Carnel is a film that some are comparing to Romero’s Martin. It’s true there are some similar factors between the two films, mainly in which the way the films are shot. But this film is by far no where near as good as Romero’s Martin.
This film has a simple yet somewhat confusing plot. The movie follows two friends who work together, one of which has just moved into the neighborhood. When they decide to venture out into the city streets to get a bite to eat, they soon find out that the city does not offer much in the way of fast food shops, deli’s or restaurants.
They soon meet two older women who woe them back to their place for some food and a few drinks. The guys except the offer. However the fun and games stop when the women turn out to be vampires who collect bodies and harvest body parts to sell off to other vampires. The two men fall victim to the women and must try to find a way ro escape this bloody nightmare.
Carnel is a dark film, and by all means it has a very eerily and uneasy feel from the get go. My main stint with this film is that not only is it very slow, but there’s hardly any thing great about the films characters and their development. Plain and simple the characters in this film were boring, I felt no connection or relation to them whatsoever. The overall script was not as simple as it lead the viewer to believe. There were some plot holes within the script and there was no background information given on any of the vampire characters and what their main purpose was. The first hour of the film was very, very slow. I felt as if all I heard for the first hour of this film was about how much one of the main characters wanted to go back to work, while the other just wanted to get laid. We basically just get a few scenes that consist of the foursome hanging out, eating food, playing drinking games and of course sex. After the sex is when the horror begins.
When the horrific events of this film start to happen, that’s when the movie starts to pick up a little. The overall look and feel of the film is that of an amateur video film, but that looks works during these scenes and makes them feel that much more real. This is where I feel the look of the movie can be compared to that of Romero’s Martin, however Martin in terms of story is very different. Instead I would have to compare the film to that of an old grind house or European horror flick of the 1970-80’s. Still like I stated above, the film fails to deliver us a complete story. Sure there is plenty of blood and odd moments, one of which includes a fat man with a gas mask on being treated like some S&M slave. Dead bodies kept in locker type closets, and plenty of odd vampire feeding.
As far as acting goes I can’t say that the cast was bad. The quality of the DVD is kind off and the film I believe was shot in Spanish, unfortunately for me and for this film I don’t speak Spanish and had to watch the film overdubbed in English. The mix of the ADR is pretty bad and did in fact take away from the feel of the film for me. So I feel criticizing the acting would not be fair to the real performances the actors gave. Lets just say whoever did their voices really made them look bad. However in their overall appearance and body movements and gestures, I think they did a decent job.
As far as special effects go; Don’t expect much. The best we really get is some blood coming out of the mouth of one of the vampire chicks. A few pasty looking bodies and some odd visuals of fat man in a gimp like outfit which I mentioned above.
Overall, Carnel is not a film that everyone is going to like. I can’t say that the film is so bad that the filmmakers had no clue what they were, because in fact the film itself is filmed and edited very well. But the overall story just did not do it for me and it’s lack of action and lifeless characters took my attention away and I personally felt their was nothing in this film in which I can relate too.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
