey the lore which introduces confusion. Deaths of prominent characters trivialized. It's as though the second half of the movie were written by someone else.

Billy Zane, William Devane, and Courtney Halverson all turn in great performances, but chemistry does not abound, particularly between Zane and the rest of the cast--then again, Zane's character, who is heroic enough throughout the film, is turned into a chump at the end for no good reason that I can see (I've mentioned it twice, so you can tell I'm sore about it--this was going to be a 5-star review but when they did that, they lost a star).

Supporting cast is also strong. I enjoyed Azure Parsons as Deputy Petterson.

It's not a bad movie, but it is disappointing. The first 30 minutes or so feel promising but that promise is not fulfilled.

Monsters of Man (2020)

Excellent action flick

[8/10 · 25 January 2024]

I don't know what more you could want from an action movie. Great special effects, lots of tension, great performances, great characters, great settings--the CGI on the robots is fantastic. Finding this movie was a joy. And with so many characters in the movie, I was surprised to find I actually cared about them from very early in the run-time.

I don't know what else to say to fill out the rest of the required words for this review. Mainly, I just wanted to add to the chorus of those singing this movie's praises.

*** Score: 8/10 ***

1-3 don't waste your tiime 4-6 good 7-9 great 10 outstanding.

Savage Vows (1995 Video)

Boring

[3/10 · 17 January 2024]

In a nutshell, the main character's wife dies and his friends offer to stay with him for a few days to lift his spirits. Meanwhile, someone is killing them one by one.

It's a familiar premise for a slasher movie, and that's okay. What's not okay is all of the irrelevant details that slow down the plot. In between kills, we get to watch a married couple be passive-aggressive, the gang take a trip to the video store (where hilarity is intended to ensue), and bros having a bromantic moment. Unfortunately, none of this is interesting. I don't want to hang out with these people, therefore they cannot die off fast enough. I did appreciate the ending, though.

No skin but plenty of fake blood.

I have no problem with bad acting, bad writing, bad direction, or bad special effects if the movie is fun or interesting. My reasons for the low rating is its pacing and seemingly irrelevant plot details that only serve to slow it down and obfuscate its focus and purpose.

0-3 Don't waste your time 4-6 Good 7-9 Great 10 Outstanding.

Queen Crab (2015)

Boring

[4/10 · 11 January 2024]

If I had to guess, I would say this was a SyFy Original, but I don't know that for sure.

I love b-movies, but if you're going to make a b-movie, it has to be compelling to make up for everything else--the meh acting, poor special effects, and typically meh plot or story. These don't always show up in b-movies, but all are here.

This is not a terrible movie, it's just not a good one, nor a terribly compelling one. Unfortunately, it wanted me to take it seriously, which I think is part of my problem with it. Worse, the pacing feels slow. There were some moments of fun, but I felt like I had to wait too long for something interesting to happen.

Not enough gore for my tastes, no nudity, no babes in bikinis--these elements are not requirements, but audiences who watch these movies tend to expect these things. Michelle Simone Miller does briefly appear at the very end in a tank top and underwear, and we get a scene with Katherine Metz in a bikini. That's it for the babe factor, which is a shame, because Miller in particular is gorgeous.

Not the worst thing ever made, just not interesting.

1-3 Don't waste your time 4-6 Good 7-9 Great 10 Outstanding.

Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV (2000)

Absolute perfection

[6/10 · 4 January 2024]

I don't know what it says about me that this movie is everything I want in a movie. I gave it a 6 because I understand that people who are not me may not love it like I do, but for me, this is a 10. If I were to make movies, this is the kind of movie I'd make.

Okay, enough of that. Though I didn't dislike Toxic Avenger 2 and 3, they were a step down from Toxic Avenger 1. The franchise drifted into the cartoonish, like the Class of Nuke 'Em High sequels. Citizen Toxie feels like a return to form for the franchise, and as there haven't been any new sequels since, it serves as a triumphant conclusion to the series.

I doubt I can add much to what has been written about this. It's wonderfully politically incorrect--daring in 2000 when it was made and absolutely scandalous by 2023 standards. For that reason alone you should buy it before the thought police deem it wrongthink. Hot babes, rampant gratuitous nudity, buckets of gore, numerous and entertaining kills--what more do you need? Perhaps Phoebe Legere reprising her role as Claire would have been nice, but unfortunately we don't get that. Also, they did my boy Sgt. Kabukiman dirty.

Not sure what to tell you. If movies like Frankenhooker, Basket Case, and Class of Nuke 'Em High are your thing, I think you'll love Citizen Toxie.

Badass Monster Killer (2015)

Repetitive--I bailed after 45 minutes

[2/10 · 15 November 2023]

I really wanted to like this, but after 45 minutes I found myself checking to see how much longer the movie was. I love the concept--eldritch horror meets blaxploitation--but the plot goes nowhere, and copious amounts of T&A can't save it.

Now I have to come up with 300 more words, which will only waste your time.

I enjoyed the performances. The actors all carry off their roles convincingly. The weird, cartoonish CGI backdrops and mix of cheesy practical effects and digital gunshots works better than it usually does. All of the characters--at least, all of the ones I stayed to see--were likeable.

I can't say much more than that, because I gave up after 45 minutes. Maybe you'll get further along than I did.

It's a Living (1980–1989)

Prototypical 80s situation comedy (Seasons 1-3 only)

[6/10 · 26 October 2023]

Score: 6/10

REVIEW OF SEASONS 1-3 ONLY

There's nothing wrong with this show. It's well-written, funny, well-performed, with fully realized characters. There's nothing about it that makes it special, but there's nothing about it that is sub-par. Watching this made me remember how stale the sitcom formula had become and why shows like Seinfeld were so revolutionary (and took so long to catch fire). Nevertheless, It's a Living is a well-executed, if typical, sitcom.

Gail Edwards, Barrie Youngfellow, Marian Mercer, Paul Kreppel, and Ann Jillian are mainstays of the cast through the 3 full seasons. Ann Jillian, in particular, is fantastic as Cassie Cranston. Marian Mercer is also impeccable as the hostess/manager, Nancy Beebe. And Paul Kreppel, as Sonny Mann, is an incredible talent. Although It's a Living is a perfectly average sitcom, there is an impressive amount of talent on display.

It is unfortunate that Louise Lasser, who joined the cast in Season 2, did not remain--she was a real boost to the cast. Her comedic sensibility was perfect for the Maggie McBurney character. Though I was VERY disappointed that both Susan Sullivan AND Wendy Schaal did not return from Season 1, Louise Lasser was terrific.

In summary, It's a Living is not an outstanding, genre-defining sitcom. It's an average sitcom from the 80s. Your life will be no poorer for having never seen it; however, there's a lot here to like and if you give it a chance it will grow on you.

It's a Living, Seasons 1-3, is currently airing on Tubi. Unfortunately, they only have a handful of episodes from Season 4 and nothing from later seasons.

Score: 6/10

0-3 Don't waste your time 4-6 Good 7-9 Great 10 Outstanding.

The Last Frankenstein (2021)

What was the point?

[3/10 · 17 October 2023]

3/10

This movie is highly rated on this site, but I can't figure out why. To be fair, the acting, pacing, effects, and music all work; however, by the end of the movie, I asked myself, what was the point? As far as I could tell, the protagonist was no different after the events of the movie--he didn't seem to have learned any lessons nor had he faced any justice for his actions, even as everyone involved with his experiments meets a bad end. The confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonist was anti-climatic, and because the antagonist's motivations were never made clear, it was also seemingly unnecessary. One of the characters, an actress, makes no obvious contribution to the film. In sum, I simply can't find a point to this movie. Had this been an exploitation flick, with gore, sex, and nudity, I could understand other elements lacking. Unfortunately, by horror movie standards, there was relatively little blood, and no sex or nudity to speak of. So what we're left with is a plot that goes nowhere, making the slow pacing frustrating. I wanted to like this movie but I can't recommend it.

1-3 Don't bother 4-6 Good 7-9 Great 10 Outstanding.

She Came from the Woods (2022)

Enjoyable supernatural camp horror flick

[6/10 · 8 October 2023]

6/10. Not a classic, but enjoyable and worth your time.

This showed up on Tubi as a "Tubi Original," so I wasn't expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this flick. It's certainly not a classic, but it is competent, suspenseful, and engaging, and I found myself glued to it in spite of myself. The special effects are well done, and with one exception, the acting is on point. This is supposedly a horror comedy, but thankfully it's mostly horror with some jokes here and there. Unlike others, I didn't find the tone uneven.

Soundtrack was also great.

In short, you could do worse--A LOT worse--thank SHE CAME FROM THE WOODS. I recommend it to fans of the genre.

1-3 Don't waste your time 4-6 Good 7-9 Great 10 Outstanding, must see.

VampyrZ on a Boat (2022)

Not scary but it sure is fun!

[7/10 · 30 August 2023]

This is one of the few horror comedies that made me laugh out loud multiple times. It's not perfect--sometimes it's a bit too cute for its own good. It's not a scary movie, either--more of a gory action flick. It IS a lot of fun, though. I did not expect what I got from this, at all, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Hoping there will be a sequel based on the end credit tease.

Quick plot synopsis: a research crew finds a boat with a vampire on it and decides to study it. Lead characters Max and Del are brought on board to help in this endeavor. Why? It's not really clear, or logical. They bring aboard Sarra for no reason, and it turns out there's something special about her that interests the vampire--but don't worry about that, because it comes up once and never seems to matter ever again. Max and Sarra fall in love immediately, for reasons that are not clear, involving far too much exposition so that it can be crammed into 10 minutes instead of developed throughout the movie. But the vampire abducts Sarra, so Max and Del decide to get her back.

The script is not the best and the plot is pretty well-worn. There are some wonderfully campy characters on board the ship, and they have some fun with action conventions. This won't win any awards, but as I said--it's a really good time.

I would have given it a 6, but--Carrie Keagan. Automatic +1.

Captive (II) (2023)

Surprisingly good

[5/10 · 9 August 2023]

I assumed that this would suck because it's a Tubi Original, but I was pleasantly surprised. If you've watched enough horror movies, especially slasher movies, you already know all of the story beats--though I appreciated the way that the script makes some creative detours that defy expectations. The cast is uniformly strong, even if the set up beggars belief. You could do a LOT worse than CAPTIVE.

I gave this movie a 5. It's not something you're going to remember years from now, but it's good enough to hook you in and keep you watching. And kudos to Tubi for bringing this worthwhile original to their platform.

1-3 Don't waste your time 4-6 Good 7-9 Excellent 10 Outstanding.

Where Demons Dwell: The Girl in the Cornfield 2 (2017)

Absolutely NOT a "zero budget waste of time"!

[8/10 · 19 July 2023]

I'll refer to both GIRL IN THE CORNFIELD (GITC) and GIRL IN THE CORNFIELD 2 (GITC2) in this review.

If you're going in blind, know that these are not fast-paced action-horror movies, horror comedies, or campy b-movies. They're slow paced, creepy, suspenseful thrillers. The closest thing I can compare these movies to is reading an urban legend crossed with an epic horror novel like Tommyknockers.

GITC and GITC2 both feature great scripts by Ryan Callaway, wonderful plotting and characterization. I loved the way these movies to the time to explore how the characters process their experiences.

Some of the performances were so-so, and sometimes that hurt the scene--this was mainly a problem in GITC; the performances in GITC2 were stronger. If I had to pick, I would say GITC2 is the superior movie.

Speaking of performances: Madeline Lupi was impressive in GITC and more so in GITC2. Specific to GITC2, Michelle Lulic was outstanding and the child actors were surprisingly good.

I felt that removing some of the scoring could have helped, particularly in the first movie. Perhaps I simply got used to it, but I didn't find that to be a problem in 2.

Given the microbudget, special effects were handled very well. Use of CGI was limited, thankfully.

I watched both of these movies back to back and my appreciation of Ryan Callaway's work grew the longer I watched. Contrary to the featured review, neither of these movies is a "zero budget waste of time."

Neon City (1991)

Surprisingly Good!

[7/10 · 18 July 2023]

The first 20 minutes were unimpressive and I thought about bailing on it, but the reviews here were positive so I decided to hang in there and I'm happy that I did.

This turned out to be a really well done post-apocalyptic action flick with well-realized characters, strong performances from an ensemble that has believable chemistry, a tight script, and good special effects. The ending is a bit meh, primarily because the script chose not to keep a certain character's proclivities a secret--ambiguity would have been a better choice, I think.

You could compare this movie to MANY others--MAD MAX chief among them--but few do it this well. If you're in the mood for serious action/western set after the world ends, check out NEON CITY.

Abominable (2006)

DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS!!!!

[8/10 · 17 July 2023]

No lie, this is a great creature feature! Do not sleep on this flick! Characters you actually care about (who, by the way, are NOT stupid), actual suspense, deft use of the REAR WINDOW gimmick, conflict, redemption, and not one but TWO SEINFELD alums!

Great performances by Matt McCoy, Jeffrey Combs, Christien Tinsley, and Haley Joel--all of the supporting performances are more than competent. Capable direction of a tight script.

Since it is a horror movie, let's talk gore. There's no garbage CGI gore, as far as I can tell. All of the kills look like they used practical effects, which is always the way to go. Gore is not the focus of the movie, but there were definitely a few kills that made me swear out loud. Creature effects could have been better, and this is where the budget shows a bit. Honestly, I was so into the movie that I barely noticed.

I can't sing this movie's praises enough because I believe, given that it's a Sci Fi original, it will be ignored. It shouldn't be. No, it won't scare the pants off of you--it's more action and suspense than it is horror. But it's well done, made by people who seem to know what they're doing, and it's worth your time.

And before you ask, NO, I had nothing to do with making this movie, and I don't know anyone involved with making it. I just discovered it on Tubi earlier tonight and I am genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

House Shark (2017)

WAYYYYY too long

[4/10 · 16 July 2023]

Fans of SHE KILLS or NIGHT OF SOMETHING STRANGE might be inclined to give this one a watch, but HOUSE SHARK doesn't rise to the same heights as those other movies.

This is much more obviously a parody of movies like SHARKNADO with plenty of allusions to JAWS. Unfortunately, it's a bit too self-indulgent. Some of the jokes land and they're hilarious; many others merit a chuckle, if that.

At an hour and 52 minutes, it overstays its welcome and needed to trim about 30 minutes off the runtime.

The performances and special effects were adequate for the tone of the movie. Wayne W. Johnson and Melissa LaMartina turned in commendable performances. I was disappointed in Trey Harrison's turn in the lead role, but perhaps that was due to the script (or maybe improvised takes?) that went too often for "jokes" that didn't work.

Judged solely on whether it's a good time, I would have to say, maybe if you're drinking. Otherwise, it's too inconsistent and needed ruthless editing.

Stitches (2001 Video)

Enjoyable morality tale from Full Moon

[6/10 · 16 July 2023]

Full Moon features used to excel at these movies: small morality tales with good performances and captivating stories on a budget. And puppets. HIDEOUS and HEAD OF THE FAMILY always come to mind when I think of their best offerings, but I think OBLIVION is also worth including in this list. I'm pleased to say that STITCHES is another worthy film to add to the list.

If you enjoy Rod Serling's TWILIGHT ZONE and other classic science-fiction/fantasy programs, I think you'll like this.

Other reviews have complained about the pacing. The pacing is perfect for the story they're telling. This is NOT a thriller, nor a suspense movie. I was never bored--in fact, though I intended to have this on in the background, I couldn't help but get sucked in.

As for the performances, all are competent; however, Elizabeth Ince's performance stands out. She's a wonderful antagonist.

Full Moon has a reputation for eroticism and nudity, but there is none of that to be found here.

Finally, I wanted to comment on another review by the production designer. No one attached to this movie needs to apologize for anything or defend it. It's wonderfully made and very entertaining. The cast and crew should be proud of this film.

Abar (1977)

Great concept poorly executed

[5/10 · 16 July 2023]

There are a lot of interesting ideas here and it's clearly someone's passion project. Other reviewers have said that the ending is absurd--maybe, but the ending was the most interesting part of the movie. Everything leading up to Abar becoming the "black superman" takes twice as long as it should.

The performances are, for the most part, bad. The script needs tightening. And, unfortunately, due to pacing problems described above, the movie drags and didn't hold my interest. I almost gave up on it, in fact.

That said, I thought it was a thought-provoking movie. It's certainly not a must-see, but there's worse out there.

Piranha Women (2022)

A movie divided against itself cannot stand

[4/10 · 4 July 2023]

What do I mean by that? I mean that the story, budget, genre all demand camp, but the writing and score want a serious tone, as though we're actually going to be in suspense.

I've noticed this problem in many latter-day Full Moon productions and I wish they would give it up. They need to go back and study what made movies like HEAD OF THE FAMILY and HIDEOUS, or even OBLIVION, so special.

Conflicted tone and an underdeveloped script spell doom for this wanna-B-movie.

Shary Nassimi was perfectly cast as Dr. Sinclair! Very convincing as a mild-mannered practitioner but also able to provide a sinister edge. Unfortunate music choices undermine the subtlety of his performance.

Other performances of note include Keep Chambers' and Carrie Overgaard's. I especially enjoyed Chambers' performance as Shauna. For whatever reason, I never liked Sof Puchley's character. I'm not sure if that is due to the writing or to her performance in the role. I think it's more the former.

Bobby Rice was sufficient as Richard. The two detectives were serviceable, though I blame bad writing and an uncertain tone for their poor performances. They were playing dopey detectives in a movie that for some reason was playing it straight.

That last point speaks to the larger issue of the movie's development. It wants to rush things along, but the writing isn't tight enough to support the pace, so I never felt suspense or concern.

If this movie were a bit more campy, if the music was less over-the-top, if the writing were tighter, I would rate this movie much higher. And it really is a shame, because this could have been a wonderful flick.

Keep Chambers and Carrie Overgaard have a few nude scenes to keep things interesting.

Metamorphosis (I) (1990)

Boring

[4/10 · 2 July 2023]

I don't mind bad creature effects in a horror or science-fiction movie--though, to be honest, I've seen far worse from other movies.

I don't mind bad acting, though most of the performances in this movie are competent. Catherine Baranov was particularly good and is a joy to watch in every scene.

And I don't care about sci-fi mumbo jumbo. B-movies always have sci-fi mumbo jumbo in them. Frankly, the fact that this movie talks about Crick and Watson and central dogma was a welcome surprise.

What I do mind in a sci fi or horror movie is boredom. Science fiction can get away with slow pacing if the ideas, atmosphere, and direction are interesting enough (2001: A Space Odyssey comes to mind).

Unfortunately, I didn't care about these characters and I found the political in-fighting amongst academics during the first 30 or so minutes of the movie uninteresting, and I was ready to move on before the third act even began. I did not feel any suspense in the final minutes of the film.

In other reviews, I have said that you can compensate for these detriments with spectacle and nudity. Italian horror movies have not been shy about adding these elements but this movie is short on kills, gore, and sex.

Also, as others have point out, the final moments of the film are, unfortunately, laughable.

Hellinger (1997 Video)

Truly truly truly disappointed

[3/10 · 16 June 2023]

I'm really upset that this movie wasn't better, because the antagonist's origin story was really interesting and a lot could have been done with it.

Additionally, one could argue that the true villain of this story escapes justice entirely. The movie ends when you would expect the third act to begin, making the ending unsatisfying. In fact, given that they introduce a new character in the last 15 minutes of the movie, I wonder if funding ran out and they just decided to end it there instead of actually finishing the production?

Shana Betz and Veronica Bero have wonderful chemistry. Betz is especially good. I think the movie would have been far better if the focus were solely on her character, as Betz is more than capable of carrying a film on her own. She exudes charm.

If you like nudity, Betz is topless for a sex scene. The male lead, played by Artie Richard, has an utterly gratuitous love scene with an unnamed character who appears topless. You also see his butt in a shower scene. (He has full body tattoos, so tattoo lovers may really appreciate this.)

Dialogue is not great, story is not great, Richard's character seems irrelevant to the story, sex scenes dragged into soft core territory--which made them feel out of place in a horror movie.

My rule with bad movies is that nudity and/or campy violence has to take up the slack--or that the cast has to have exceptional chemistry and charisma. Betz has the latter, but she's the only one. There is not enough of the first two to offset this movie's negatives.

Wasted potential here, which is a real shame. For such a short movie, it felt like an eternity.

Also: the cover art and title make you think they're going for a Hellraiser rip off, but that's a red herring.

Rating: 3/10

1-3 Don't waste your time 4-6 Good 7-9 Great 10 Outstanding.