I can understand why so many people disliked this movie. It's not as slick, fast moving as a lot of the newer horror films. It doesn't have state-of-the-art gore and special effects. The script is simple, the direction is a bit slow. We've seen the idea before in a way. But in a way, it's nice to see it again.
We all love the classic old horror movies. The ones that were made in a time when the scripts, characters, and style was completely believable. At least for the time period, anyways. These old movies at the time turned the genre on their ear and gave audiences things that hadn't been seen before, fear they hadn't felt before. Malevolence goes back to that. Unfortunately for the director, it has been seen and felt before.
There is, however, plenty about this movie to like. It wasn't as good as I thought it would be, but the acting was solid (better than standard b-movie fare, regardless of previous gripes), the story was completely "this could actually happen," and the theme of the film draws in childhoods and real life issues.
The thing that hooked me most about this film is the fact that I have a 4 year old child, and watching it's mother/child dynamic really helped bring a sense of fear to the film. It wasn't overt; I didn't jump out of my seat or cry ever during the film, but the dynamic did aide in its personal effect on me.
In conclusion, the film had enough classic horror elements to make it a worthy attempt at recreating the standard horror film formula, with just enough new elements to create a differential. There were some key spots "ripped" from films, such as the fist through the door scene, the stereotypical Michael Myers / Jason Voorhees killer aesthetic, and the Night of the Living Dead hero death. But it was still a good job all around, with atmosphere, cinematography, and acting.
We all love the classic old horror movies. The ones that were made in a time when the scripts, characters, and style was completely believable. At least for the time period, anyways. These old movies at the time turned the genre on their ear and gave audiences things that hadn't been seen before, fear they hadn't felt before. Malevolence goes back to that. Unfortunately for the director, it has been seen and felt before.
There is, however, plenty about this movie to like. It wasn't as good as I thought it would be, but the acting was solid (better than standard b-movie fare, regardless of previous gripes), the story was completely "this could actually happen," and the theme of the film draws in childhoods and real life issues.
The thing that hooked me most about this film is the fact that I have a 4 year old child, and watching it's mother/child dynamic really helped bring a sense of fear to the film. It wasn't overt; I didn't jump out of my seat or cry ever during the film, but the dynamic did aide in its personal effect on me.
In conclusion, the film had enough classic horror elements to make it a worthy attempt at recreating the standard horror film formula, with just enough new elements to create a differential. There were some key spots "ripped" from films, such as the fist through the door scene, the stereotypical Michael Myers / Jason Voorhees killer aesthetic, and the Night of the Living Dead hero death. But it was still a good job all around, with atmosphere, cinematography, and acting.