lone-wolf-007 Reviews

Night of the Demons (1988)

The Invitation is in the Mail

[6/10 · 8 March 2014]

Night of the Demons is a classic case of a cheesy gory 80s horror movie that may seem slightly dated but still maintains its entertainment factor. A bunch of teens decided to party at Hull House, a funeral home that happens to be the sight of several evil things throughout the years. Kick in a séance and before you know it a demon is summoned and starts possessing and turning the others into demons. Simple premise but it works. The effects are good, there is plenty of TnA and the opening theme that plays over the credits is awesome. They just don't make them like this anymore. Get your invite and attend this party. Its a fun and entertaining movie as long as you don't take it too seriously.

Battle of the Damned (2013)

Zombie Problem? Call in the Killer Robots.

[5/10 · 8 March 2014]

Battle of the Damned has a great idea going for it. A somewhat unique premise in the execution but its all hampered down by a small budget. Don't get me wrong their is some fun to be had with this movie plus it doesn't try to be anything that its not. Dolph Lundgren is a soldier for hire who gets employed by an individual who wants him to go into a quarantined city of infected people and rescue his daughter. Sure you can call them infected or zombies but essentially they are like the infected in 28 Days Later as in they are fast moving and are more prone to bite and tear than eat. So Lundgren's crew doesn't last long and its up to him and only him to find the target and get her out. Along the way he finds some survivors that are led by one who is addicted to his position and they end up clashing. Also while trapped in the city Dolph and his fellow survivors come across Robots that happen to have wondered into the city fresh off of malfunctioning and killing people from another movie called Robotropolis. So how to get out of the city alive? Reprogram the robots and let them pave a way. I'll admit its a good idea but the acting is uneven, Dolph is showing his age and the budget isn't high enough to properly execute this idea. With that said its entertaining and has a good idea going for it. Sure its not for everybody but its fairly good in the end for what they had to work with.

Android Insurrection (2012)

Android Scrapyard

[1/10 · 31 December 2013]

From the start to the end the first thing you will notice about this movie is the low budget and amateur acting. Budget so low there are only 3 types of robots and 1 is used 3 times as guards. The plot involves a group of soldiers sent to retrieve a robot from a robot stronghold. That is about it. The stronghold looks like an office building and a garage. The robots look about on line with PS1 graphics and the acting is awful. Flat dialog left and right as the actors go through the motions. For a min I thought I was watching something from the asylum but even they are not responsible for this train wreck. You know its a chore if you're looking at the clock several times during its 75 min running time. The CGI is about as cheap as the budget. The robots look bad, the gunfire is cgi and as the actors just shoot wildly at the green screen you can't help but laugh. A time waster if anything and only for those who can watch bad movies longer than 10 min.

Carrie (2013)

Carrie: The Jean Grey teen years

[5/10 · 1 November 2013]

Another horror remake that for the most part was not needed. Sure the story has been updated but it lacks what makes the original a classic. Chloe Grace Mortez is miscast as the shy awkward teen Carrie White. Yeah she is a good actress but she just isn't believable in the role. I never bought she would have been picked on and bullied by the popular girls. Julianne Moore is the saving grace as the mother as I felt she did the part justice. Problem is she can only carry the movie so far. With the original there was a slow build to Carrie discovering and using her powers but here she uses her powers left and right with just a minimum of her learning about it.It could have been a series of scenes in an X Men movie. She moves this that and the other and by the time we get to the prom there is no surprise. Which brings me to the films biggest fault. They drop the ball completely on the prom scene. If they had upped the violence and made her really lose it then maybe the payoff would have been better. Here she has full conscious of who she attacks and kills or hurts. The original had Carrie pushed to her brink and her powers unleashed a hellish fury. That isn't present here at all. I was quite disappointed with the final results. Way over the top CG effects just hamper down the mess even more.Sure the main tormentor gets hers but that after Carrie lifts the car she and her boyfriend are in and lets it rip into a gas station. As you watch the scene Carrie does it all while using her arms as a catalyst for the telekinesis just as Jean Grey might have done. Its what I kept thinking as I watched the movie and it just didn't seem to fit. Is this remake terrible? No, but its a mixed bag. Watered down for today's teen audience and masquerading as an R movie. Stick with the original '76 version instead. That version is quite superior.

Killjoy 3 (2010 Video)

Can't keep this clown down

[5/10 · 18 June 2013]

What essentially hurt the Killjoy movies was the first 2. Part 1 was awful and 2 wasn't much better. Killjoy 3 turns this around and does what the franchise should have done with to begin with. Gone is the urban setting. Gone is the shoestring budget. Gone is the horrid script. Gone is the annoying main character. This one actually makes Killjoy ghoulishly demonic and semi menacing. The story evolves around Killjoy being resurrected once again but not told the victim he is to kill. So in turn he and his newly formed minions are trapped in a mirror which serves as a portal to their world. The mirror gets delivered to a house a group of kids are house sitting and as you can guess they get sucked into Killjoy's world. Full moon seemed to set out and make a decent Killjoy movie which they did. Is it great? No but its entertaining. Killjoy's minions are also a welcome addition (especially Batty Boop) and add some to the movie. Granted this is for fans of the genre or fans of full moon but it works in its own way. 5 out 10. Hopefully these movies keep going this route. It seems Killjoy can't be kept down.

Derailed (2002)

Clearly derailed off the tracks

[4/10 · 7 May 2013]

A train full of terrorists. A biological weapon. Sound familiar? Well it is due to the fact Derailed borrows most of its ideas and scenarios from other movies. Jean Claude Van Damme stars as a special agent trying to get a thief and her cargo from one point to another. Mode of transportation is a train and like most action fans will immediately think of is Under Siege 2. Of course that movie utilized this idea much better but we are working on a much lower budget. The cargo happens to be vials of a toxic nature that so happen to be wanted by the bad guys. This movie is strictly for hardcore Van Damme fans only. Essentially he is the only real saving grace of the movie as is Laura Harring who plays the thief. The biggest problem with this film? Everything else. Borrowed story, terrible editing, horrible cheap effects, sound design that needs to be heard to be believed. For i'm certain movie fans can pick up sound effects from other things that are used in certain spots throughout. JCVD should have skipped this one but he didn't and his fans get treated to this mediocre film. Not his fault of course but as a loyal Van Damme fan myself, even I thought this film was bad. Even if you can get passed the minor gripes and try to enjoy the movie, the editing and effects will make you think twice. Everything looks cheap and shoddy.The bad guys are stereotypical in every form and their deaths in some cases are over-exaggerated. Everybody makes bad films from time to time and this is at the bottom of Van Damme's filmography. It would have been a lot better in someone's else hands who understands how to use Van Damme and his talents correctly. Still just off of Van DAmme alone I'm giving this a 4 out of 10. The movie will pass some time if you are looking to kill some but you will be wondering how this movie derailed so bad.

Night of the Living Dead 3D: Re-Animation (2012)

This Re-Animation should have stayed buried

[2/10 · 17 January 2013]

Where to begin? Sluggish pace, weak effects, weaker acting and just plain bad decisions made through out. This is a sequel to 2006's Night of the Living Dead 3D which in turn was a semi remake of the original 1968 classic. We all know the story of how the title of Night of the Living Dead is in public domain and anybody can use it. So it seems every couple of years somebody dusts it off and slaps it on a low grade zombie movie. This is exactly what we have here. Jeffrey Combs and Andrew Divoff (both have very stern roots in horror) play 2 brothers who one inherits the mortuary while the other shows up wanting to use it for a quick cash scheme. Throw in a few employees and about 20 zombies and that is the cast. The pace is very slow and when you combine that with sub par acting then it seems like the movie is longer than it is. You get a zombie here and there (only 1) and most show up in the last 20 min or so when the "outbreak" happens. I was really hoping for something slightly better than this but all I got was another disappointing zombie movie to toss on the pile. Next time use another title or come up with something original. I am giving it a 2/10.

976-Evil II (1991)

Dial it Again....

[5/10 · 20 October 2012]

This sequel has the survivor from the first tracking down a serial killer who is apparently using the 976-evil line to gain demonic powers. The thing is with this story is he isn't really becoming demonic as the character in the first film was. Yeah he shows signs of it but it isn't the same kind of way. More or less he uses astral projection. Almost a different story with the 976-Evil name on it. For straight to video it isn't bad really. Its true claim to fame for horror fans is one scene that steals the movie.That being one of the characters is zapped into the TV and is put into a situation that begins as Its a Wonderful Life and turns into Night of the Living Dead. Such a clever combination and it works so well. Its an idea that's good and executed well but belongs in a better movie. Other than that you have a few car explosions and people being ran over and a few death scenes. Also has a fairly interesting ending which especially at that time you didn't see a lot. Acting wise its your standard low budget actors and nobody is really "phoning " it in. There are also a couple of cameos and a sign to a play that most horror fans will get and understand. So its not great but its not bad either. The wonder life/living dead scene is a show stealer but the movie is average at best.

Ghoulies Go to College (1990 Video)

Ghoulies meets Animal House?

[2/10 · 19 October 2012]

Two fraternities are at war with one another during prank week. What could cause even more chaos? Why add Ghoulies to the mix. No not the same type from the first two movies but ones that talk and crack jokes. Oh yes, this entry decided to blend "horror" and "comedy" together. Instead what you get is both parts falling flat. Its a very silly movie with a very silly premise. Especially when you consider the ghoulies come from an occult looking demonic......toilet. Yeah I know it was sort of a running gag from the first two but this one just makes it even more silly. Then there is the whole fact of the ghoulies talking. What a mistake because as soon as they speak which is in the first act you know what you're in for. Throw in them being controlled by a comic book, cheesy death scenes, unfunny one liners and just a cheap looking movie and you have ghoulies 3. The thing is there are ways of making these types of B movies work. This one just doesn't. Its very silly. Believe it or not it runs a full 90 min before the credits roll. This could have been easily an 80 min movie with credit roll included. It runs out of steam by the end and you began to wonder how much sillier it can get. Maybe that is what they were going for. The subtitle is Ghoulies go to college so you know what you are watching before it even begins. Positives? Has some nice nudity and a joke here and there might crack a smile for the sheer silliness of it. Its a B movie. What would you expect? Even with that fact I can only give it 2 out of 10.

Bloodfist 2050 (2005 TV Movie)

Mindless and mind numbing

[2/10 · 22 February 2011]

Bloodfist 2050 is the ninth in the bloodfist series and it does not star Don Wilson (who was in the previous eight). Here we have Matt Mullins take over as the lead and apply his martial arts to those who need a beat down. In this chapter he is looking for his brother's killer who fights in a no holds barred competition. Sound familiar? For the most part this one is basically rehashing the first Bloodfist's plot even down to the killer's identity. This one takes place in the future (post apocalyptic kind) and the usual anarchy reigns supreme. For the most part Matt Mullins is OK in this. His fighting skill seems to belong in a better movie though as he easily disposes of any foe with ease and a couple of flashy moves. The budget is quite low as there only seems to be about three sets and the extended strip scenes at the strip club seem to be more at home on cinema's late night. All in all this chapter is a let down for anybody who are fans of the first eight. Except for the potential of Mullins the rest of the movie is a bomb and a disappointment.

Dollman vs. Demonic Toys (1993 Video)

Dollman says Playtime is Over

[5/10 · 9 October 2010]

Full Moon decided to combine two franchises together and throw in a dose of Bad Channels and out comes Dollman vs Demonic toys. From a B movie stand point its OK. I think there was a missed opportunity here. First off the good, Tim Thomerson (who is always great) returns as Dollman who is searching for the nurse (who got shrunk by aliens in Bad Channels) as I guess for a companion. While this is happening the Demonic toys happened to get resurrected and resume to creating havoc. Tracy Scroggins returns also (from Demonic Toys) as the policewoman trying to stop them. She recruits Dollman to help stop them once and for all. Yes the connection between everything is razor thin and a chunk of the footage is from the three movies this one combines. Also this movie is barely over a hour. I actually wished it was a little longer and I am not sure why its so short. This kind of movie is for fans of the genre and of full moon only. With that in mind and with its short length I can only say that its average. A good idea not fulfilled to its potential.

Bloodfist VI: Ground Zero (1994 Video)

Countdown to Zero

[5/10 · 9 October 2010]

Don "the dragon" Wilson returns in the sixth installment of the bloodfist series and this time its a low budget clone of Die Hard. Wilson plays a courier who happens to be delivering a package to a underground missile silo just as terrorist are taking over. They want to start a nuclear catastrophe and its up to Wilson to stop them. Yes its low budget but what do you expect from Roger Corman? It is really not that bad if you don't think about it too much. It's a B movie, nothing more, nothing less. Yes the fighting is not that great and some of the dialog is not the best. Plus you throw in some typical clichés from other action movies and wrap it up and you have Ground Zero. This is a good addition to the series and from that standpoint its quite watchable and actually entertaining.

Pet Sematary II (1992)

A Sequel that should have stayed Buried

[4/10 · 20 July 2010]

Much like the story goes for the Indian burial ground that resurrects the dead the same could be said about this film. As stated in the first,when something is buried it comes back but a little bit different. It might look the same and sort of act the same but something is off about it. That is what rings true the most about this sequel. There is something off about it. The story has a vet doctor and his son moving to the Maine town to re cooperate from the unexpected death of his estranged wife. While there the son discovers the pet cemetery and all hell breaks loose. The problem is they try to incorporate a dose of black humor into the story which does not work well. Most of the characters are unlikeable to say in the least and things tend to move at an odd pace. Its amazing the same director from the first did this one. While the first is a good psychological dose of horror this one comes off as needlessly gory and flat. Stick with the original, its superior in every way.

Children of the Corn (2009 TV Movie)

And a child shall lead them.......back to the original.

[3/10 · 1 March 2010]

Being true to its source does not always make a better movie. If you compare the original to this then you can see why they changed it up and made a better movie to begin with. The remake ignores the original's way and sticks close to the original short story by Stephen King. The couple are bitter, the unhappy ending and no shot whatsoever of he who walks behind the row. The roles are miscast-ed left and right. The kid playing Isaac is the biggest blunder I have seen in years. He simply is not right for this part. Take away any kind of threat and you just have a bunch of overly religious kids who do not like adults and have a twisted religion. There are many things that backfire in this movie from the miscasting to the changes to keep in line with the original story and none of them work for the better. Stick with the original which is a all around a better movie.

Howling V: The Rebirth (1989)

Bark at the Moon

[5/10 · 22 January 2010]

Basically this is the werewolf version of Ten Little Indians. A group of people end up stranded at a castle during a snowstorm and while they wait for it to end someone or something begins to pick them off one by one. With the howling and teeth marks on the bodies it points to one of them not being what they seem. This is actually a fairly descent Howling movie but it does have a small budget. I will give credit in the fact that they did well with what they had. The ending is also somewhat clever if you are not paying close attention throughout the movie. Overall not bad for what it is and is better than some of the other sequels.

Black Scorpion (1995 TV Movie)

Feel the Sting

[5/10 · 20 January 2010]

Black Scorpion is a descent straight to video movie as long as you do not think about it too much. Joan Severance plays the title character who resorts to vigilante tactics when the law does not work. Its good timing to go the mask super hero route especially since a new evil known as The Breathtaker is about to terrorize the city. Is it cheesy? Yes it is but in a good way. Its a B movie and it does not pretend to be anything else. Also Severance is good and its a fun movie, just don't expect anything too serious. The plot has several holes and some things make no sense (the jumping ability comes to mind) but what do you expect from Roger Corman? In the end its a good time killer that is some what entertaining.

Wild ARMs: Twilight Venom (1999–2000)

Twilight Venom

[7/10 · 29 April 2009]

This is a decent anime for the Wild Arms games. The only thing is there is not much to connect it to the games. It is a stand alone story with a few nods to the games (such as the wild west setting and the ARMs) but it is a good story. The story centers around on Sheyanne Rainstorm, a gunslinger who is shot and apparently killed only to later wake up and find himself in the body of a ten year old boy. He then goes on a quest to find his body and encounters several other characters(such as two female thieves who never actually really succeed in stealing anything) and a mysterious doctor who accompanies him along on his travels. The plot seems simple in the very beginning but near the end of the series the door is open and all that you thought you knew is not as it seems. My only complaint is the ending theme. The beginning theme is OK for it does sound western but the ending theme does not fit at all. Other than that this is a entertaining anime with great story telling and some good twists mixed in.

Legend (1985)

Phenomenal

[10/10 · 21 December 2008]

This movie came out over twenty years ago and there still has been nothing like it since. The look of the movie is gorgeous. Every detail seems to have been addressed. The forest looks alive and full of wonder whereas Darkness's abode looks dark and dangerous (yet mesmerizing). The movie also deals with several themes such as temptation and love. It also has the usual theme of good verses evil but it is handled with expert care. The acting is very good too. Tim Curry is fantastic as Darkness. He delivers his lines perfectly. It is a wonderful performance that makes that character stand the test of time. Now Tom Cruise as Jack and Mia Sarah as Lily are a little more straightforward but they fit in the overall context of the story.

Now the two different versions are different. The U.S. version is superior in my opinion. The tangerine dream score fits the movie better. It gives it a dream like quality, almost haunting. Whereas the longer director's cut has a Jerry Goldsmith score which in my opinion is not as good (especially when you hear the tangerine dream's score). The U.S. version is also shorter (about 90 min.) but it seems to work. The director's cut runs almost 2 hours and there are places where it drags and has singing and an ending that is not really satisfying when you consider all the characters have been through. There are a few scenes from the director's cut that should have stayed in the U.S. version (especially the scene with the swamp witch Meg) but it does not detour you from the overall viewing experience.

My score is for the U.S. version alone. It is a fantastic movie. Yes there are a few flaws and character development is not as strong with some characters but all in all it is a great movie. I would love to see a sequel or a reboot of this. A PG-13 rating would not hurt either. I am surprised no one has even thought of doing it (especially with the success of Lord of The Rings). There is a audience for good fantasy films if done right. This movie is a good place to start especially since it has a heart to its story that a lot of films seem to lack.

Scary Movie (2000)

Funny spoof drowned in vulgarity

[4/10 · 9 June 2008]

As a spoof of television and slasher films of the late 90's this had potential to be funnier than what it ended up being. The Wayans are funny and talented but they decided to go a little to far into the gutter with a lot of jokes. Do not get me wrong I can understand the need to be raunchy sometimes but here they decided to push it a little to much and it becomes gross instead of funny. Basically the plot follows Scream but it tends to jump to other things and spoofs of other movies. Anna Faris is cast as the lead and target of the killer and she is very good and fits the part perfect. She is the highlight of the film. Carmen Electra also has a funny cameo but it is just at the beginning. Overall it is a good time killer if you do not mind the vulgarity but it could have been better.

Frontier(s) (2007)

Brutally good shocker

[7/10 · 9 June 2008]

You will see hostel and saw on the package of the DVD but this movie is not like them. Hostel jumped from serious to black humor and back to serious. Frontiers is serious from the get go. The plot has a girl and her ex-boyfriend along with his 2 friends (who just completed a robbery) escaping the riots in France. They get separated and each get to a hostel on the border at separate times. Now at this hostel it just happens to be ran by some Neo Nazis who are fairly sadistic. The movie is good and the violence is necessary for the demeanor of the film. You want them to survive even though most do not. The music fits perfectly (especially at the dinner scene when everything falls apart and the father gets shot) and seems to creep up at the best times. Some might also wonder where the gore everyone talks about is. It is confined to the last 25 minutes mostly. Or should I say that is where the table saw scene is and the shotgun blast to the head is located for that is what contributed to the NC-17. It is too bad this was not included with the after dark horror fest because this would have been the best. Horror fans should check this out. It is in subtitles (since it is from France) but the movie pulls you in you don't really realize you are reading it. In the end this movie is really good and and should be given a chance.

Boogeyman 2 (2007)

Boogeyman 2 aka: Nightmare on Elm Street 3 part 2

[7/10 · 11 March 2008]

This is light years better than the first and to think it is a direct to video rather than theatrical. Story starts off with 2 kids who see the death of their parents at the hands of the Boogeyman. Flash forward 10 years later and the kids are all grown up in a hospital trying to overcome their fears. Now anybody who has seen Nightmare on Elm Street 3 will instantly see the parallels of the two. The other patients have phobias and there is a circle group discussion etc. I was waiting for Freddy to show up and start hacking and slicing. Instead we get the Boogeyman who basically exploits everyones fear and kills them in that manner. So its like Freddy just not with the wisecracks. Now some might see some plot holes in it but they are not really that big if you don't make them out to be. Overall a good little movie with a decent looking Boogeyman and with some creative gory kills. Not bad but anybody who has seen Nightmare 3 will have noticed all this before. Still worth watching for fans of the genre.

Highlander: The Source (2007 TV Movie)

The Highlander Franchise just received its Quickening

[3/10 · 5 March 2008]

First things first this review will spoil most of the movie so beware after this sentence. What happened to Highlander? This movie had much potential until you actual start watching it. First off lets ignore the rules especially of There can be only one. Yeah they do try to explain that with pure soul and child bearing etc. but all Highlander fans know this is not the original idea. The first explained it just right with the fact that the last remaining will become some sort of protector for mankind (if evil won out then mankind was doomed). Now its about purity. Give me a break. Duncan McCloud was not has pure has the movie would have you believe. Just watch the TV show where the character came from. For those who do not remember at one point on the show he received a dark quickening (I think thats what it was called) and he became bad for a few episodes. Did some bad things before returning to his former self. So the movie is completely ignoring that fact. Now back to the movie, characters were annoying except for the main stays of McCLoud,Methos,Dawson etc. The love interest left him because he could not give her a child? Well adopt then or don't have one. I guess she did not love him that much if she was going to be that trivial. Plus why was she having the visions about the source? It does not make sense in the long run if you think about it. The idea of the guardian was cool until you saw him and watched him ham it up on screen. Terrible execution. The fight scenes are non existent because they choose to rotate the camera around and speed things up instead of actually having fights. I also think they were trying to see how many CG beheadings they could cram in 86 min. Plus at the ending after the disappointing final fight there is no Quickening. What a wasted opportunity especially after who knows how many heads were being chopped off then you have the main villain spared that fate. The film was not thought through with any consideration of fans or logic. I wanted to like it and it is watchable but I can not recommend it because it will leave you with disappointment. The Highlander franchise just received its Quickening from all the fans and loyal followers it has beheaded with this movie that does nothing but tarnish the Highlander name.

Hellraiser: Inferno (2000 Video)

The Hell that you Create

[7/10 · 23 January 2008]

This movie is underrated to say the least. To be the fifth one in the series and to be the first to go straight to video there were a lot of things working against it. In the end it surpasses all worries that anybody may have. Craig Sheffer gives an excellent performance as the cop who must face his wrong doings. To have the story influenced by Dante's Inferno was brilliant. The combination of these things really work well together. After the disappointment of parts 3 and 4 this is a fitting return to the series. Pinhead is in it a little to brief but that is all I can say bad about this movie. It is really good and has I said before Craig Sheffer's performance carries the movie to higher heights. So give it a chance, if you like horror movies then you will not be disappointed.

Flight of the Living Dead (2007)

Catch this Flight!

[6/10 · 13 October 2007]

With a movie with a title like this you might think it is not that great. I was surprised at how entertaining this turned out to be. Yes it does take time to get started but once it does it is quite entertaining. From the deaths to the zombies running rampant, it all ramps up quickly. No it is not perfect and the budget is not big(but they did do a good job with it) but what do you expect from a movie with a premise of zombies on an airplane? All and all it is not a bad movie and better than you would think as long as you can get past the slow start and you don't think about it too much. Other than that this is a flight to catch.

Deadly Friend (1986)

Entertaining in a 80's kind of way

[6/10 · 12 October 2007]

Deadly Friend is an overlooked 80's movie that basically borrows the theme of resurrection no matter what the cost. The story starts with a brainy teen moving to a new place with his mom and robot. Falls in love with the girl next door (Kristy Swanson) and runs afoul of several of the neighborhoods lesser liked residents. Tragedy strikes the girl and robot so he decides to find a way to bring her back with disastrous results. The fact he tries to help her even after several deaths shows how deeply he wants this to work, no matter what the cost. This is not a bad movie but it is not perfect either. If you can look past some of the flaws and just not make it more than it needs to be then you will find an entertaining movie.