The summer cinema season always arrives with noise, spectacle, box-office records, and enough star power to sink any Cannes yacht party. Most blockbuster detractors like to spend their summer dodging the bright glow of Hollywood by cowering in the shade of their local art-house theatre wallowing amongst Eastern European nouveau reality films. But there is another way, a third option, the option your gran wouldn’t like. Why not spend your summer immersed in the blood, severed limbs, mutants, monsters, and serial killers on show from this summer’s horror offerings.
[REC]2, May 28th (UK), July 9th (US): ‘REC’ was one of the surprise standout horror’s of 2007, and is widely (and rightly) considered one of the best horror movies of the past decade. The Spanish film showed American horror how to make first person movies that are as effective as they are terrifying. The sequel takes place on the same night in the same quarantined, infected apartment building in Madrid. The building, now awash with zombie-esque creatures, is infiltrated by special-op soldiers searching for survivors. It’s the helmet mounted cameras that now provide the first person perspective, dragging the audiences through darkened rooms and blackened corridors. If ‘REC2′ is only half as effective as it’s predecessor it’ll still be an incredibly satisfying slice of horror pie.
Splice, June 4th: Deadly Movies feels all smug about highlighting ‘Splice’ as one to watch in 2010. Since those early days of touring the festival scene ‘Splice’ has picked up a healthy head of steam, with test screenings and screener reviews coming back glowing. Hot-shot scientists Adrian Brody and Sarah Polley play god with human cells in the hope of creating a purely man-made intelligent being. This ‘Frankenstein’ tale for the GM generation promises much in the way of drama and body horror as well as a thought provoking and engrossing look at man’s scientific ambitions (and indeed limitations).
Predators, July 9th: Producer Robert Rodriguez and director Nimrod Antal are promising a return to form for one of cinema’s greatest extra terrestrials and iconic monster’s. The memories of the sub standard ‘AVP’ (‘Aliens vs Predators’) and the god-awful ‘AVP2′ are still fresh, thankfully ‘Predators’ seeks to take us back to the jungle and back to glorious basics. Perhaps the most sensible move of all was to relocate the franchise to the Predators wooded and untamed home planet, unshackling the film from the convoluted time-lines created by the two AVP efforts. A selection of Earth’s hardest soldiers, warriors, and criminals are transported to the Predators home planet which is, essentially, a giant game reserve where the humans are the sport of choice. Adrian Brody, Laurence Fishburne, and Danny Trejo head up an interesting ensemble cast.
The Last Exorcism, August 27th: Possession is a well always worth revisiting for producers. Ever since’ The Exorcist’ became widely acknowledged as the scariest movie of all time filmmakers have tried to recreate its impact and success. A mountainous task that no-one has yet successfully navigated. ‘The Last Exorcism’ utilises the handheld camera technique made commercially successful by the likes of ‘REC’ and ‘Cloverfield’, and herein could lie its master stroke. Can you imagine the horror of first-person footage of Reagan’s bodily trauma in’ The Exorcist’? If this tale of a priest’s final and most disturbing exorcism uses this technique to its most intimate possibilities the outcome could be truly horrific.
Piranha 3D, August 27th: It’s been a long time since we had a ‘Piranha’ movie. The last one was ‘Piranha 2: The Spawning’ back in 1981, directed by James Cameron no less. Now, some 29 years later, it’s time for horror hot property Alexandre Aja (‘Switchblade Romance’, ‘The Hills Have Eyes’, ‘P2′) to deliver his version of homicidal sushi. This time around the man hungry fish are feeding off sexy teens at Spring Break, lucky them. ‘Piranha 3D’ looks to have really nailed it, delivering that oh so rare commodity of horror comedy (a very difficult compliment to achieve, much like a LibCon government). Also keep an eye out for genre greats such as Ricjard Dryfuss (Jaws), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), Ving Rhames (Dawn of the Dead), and Eli Roth (Hostel). As well as a very funny turn from Jerry O’Connell as the host of Girls Gone Wild. Expect a healthy amount of boobs and blood with tongue firmly in cheek.
