DARK REEL is one of those films that right from the beginning I had no clue if it was trying to be a serious horror film or a horror comedy. Honestly it was hard to tell at first where this film was going as it really comes off as dark at first. I really thought it was going for that bad b-movie feel, while trying to be serious, but then as the movie progressed I realized it was horror film with some really dark comedic moments in it. The problem with DARK REEL is that it seems to struggle with the concept of trying to be funny while also trying to be a serious horror thriller.
DARK REEL has been playing in many film festivals across the United States and other parts of the world. It has received some decent reviews which it will also get from me, but I do have a few issues with the way the movie did present itself.
The film starts off with footage of an actress named Scarlet May being killed on camera. The footage is believed to have been filmed during the 1950’s and the killer displayed pictures of the actress on the streets after her death. Decades later a pirate film is being produced by a big shot of a small studio CEO named Connor Pritchett (Lance Henriksen). He has hired his actors and director and plans on the film being a success. The studio also ran a contest for a fan to make an appearance in the film and even have a line. A fan of B-movie star Cassie Blue (Tiffany Shepis) named Adam Waltz (Edward Furlong) wins the role and shows up very excited to be part of the production. While on set one of the films leading ladies is killed by a mysterious masked killer who seems to have a resemblance to Scarlet May. With this the producers decide to rewrite the script and offer Adam a bigger role in the film. The media gets wind of the death and that Adam was being questioned by the police, he instantly becomes a celebrity of sorts. But this killing is not a one time deal, as the killer continues to murder people who are part of this film. Everyone is a suspect, and Adam begins to see the ghost of Scarlet May whom it seems is trying to warn him who the real killer is. The movie then takes a more serious twist from it’s comedic side and get a bit serious as we find out who the real killer is.
The movie has a star studded cast which includes Lance Henriksen, B-movie scarlet Tiffany Shepis in one of the best roles I’ve ever seen her in. Edward Furlong, who looks like hell in this film but pulls off a decent performance. Tony Todd as Detective Shields the man who is investigating the murders. As well as actors Alexandra Holden as Scarlet May, Tracey Walter as a paparazzi as well as Mercedes McNab, Kevin Ryder and a small cameo appearance by special effects master Rich Baker as a pirate. So yes, the movie does have a list of some well known actors and the acting is not half bad. It does have that B-movie kind of sense to it, but it’s better than your average b-movie acting.
The script is very odd, because your never really sure where the writers are trying to take it. Your kind of thrown in and out of a dark b-movie like comedy to a serious horror thriller and it’s kind of odd in a way. At times I found myself laughing at such little things like the killer gnome movie, and references like we’re going to make a film called “Snakes on a Crane”. You have a sound guy that is obsessed with how well he recorded sound and acting that is so bad during the pirate film scenes that you feel like your watching a funny dark comedy that is making fun of the b-movie process similar to the way the film BRUTAL MASSACRE did. On the other hand the movie gets really serious towards it conclusion and rather than the comedy being blended in with the thriller like atmosphere, the movie get really dark and at time scary. It also takes a big plot twist and you really have no clue as to what the hell is really going on. So it’s a script that throws you around a bit with the story and how it crosses over genre boundaries. It kind of works, but it also is very odd and confusing as well.
I’m kind of tossed up about this one. While I found it to be a decent movie and lean more toward liking it than hating it; it is a confusing movie with a plot that is just odd. It does fit together well and has it’s good and bad moments. This is one of those movies where people are either going to like it or hate it. I for one am caught in-between on this one, mainly because of the way the movie is put together. It has it’s up and it’s down and also has its share of nudity and blood as well.
The DVD is packed with plenty of special features such as Director Commentary, Cast & Crew Commentary, deleted scenes with optional directors commentary, still gallery, and a making of “Gnome Killer 2” featurette as well as the film trailers.
– 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
