BLAIR WITCH – This is a competent remake of the original that adds a lot more jump scares and screaming, but perhaps not much else besides. 'The Blair Witch Project' is by now thought of as a 'classic' by regular viewers and horror fans, although it still tends to divide the latter – I like it, I can think of few films that breathe down your neck in quite the same way, and also you have to bear in mind that found footage wasn't such a lame duck back in the late nineties (or any kind of duck really, TBWP pretty much inaugurated it as a genre commonplace which is regrettably still going strong today). Anyway, this new 'Blair Witch' is very well made by Adam Wingard and, although it's also a semi-sequel in some ways, more or less treads the path beaten down by its prototype in that we have a local legend, some kids with cameras, a forest to get lost in before everything goes wrong and a creepy house at the end. I mean, there are different group dynamics and some modern shite like camera-laden drones that do bollocks all apart from fly around for a bit, but nothing really novel. I was entertained, and wanted to keep watching, but I can't see this film stemming the cries of “heresy!” that some fans make when something valued is retouched (though to be honest, those cries are really more likely to be “Zzzzz!”, or, more charitably, “Pretty good in some ways, but, what's the point?!”) Adam Wingard has made some excellent genre flicks from 'Home Sick' to 'You're Next' to 'The Guest', so I was expecting something different and better, but in itself 'Blair Witch' is still worth a watch.
DEATH PROOF – Quentin's half of the Grindhouse double, 'Death Proof' is full of the director's usual sassy talk, although to his credit he does somehow manage to make vast stretches of people chatting feel mesmerisingly watchable. All the reference-heavy dialogue might entertain, but it's Kurt Russell's turn as a murderous ex stunt man that gives the film its attractive seam of menace. I was quite impressed with his way of offing his victims – forcing them to ride in his modified stunt mobile without a seatbelt or any buffering, and basically letting high velocity and sharp swerves do their work. Good stuff, I'm not a massive QT worshipper but I really like this one and of course 'Kill Bill'.
PURGE 3 ELECTION NIGHT – Number three in the franchise ups the tension, the mayhem and to some extent the politics, which are even more obvious in this tale of a liberal politician's attempt to rid America of the cull. Predictably, she becomes a target of the old regime on purge night, and cue lots of chase sequences and various bits of violence. I like what this series is doing in some ways, and it's good that a genre film is making these kind of social statements in the realm of DT etc (steps down from soapbox before rant mode fully engaged). But I did prefer the creepier, more low key edge of the first one and it seems that the risk here is of the series becoming a bit too familiar with its well worn siege tropes and so on. Well made though, definitely diverting and worth seeing.
SE7EN – The film that put Fincher on the map, 'Se7en' is a smooth thriller with a slightly apocalyptic vibe which unfolds a game of cat and mouse between a crazed killer and a couple of detectives. You knew that already, but, just sayin'... I suppose there's little point in blowing a load of digital ink on this as it's been so comprehensively digested by viewers and fans, but it was fun to see it the other day for the first time in ages.
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