I picked up this little film at a local store, mainly just because of the eye-catching title and not because I had done any reading on the plot or anything. I must admit, reading the plot afterwards led me to believe that this would just be another, linear type killer movie that would bore me to tears. I'm happy to say that I was wrong.
Adam Wingard's A Horrible Way to Die does have a very straightforward and to the point plot line. We meet Sarah, a recovering alcoholic who goes to AA meetings and works at a dentist's office, struggling just to get by day to day. We learn that Sarah's ex-boyfriend, Garrick, was a twister serial killer and it was Sarah who played a huge part in getting him locked up. Now Sarah has moved to a new town and has been working to restore the shattered fragments of her life little by little. Sarah meets Joe, another recovering alcoholic, and they begin to form an awkward relationship. Life is looking up. Unfortunately for her, we learn that Garrick has escaped from prison during a routine transport and it is very possible that he is coming to find her, while leaving tons of bodies in his path.
Aside from having a very basic storyline, there are a few things that stand out in this film that make it better than your average serial killer flick. Visually, it is bleak, dreary, and stunning. The actors and actresses all did a fantastic job, especially AJ Bowen, who played Garrick. The way the character of Sarah is played by the lovely Amy Seimetz, you can practically taste the depression and feel the empty void of a woman whose life has been ravaged by not only alcoholism, but by finding out that the man she loved is pure evil and turning him in. Between the awkward dynamics of Sarah and Joe's first date, Sarah's anti-social shuffling to and from work, and an incredibly awkward sex scene between two broken people, this storyline was engrossing and believable. I have to give another round of applause to AJ Bowen,who truly made the character of Garrick feel calculated, cold, and repulsive in a pretty realistic way. AJ Bowen is a name you should keep your eyes out for, he's quite good at playing the sociopath types.
There is a twist ending which I won't spoil for you, but it was good and not totally expected. There was something refreshingly human in this one, even though
the subject matter is so grim. The story is mostly talking, but there are a few nice death scenes as well. Overall, I'd have to rate this as an above average serial killer film, but likely not something I'd run back and re watch in the near future. The movie is well made, but like I said very linear and lots of talking. Definitely worth a couple of hours of your time, but not a movie to watch if you're looking for something quick and fun.
RATING:
*** 1/2 out of *****
Adam Wingard's A Horrible Way to Die does have a very straightforward and to the point plot line. We meet Sarah, a recovering alcoholic who goes to AA meetings and works at a dentist's office, struggling just to get by day to day. We learn that Sarah's ex-boyfriend, Garrick, was a twister serial killer and it was Sarah who played a huge part in getting him locked up. Now Sarah has moved to a new town and has been working to restore the shattered fragments of her life little by little. Sarah meets Joe, another recovering alcoholic, and they begin to form an awkward relationship. Life is looking up. Unfortunately for her, we learn that Garrick has escaped from prison during a routine transport and it is very possible that he is coming to find her, while leaving tons of bodies in his path.
Aside from having a very basic storyline, there are a few things that stand out in this film that make it better than your average serial killer flick. Visually, it is bleak, dreary, and stunning. The actors and actresses all did a fantastic job, especially AJ Bowen, who played Garrick. The way the character of Sarah is played by the lovely Amy Seimetz, you can practically taste the depression and feel the empty void of a woman whose life has been ravaged by not only alcoholism, but by finding out that the man she loved is pure evil and turning him in. Between the awkward dynamics of Sarah and Joe's first date, Sarah's anti-social shuffling to and from work, and an incredibly awkward sex scene between two broken people, this storyline was engrossing and believable. I have to give another round of applause to AJ Bowen,who truly made the character of Garrick feel calculated, cold, and repulsive in a pretty realistic way. AJ Bowen is a name you should keep your eyes out for, he's quite good at playing the sociopath types.
There is a twist ending which I won't spoil for you, but it was good and not totally expected. There was something refreshingly human in this one, even though
the subject matter is so grim. The story is mostly talking, but there are a few nice death scenes as well. Overall, I'd have to rate this as an above average serial killer film, but likely not something I'd run back and re watch in the near future. The movie is well made, but like I said very linear and lots of talking. Definitely worth a couple of hours of your time, but not a movie to watch if you're looking for something quick and fun.
RATING:
*** 1/2 out of *****