Psycho Killer delivers a tense, stylish ride that leans heavily into psychological horror rather than cheap jump scares. The film builds suspense slowly, drawing viewers into a chilling cat-and-mouse story that keeps the tension high from start to finish. Strong performances and sharp cinematography help create an unsettling atmosphere, while the story offers enough twists to keep audiences guessing.
Though a few moments feel familiar for the genre, the film’s pacing and eerie tone make it a standout thriller. Overall, Psycho Killer is a gripping horror experience that earns a solid 4 out of 5 stars. ~ Oisin Rhymour, March 2, 2026 : AMC A-List flick.
A Nasty Road-Chase Horror With an Apocalyptic Bite
I almost skipped Psycho Killer (2026). The title sounds like a bargain-bin throwback, and the poster vibe doesn’t exactly whisper “must-see.” Still, I went, and I’m glad I did. It was free afterall with my 4 movies a week AMC A-List pass.
This is a dark, demonic, unsettled little horror-thriller, the kind that leaves grime under your fingernails. It starts like a straight cop-and-killer pursuit, then keeps twisting the knife into revenge fuel, FBI-style pressure, and finally a big, end-of-the-world swing. Some of it is messy, and a few choices are downright goofy, but the movie commits.
My rating lands at a pleasantly surprised 4 stars. Below is a simple breakdown of what works, what doesn’t, and who’ll actually have a good time with it (with light spoilers later).
What “Psycho Killer” (2026) is about, and why the setup grabbed me fast
Released February 20, 2026, Psycho Killer is a horror-thriller directed by Gavin Polone (his first feature) and written by Andrew Kevin Walker (yes, the writer behind Se7en). That pairing sets expectations: harsh mood, crime-scene dread, and a story that likes staring into the abyss.
It also moves. The film doesn’t waste time asking you to admire it. It shoves you into a nightmare and dares you to keep up.
The story in plain English: grief, a cross-country hunt, and occult crime scenes
Jane Archer is a Kansas cop trying to live a normal life, until it gets ripped away in seconds. Her husband Mike, a state trooper, is murdered right in front of her by a masked killer known as the “Satanic Slasher.” Jane is pregnant, wrecked, and instantly out of patience for red tape.
So she goes after him.
The chase stretches across state lines, with crime scenes that feel staged like rituals. The killer leaves occult symbols as a calling card, like he’s signing his work for an audience only he can see. Meanwhile, Jane keeps running into people who either don’t believe her or want to use her. That friction becomes the engine: grief turns into focus, and focus turns into something sharp enough to cut.
The vibe: mean-spirited, grimy, and unsettling (with a few almost-funny moments)
The tone is nasty in a very specific way. It isn’t elegant horror. It’s motel carpet horror. It’s fluorescent lighting and bad coffee, with a whisper of sulfur in the vents.
The Satanic Slasher’s look helps a lot. The gas mask is creepy on its own, but the fake voice effect is what really sticks, like someone forcing words through a broken speaker. Sometimes that voice lands as chilling. Other times, it edges into “wait, what?” territory, especially in quieter scenes.
A few common complaints are fair. The plot can feel thin between set pieces, some CGI blood looks cheap, and the pulpy beats occasionally bump against the grim mood. Still, the movie’s ugliness feels intentional, like it wants you uncomfortable, not impressed.
If you’re allergic to B-movie rough edges, this one might scratch you the wrong way.
What worked for me, even when the movie is not “prestige” horror
Most critics didn’t go easy on Psycho Killer, and I get why. It’s blunt, sometimes clunky, and it doesn’t polish every idea until it shines. Yet as a theater watch, it played better than its reputation.
The biggest reason is simple: the movie gives you a person to hold onto, then throws her into hell and lets her fight.
Georgina Campbell carries this film as Jane Archer, and she does it without begging for sympathy. Her performance stays grounded, even when the story flirts with supernatural bombast. That matters, because the movie asks you to ride shotgun with her anger for a long time.
Jane’s also treated like a problem to manage. People minimize her, dismiss her, talk around her. Campbell plays those moments with a tight, controlled heat, like she’s swallowing broken glass just to keep moving. As a result, the revenge angle doesn’t feel like a genre checkbox. It feels personal, and a little ugly, which is the point.
Even when the writing shortcuts, Campbell keeps Jane’s goal clear. She isn’t chasing catharsis. She’s chasing an ending she can live with.
The chase keeps moving, and the supporting cast adds weird energy
The road structure helps a lot. Jane’s pursuit becomes a string of stops that each feel slightly worse than the last: a motel that feels too quiet, a house full of Satanist cosplay that stops being funny fast, a series of conversations where everyone seems half-lying.
That “bad people vs worse evil” vibe adds bite. Malcolm McDowell pops as Mr. Pendleton, bringing that smooth, poisonous charm he can do in his sleep. Logan Miller also stands out as Marvin, a goth-leaning helper who feels like he wandered in from a different movie, then decided to stay. Grace Dove shows up with a steadier energy as Agent Becky Collins, giving the “official” side of the hunt a face.
Some kills are basic slasher business, not showpieces. Still, the pace stays tense, so the film rarely feels stalled.
The twisty final act: demonic logic, FBI style revenge pressure, and an apocalyptic swing
Spoilers ahead. If you haven’t seen it and want to go in clean, jump to the conclusion.
This is where the movie either wins you over or loses you completely. It stops pretending it’s only a serial killer story, and it leans hard into end-times logic.
Spoilers: the nuclear plant plan and the “open Hell’s gates” reveal
The Satanic Slasher’s endgame isn’t just murder for murder’s sake. He’s aiming at the Harrisburg nuclear plant, pushing toward a suicide-bomb scenario with an apocalyptic purpose. He believes the scale of the slaughter will literally open Hell’s gates, like he’s trying to force the universe to notice him.
It’s a wild escalation, and the movie doesn’t tiptoe around it. The urgency turns procedural for a beat, with pressure and pursuit that feel closer to an FBI chase than a haunted-house scare ride. Jane gets boxed in by time, location, and limited help. Then she makes a blunt, in-the-moment choice that fits the film’s tone: she stops him by shooting through a window, no speech, no ceremony, just survival math.
Did the ending earn it, or does it fall apart? My take
The ending mostly works for me because it commits. The movie swings big, and it doesn’t wink at you for trying. That counts in horror, where so many films play it safe, then pretend restraint is depth.
On the other hand, the logic gets shaky if you poke it. A few character decisions feel like they exist to move pieces into place, and the effects work can look thin when the stakes go nuclear. Even so, the final act leaves a bad taste in the best way, like smoke in your hair after a fire.
Who should watch: This is best for fans of grim revenge thrillers, satanic panic vibes, and messy B-movie energy. Skip it if you demand tight logic, flawless effects, or stylish “art kills.”
Conclusion: My 4-star take on Psycho Killer (2026)
Psycho Killer isn’t refined, but it’s hard to shake. I’m sticking with a 4-star rating because the lead performance hits, the mood stays mean, and the apocalyptic twist leaves a nasty aftertaste. The revenge drive feels earned, not decorative.
A few things still bug me, especially the voice effect, thin writing in spots, and some cheap-looking blood. Even so, I’d recommend it to horror fans who like their thrillers dirty and determined.
What was your moment of no return, the first scene where you thought, “Okay, this movie’s serious”? And did that final twist work for you?
Shark movies almost always draw a crowd, but Dangerous Animals flips the script with a surge of adrenaline and a rush of surprise, adding in the serial killer twist. What started as a routine popcorn creature feature quickly twisted into something darker, mixing Jaws and terror with a sinister serial killer and his tangled web of digital horrors. The premise teases familiarity, but the film’s razor-sharp detours leave you wide-eyed and second-guessing every shadow.
I walked in expecting fins and jump scares; what I got was a genre mashup that sharpens the dread, pulls you into a double threat, and keeps things pulsing till the lights come back up. With a solid 3.5-star showing, this one lingers in your mind long after the credits, not just for its scares but for the wild places it goes. If you’re drawn to stories where tradition crashes into the unexpected, there’s a deeper world of genre twists you might also appreciate over at Technotink Lore.
Plot Overview: When Sharks Meet Serial Killers
“Plot Overview: When Sharks Meet Serial Killers” isn’t just a quirky tagline; it’s the bolt of chaos that powers Dangerous Animals. This movie shakes up expectations with a mashup nobody called: Predators from the deep, tangling with a predator on land. This classic shark attack formula takes a backseat to a whole new game of survival. Let’s dive into what makes this plot such a wild, memorable ride.
An Unlikely Collision: Predator vs. Predator
From the first act, Dangerous Animals juggles tension in two directions. You think you’re just signing up for big teeth and blood in the water, but things go sideways fast when a serial killer enters the mix. The film plants you right on the edge, never letting you sit comfortably in one story lane.
What sparks here is a sense of whiplash that’s both jarring and oddly satisfying. It’s like watching a campfire horror story jump out of the water, only to be swallowed by something darker. The killer isn’t a background threat either; he’s central, stalking his prey using both the ocean and the web. The movie draws clear lines between instinct and intent, creating a twisted duel that keeps viewers breathless.
New Depths for Horror Fans
Imagine sitting halfway through a shark film, waiting for the next fin to slice the surface, and realizing the real monster might not have gills at all. Dangerous Animals isn’t shy about flipping the usual tropes. The classic ocean terror battles for screen time (and victim count) with a villain who’s got as much obsession for sharks as for his sinister craft.
It doesn’t just stop with brute force and chase scenes. The serial killer leans hard into modern fears, using the dark web as his hunting ground. This isn’t just a fight for survival; it’s a hunt that turns digital paranoia into visceral, open-water dread. If you’re curious about more of these off-the-rails genre twists, The Guardian has a good review of this killer-shark mashup.
Survival at All Costs
What stuck with me is how the characters are caught in the middle, fighting tooth and nail to survive, but never quite knowing where the next hit will come from. The protagonist’s struggle feels raw and desperate, echoing classic final-girl energy, amped up by a double shot of danger from both man and nature.
You don’t just root for survival; you try to untangle the killer’s motives and wonder what’s lurking behind every digital shadow. If you want to see how director Sean Byrne spins this tension into something sharp and entertaining, the official Dangerous Animals profile on IMDb has more details, and there’s even buzz about the movie’s unique blend on Reddit in discussions about the trailer and poster.
The collision of sharks and serial killers sets a wicked pace. Just when you think you can breathe, the waters churn again, making Dangerous Animals a horror story you won’t easily forget.
Atmosphere and Scares: Where Suspense Meets the Deep Blue
Dangerous Animals doesn’t just dip its toes in the water; it plunges headfirst into a current of fear and tension. The atmosphere rolls in thick, from the cold glint on the killer’s knife to the silent shadows lurking beneath the waves. Here, every flicker of blue light and every muffled splash has a job: to keep you guessing, fingers white-knuckled on your armrest. Let’s break down how this movie stirs dread, not only with shock but with a world that feels wet, real, and much too close for comfort.
Visual Effects and Shark Realism: CGI Bites and Fin Flicks
If you’re a fan of finned beasts rendered in all their gnashing glory, you’ll find plenty to chew on in Dangerous Animals. The movie leans hard on a blend of CGI and old-school practical effects to bring its predators to life.
CGI Sharks: Modern effects give these digital sharks a weight and speed that can make you forget they’re just pixels. The watery lighting, reflections, and movement underwater are detailed enough to trick your eye, especially in quick flashes or when the camera dives in close for an attack.
Practical Magic: Physical effects still do the heavy lifting for those all-important close shaves; teeth scraping boat hulls, blood in the water, or a dorsal fin slicing through the surface. You can almost feel the spray on your face.
Atmosphere over Gimmick: Instead of relying on jump scares or rubbery monsters, the film uses shadows, slow pans, and silence. These choices hold the viewer in a spell, tapping into our primal fear of what might be swimming just out of sight.
Fans of the genre may catch a few seams in the CGI here and there; hey, this isn’t a Marvel blockbuster, but that’s part of the charm. The scares work because they aren’t just about realism; they’re about suspense and imagination, much like other cult shark films that thrive on tension and pace.
Serial Killer and Dark Web Themes: Evil in the Surf and the Shadows
Just when your heart settles from the beastly threats below water, Dangerous Animals pushes you back under. The real shock comes from its twisted human antagonist, whose motives feel ripped from today’s headlines.
A Killer’s Twist: The film’s villain isn’t just your generic slasher; he’s a digital predator who uses the dark web as both hunting ground and hideout. His crimes feel personal, reckless, and modern in a way that crawls under your skin.
Motivations That Sting: Instead of a backstory filled with tired revenge or cliché trauma, this killer seems driven by curiosity, power, and the thrill of being watched. The script isn’t afraid to draw from the whirlpool of online danger, making every text or ping hum with menace.
Blending Urban Legends: By weaving dark web mythology into the narrative, the movie lands deeper psychological blows. There’s a sense that the terror could step off the screen and into your inbox. If you’re drawn to true-crime stories or enjoy swapping spine-tingling tales, you’ll find it’s playing the same game as stories found in Urban Legends on Technotink.
The mix of aquatic scares with true-crime anxiety creates a vibe that’s hard to shake. Instead of clashing, the two threats work together to keep you scanning shadows; on both land and sea; for the next strike. This double-punch twist is what gives Dangerous Animals its edge.
Performances and Direction: Standouts and Surprises
If you’re the type who tunes into a shark or slasher flick mainly for body count and blood spray, Dangerous Animals has something more to offer. A jolt of real acting chops and a director with a twisty vision keep the story from just circling the usual feeding ground. While the premise seems destined for B-movie cheese, the performances and direction cut sharper, shifting the mood from campy terror to grim, unpredictable threat; then back again, sometimes in the same scene.
Leading Roles that Bite Back
Let’s get to the real surprise. The leads dig in deep, refusing to let the movie be just another generic animal-attack story. The protagonist (Maya, played by a breakout star with serious screen presence) doesn’t go for the cardboard “final girl” routine. Instead, Maya gives us panic, grit, and flashes of humor that land even as the sharks close in and the killer draws near. You root for her not because the plot says you should, but because she feels like someone you might actually meet: sharp, flawed, scared, and stubborn.
The serial killer, cloaked in both shadow and digital anonymity, gets equal attention. He’s not the campy mustache-twirler or unstoppable hulking brute. Instead, his performance nails a mix of charisma and creep, especially when he’s toying with technology to terrify his next victim. A glance, a half-smile, a soft-spoken threat; he conjures chills in all the quiet ways. These touches are what set Dangerous Animals apart from cheaper, faster mass-market scares. If you want a look at horror acting that brings a genuine edge, check out the 16 Best Horror Movie Performances That Deserved Oscars for some iconic comparisons.
Directors Who Swim Against the Current
Credit where it’s due; director Sean Byrne doesn’t just wrangle chaos. He choreographs it. Byrne pulls off a balancing act: keeping one foot in the shark-movie camp but letting the other wander into psychological horror. Scenes are paced to keep us off-balance; long, tense silences cut with sudden violence, clever edits that skip the expected and surface somewhere unexpected.
Several moments stand out: a cramped, underwater struggle filmed through fractured moonlight feels almost lyrical before erupting into frantic action. The killer’s dark web haunt, rendered through flickering screens and empty audio, has a sticky, claustrophobic vibe that makes your skin crawl. Byrne finds little ways to shift the lens, so nothing feels completely safe or comfortable. This sort of creative vision echoes the work of directors who brought unforgettable moments to the world of horror; The Contending put together a solid piece on the greatest performances in horror cinema that highlights the mark a good director can leave on both cast and viewer.
Supporting Cast and Unlikely Surprises
It’s not just the leads who deserve applause. The supporting cast puts in real work to dodge cliché, from nervy sidekicks to skeptical locals and, of course, those doomed to fall first. Nobody feels like filler. Each adds color and credible panic to the unfolding chaos.
You’ll notice small, surprising turns; a one-liner delivered as the tension crests, an argument that reveals more anxiety than the monsters outside, a costar whose dread feels all too believable. These touches matter, especially in a genre known for throwaway roles. Watching the actors bounce off each other, raising the stakes with every choice, locks you in for the ride. For more discussions on how acting can make or break a horror film, see the community takes over at Reddit’s best horror movie acting performances thread.
So, even if the story takes a left turn or two, the cast and direction keep Dangerous Animals swimming strong; reminding us just how much difference a few smart, committed performances can make.
Themes and Subtext: More Than Just Survival
Step beyond the surface of gnashing teeth and blood in the water, and Dangerous Animals reveals more than a run-of-the-mill survival tale. The heart of this film beats to a surprising rhythm, full of layered themes, sly subtext, and moments that force you to look twice. This isn’t just a show about outswimming predators—it’s loaded with commentary about fear, technology, and what it means to fight for your life in the age of both beasts and bandwidth.
Modern Paranoia: Fear in the Digital Age
Beneath every splash and scream, Dangerous Animals peels back society’s modern paranoia. The serial killer’s use of the dark web doesn’t just fuel plot twists; it magnifies the quiet panic we feel about online threats. The film twists classic horror anxieties; jaws and claws; with the new terror of invisible cyber tracks. Victims aren’t just running from creatures; they’re hunted through screens, signals, and algorithms gone rogue.
Digital vulnerability rings loud through the film, highlighting how exposed we become when safety is an illusion only as strong as a Wi-Fi password.
Our instinct to trust technology backfires as the killer manipulates the digital world to control and stalk prey.
This thread of fear mirrors the subtext seen in classic horror. If you’re interested in how modern nerve and subtext go hand-in-hand, Crystal Lake’s look at subtext in horror fiction digs deeper into the craft behind these approaches.
Nature vs. Humanity: The Beast Inside
Sharks and killers clash, but the real tension pulses between nature’s brute force and humanity’s dark ingenuity. Dangerous Animals crafts a world where it’s not just the animals who kill for survival, but people, too.
The killer’s methods echo animal instinct, blurring the line between hunter and hunted.
Survival isn’t as simple as staying above water; it’s a fight to retain humanity in the face of primal, animal panic.
Here, every fight with fin or fist asks if we’re so different from the monsters we fear. It’s a riff horror fans have seen before; shades of classic movies that turn the mirror on the audience. Curious about similar themes in other films? The Tim Burton Movie Analysis collection explores how other directors weave environmental and moral questions into their work.
Moral Blind Spots and Ambiguous Heroes
Dangerous Animals doesn’t paint its heroes and villains with clear lines. You sometimes question who deserves to survive and at what cost.
Decisions are murky; should you abandon a friend to outswim a shark, or try to outwit a killer together?
The movie toes the line between justice and revenge, pushing viewers to interrogate their own gut reactions.
Characters constantly face moral crossroads, adding a layer of ethics to all the running and hiding. Looking for a broader take? You’ll find some lively perspectives on how horror movies sneak moral dilemmas into their scares in Reddit’s favorite subtext in horror movies thread.
Hidden Identity and Double Threats
There’s a stealthy subtext woven through the killer’s personas, both online and in the flesh. It taps into classic horror secrets, playing with the idea that threat often wears a familiar face.
Technology lets true natures stay hidden until it’s much too late.
The theme of masks and double lives haunts every confrontation, making danger a moving target.
This kind of narrative layering isn’t just a modern twist; subtle subtext about identity and hidden threats has always simmered under horror’s surface.
By the time credits roll, Dangerous Animals leaves you thinking about more than just who survives. It stirs deeper fears, asks sharper questions, and proves you can find a biting message lurking beneath the foam and frenzy.
Final Verdict: Was ‘Dangerous Animals’ Worth the Dive?
When it comes to killer shark flicks and slasher thrillers, I rarely brace for double trouble. Dangerous Animals takes the knife-and-fin formula, splashes it with modern dread, and serves up a bold new taste for tired genre fans. So, how does it measure up once the adrenaline wears off? Let’s wade through the aftermath and decide if this wild ride is truly worth the ticket, especially for AMC A-List regulars who crave something fresh between tentpole releases.
Genre Shakeup: Pleasant Shock or Muddled Waters?
Dangerous Animals did something few recent horror hybrids manage; it kept me guessing. By blending animal horror with modern serial killer chills, the movie dodges easy labels and rewards anyone bored by the usual teeth-and-screams routine. Instead of more of the same, I found myself on edge, second-guessing every sunlit surf shot and darkened phone screen. The result? That rare creature: a creature feature that actually feels new.
You don’t need to be a die-hard shark aficionado to get caught up in the action. The relentless pace, uneasy tension, and creative set pieces bake up a different kind of suspense. A late-night streaming pick can sometimes disappoint, but not here; the story is juicier and smarter than its basic cable cousins. For more thoughts from movie lovers, see the unfiltered reactions in the Official Dangerous Animals discussion thread.
Hits and Misses: Where Dangerous Animals Surpassed Expectations
Let’s break it down:
Standout Performances: Both the protagonist and antagonist are more than genre cardboard. They charge each scene with believable panic, giving just enough quirky personality to make you care.
Atmosphere and Visuals: The mood swings from sun-bleached beaches to digital catacombs without feeling forced. If you love the sound of water pulsing through a scene or enjoy a clever silhouette in the moonlight, this movie serves plenty.
Story Surprises: It’s not afraid to take sharp turns. The use of the dark web and double-layered threats pumps up the tension rather than distracting from the plot.
Watchability: Clocking in at just the right length, it never drags. The movie knows when to end a scene, how to tease a reveal, and when to let the madness spill over.
However, no entry is perfect:
A few CGI moments tip their hand if you squint.
Some supporting characters slip into horror movie tradition; here for a scare or a scream, then gone.
Shark Bait or Standout? Comparing to Other Genre Entries
It’s easy to stack Dangerous Animals against cult classics like The Shallows or Jaws for sheer bite strength, but those films rarely dared a sideways move into digital-era paranoia. Here, the villain’s dark web roots dig a little deeper, gnawing at modern anxieties while the sharks circle. Is it as iconic? Not quite, but it swings big where others play safe.
Shark movie veterans may recognize a few familiar shadows, but the movie’s willingness to twist its DNA gives it a fighting chance at cult status.
Is It Worth Swimming With These Sharks?
Dangerous Animals scores a solid 3.5 stars out of 5 in my book. Not pitch-perfect, but definitely refreshing. The scares are layered and smart, performances punch above their weight, and the director’s hand keeps things moving at a crisp snap. Was it what I expected? Not even close. Was I disappointed? Not for a second.
If your idea of a good movie night is Jaws with a side of serial killers’ twisted sense of fun, then this one should swim to the top of your queue. It’s not just popcorn horror; it’s a wicked blend of folklore, digital menace, and guilt-free fun. And honestly, isn’t that what keeps us coming back for more?
Conclusion
Dangerous Animals snuck up on me with a mix of shark terror and digital-age serial killer chills. The movie sidesteps familiar paths, serving as a twisted thriller that is far from predictable. With each scene, it shuffles dread across surf and screen, making a 3.5-star rating feel well-earned and honest. Performances bite as hard as the sharks; especially with a villain who draws as much fear from his keyboard as his knife.
This isn’t a film you’ll shake off in an hour. Instead, it lingers; a mash-up that feels fresh, a reminder not every horror has to swim in a straight line. For anyone who craves stories where lurking dangers are both ancient and new, I say bump this one up your list.
If you’re hungry for more tales that blur the line between myth, menace, and modern anxiety, you’ll find endless chills among the Urban Legends on Technotink. Thanks for reading; let’s keep the lights low and the conversations buzzing. What film do you want to see mixed up next?
Rated PG-13: Released 2018 Horror, Supernatural, Apocalypse, Science Fiction Run-time: 1 hour, 38 minutes Directed by Scott Speer, starring Bella Thorne, Dermot Mulroney, Richard Harmon, and more.
A haunting world after a cataclysmic event … a universe where the dead still remain as echoes and apparitions throughout the homes, streets, and fields for surviving humans to encounter. The world attempts to return to normal, but these apparitions haunt them – unable to affect their lives other than memories. However, one of the ghosts break the rules and try to kill Ronnie – a student who seems to be haunted the most.
Well designed and choreographed. Very interesting plot and much to ponder after watching. A great murder mystery in a supernatural context. I watched this one after looking up apocalyptic films on Amazon Prime. Luckily caught it 3 days before it will be removed from the service.
Rated: 4 stars out of 5 ~ reviewed by Thomas Baurley, Techno Tink Media: www.technotink.net
Directed by Dave Meyers; Starring: Sean Bean …. John Ryder; Sophia Bush …. Grace Andrews; Zachary Knighton …. Jim Halsey; Neal McDonough …. Lieutenant Esteridge; Kyle Davis …. Buford’s Store Clerk; Skip O’Brien …. Harlan Bremmer, Sr.; Travis Schuldt …. Harlan Bremmer, Jr., and many more.
The remake of the 1986 cult thriller – but the tables have turned, instead of the boy being the target, this time it’s the girl. Many of the same re-made terrifying scenes that made the first film such an impact were brought to life with the newest cinematography. This time, a young couple heads cross-country for Spring Break only to somehow get coerced into giving a stranger a lift to the next town. What appears to be a good samaritan move, turns to bloody hell as the hitcher is a military ranger-like serial killer who is out to frame them for the mass deaths and to terrorize them in as many ways he could count possible. It doesn’t compare to the first movie in my opinion, but definitely a good see. Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street(R: 2007) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408236/
Johnny Depp .. Sweeney Todd, Helena Bonham Carter … Mrs. Lovett, Alan Rickman … Judge Turpin, Timothy Spall … Beadle Bamford, Sacha Baron Cohen … Signor Adolfo Pirelli, Jamie Campbell Bower … Anthony Hope, Laura Michelle Kelly … Lucy / Beggar Woman, Jayne Wisener … Johanna, Ed Sanders … Toby, and many more.
Set in London, in dark Victorian England, the story of Sweeney Todd is brought to the screen by none other, but the fabulous artist Tim Burton. With his favorite actor of choice, Johnny Depp plays the wrongly imprisoned barber who sets out for revenge on the judge who imprisoned him. A tragic love story where lovers are separated, by greed and lust, and unspeakable evil. Returning he teams up with a cannibal, and off they are set to give mankind what they feel they deserve. A clean shave and a meat pie. Based on the story and the Broadway musical, this film is stunning with panoramic talent, excellent cinematography, and stunning visuals. The acting was excellent as well. I’m not the largest fan of musicals, but this one was enchanting. Rated 5 stars out of 5.
The Hills Run Red(R: 2009)
Director: Dave Parker. Starring: Sophie Monk, William Sadler, Tad Hilgenbrink, and many more. A most disturbing horror film was made ages ago and a few horror fans stumble upon its trailer and are dying to see it. However, it’s rumored that the film has been destroyed. They track down the director’s only living daughter, a stripper who has lost herself in a world of drug addiction. The horror fans take her on an adventure back to her childhood grounds to find the film – but little do they know that it’s still being filmed and they have now become the most recent stars. They find dementia, incest, and the disturbing macabre. Definitely a typical hack-n-slash flick. Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5.
* NR/Showtime: 2006-2010 * http://www.sho.com/site/dexter/ * Starring/Cast/Staff: Michael C. Hall … Dexter Morgan (48 episodes, 2006-2009); Julie Benz … Rita Bennett / … (48 episodes, 2006-2009); Jennifer Carpenter … Debra Morgan (48 episodes, 2006-2009); Lauren Vélez … Lt. Maria Laguerta (48 episodes, 2006-2009); David Zayas … Angel Batista / … (48 episodes, 2006-2009); James Remar … Harry Morgan / … (48 episodes, 2006-2009); C.S. Lee … Vince Masuka (47 episodes, 2006-2009); Christina Robinson … Astor Bennett / … (43 episodes, 2006-2009); Preston Bailey … Cody Bennett / … (32 episodes, 2007-2009); Erik King … Sergeant James Doakes (24 episodes, 2006-2007); Desmond Harrington … Joey Quinn / … (24 episodes, 2008-2009); Geoff Pierson … Captain Tom Matthews (20 episodes, 2006-2009); and many more.
A great series on Showtime about a serial killer named “Dexter Morgan” played by Michael C. hall who works for the Miami Metro Police Department as a blood splatter analyst, utilizing his job to hid his uncontrollable addiction to gruesomely kill his victims he believes need to die. The series is based on Jeff Lindsay’s novel series “Darkly Dreaming Dexter”. The Fourth and Fifth season are in the works. The show follows the life of Dexter, day to day, as he goes from work, struggles with his internal demons, carries on relationships, and seeks to lash out his addiction to find the heartbeat of life in killing his victims. Dexter was a young boy who was adopted by a Miami cop named Harry Morgan from a blood bath murder scene of his mom. Harry, knowing Dexter would be changed from the incident for life, nurtured the murderous thirst in his son harnessing it to kill only those who deserve it – other killers who have escaped the legal system or were never suspects in the first place. He was taught by his father how to hide the evidence and to get away with the crimes while holding up a facade of normalcy. Slowly Dexter unravels the mystery of his family, his mother’s murder, and his psychotic father. Dexter learns to fake normal emotions which leads him into a torrid love affair with Rita. Fine to Dexter, his relationship with Rita goes slow, as she is slowly healing from past rape and abuse damages from her former husband, who is later released, and becomes ravelled up in Dexter’s madness. Through Dexter’s crazy life, working as a police scientist, he helps unravel the case of notorious murderers, the first of which is the “Ice Truck Killer” who turns out to be of his blood relations that his adoptive sister Debra gets involved with. Dexter continues to play normal, but police Sargeant James Doakes suspects something is wrong with Dexter which spirals him down to become a victim of Dexter’s insanity. As Dexter unravels his past he has to come to terms with his future. He kills his brother and pursues a deeper relationship with Rita. The Madness continues in Season 2 when Rita gives Dexter the ultimatum of joining Narcotics Anomynous thinking Dexter’s addictions is drugs rather than killing. Through the sessions, Dexter finds confidence in another addict, a con artist named Lila who becomes Dexter’s sponsor and mistress. Dexter’s murderous remains become found and he strives to frame someone else for his murders as Dexter becomes known as the “Bay Harbour Butcher” a name Dexter abhorrs. Now that Dexter has Rita’s ex-husband permanently out of his way, his love affair with Lila is discovered, and Rita dumps Dexter. As Dexter and Rita patch things up, Lila is outcasted, which drives her madly insane – out to get Rita and her children until she starts to discover Dexter’s real addiction is not recovery from drugs. Lila saves the day from getting Dexter discovered as the murderer, and joins Dexter’s list of people to “off”. In Season 3, Rita discovers she is pregnant with Dexter’s child. They decide to get married and have the baby. Dexter becomes allied with a district attorney who also has a thirst for blood, murder, and vengeance. Teaching Miguel Prado how to kill, Dexter quickly resents having told his darkly secret and struggles to erase his mistake. While struggling to hide his urges from Rita, trying desperately to be normal, Dexter is whirlwinded into a world a cloak and dagger as him and Miguel go on a killing spree until Miguel doesn’t listen to Dexter and runs astray risking everything. Dexter cleans up his “mistake”. This leads Dexter to become a victim of the infamous “Skinner” killer who he barely escapes from before walking down the aisle with Rita. Interesting enough, this series has become quite controversial through the conservative world because it has become blamed for making murder attractive, killing people o.k. and for influencing the youth. There has been a few missing person cases that have been linked to the series as having influenced murders in real life. In December of 2008, filmmaker Mark Twitchell in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada was charged with murder of 38 year old John Altinger whose body is still missing. He filmed footage of the “House of Cards” a horror-romance that is similar to Dexter’s clandestine murders, where he allegedly snuffed Altinger. The Detective on the case was quoted to have said “We have alot of information to suggest he definitely idolizes Dexter”. Twitchell also had apparently created a series of facebook statuses where he suggest that he had alot in common with Dexter Morgan. He has been released even though still suspect for the murder. In November of 2009, Seventeen year old Andrew Conley was arrested in Rising Sun, Indiana after killing his 10 year old brother Conner. Andrew told investigators that he identified with the character “Dexter”. The series is addicting and compelling, hard to walk away from, and quite captivating. Very enjoyable and thought provoking. Rating : 4.5 stars out of 5.
