The horror film "Jezabel": reviews of critics about the film

The film "Jezabel" (reviews about which are diametrically opposed) is a horror film with elements of the thriller of the beginning director Kevin Grotert (ex-director of the acclaimed franchise "Saw"). The film is based on the screenplay of the screenwriter Robert Ben Garant ("Night at the Museum", "Infernal Child").

Creators. Prehistory

Experienced and popular editor, master of his craft Kevin Grotert decided to retrain to a director at the end of the two thousandth. At that time, the creators of the horror cycle "Saw" risked entrusting him with staging the last two parts of the franchise - the sixth and seventh, because he mounted the previous parts (from the first to the fifth). The director could not pull out the terrible epic from stagnation, but did not hit the dirt in the face and did not stop directing after the end of "Saw", on the contrary, he signed, among other things, a contract with the studio of Jason Bloom Blumhouse that produced Jezabel. Reviews of his work has caused mixed, including negative.

Trying to update a worn out plot

An attempt by the ex-editor of the well-known horror franchise "Saw" to turn into a unique story a well-worn plot about "a house with a ghost" has not succeeded, but it can not be called an exceptionally failed one. One gets the impression that, by shooting "Jezabel" (reviews of film critics confirm this fact), the director himself is caught in a cliche in his ears, with which he tried to kill, offering the viewer an unexpected denouement of the story he started. There are no bloody scenes and horrible horrors in the film, instead of all this, the soul tortures of the heroine unfolding in every detail, unfolding from the accident and scared to death by the presence of a certain ghost, unfold in full detail. Nevertheless, the horror film "Jezabel" can boast of its sinister atmosphere, although Grouterth was helped by nature, since the marshes definitely do not have a carefree fun. And the characters in the movie are far from positive.

Confidence in armor piercing

Alas, about the "Jezabel" critics' reviews were rarely laudatory. There was even less good talk about the picture of the film criticism than about the final parts of the "Saw", Grotert was accused of excessive self-confidence and an unshakable belief in the armor-piercing of the final twist of the film. Specialists-filmmakers did not understand why he did not try to kindle interest, "entertain" the viewer during the main time of the film "Jezabel". The reviews noted a deplorable fact - instead of the traditional encounters with evil for the genre and the worrying moments evenly distributed over the plot, the spectator received a protracted family drama. Few connoisseurs of the genre enjoyed watching the main character Jessie (Sarah Snook), chained to a wheelchair, watching old video chronicles recorded by a pregnant mother, talking with youthful love - Preston (Mark Webber), trying to put together a gloomy story His birth.

Central characters

The horror film "Jezabel" has an indisputable merit - the performer of the main role is the solar Sarah Snook. The actress decided to follow in the footsteps of her colleagues in the shop - Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman, who at one time boldly rushed into the abyss of their heroines' nightmare. She managed to create a convincing image of a girl suffering from mental and physical trauma and encroachments of otherworldly forces at the same time. The film "Jezabel" gave the viewer a meeting with Mark Webber, who looked good next to Sarah. Mark Webber once again confirmed his professionalism, after almost alone saved from the failure of the remake of the thriller "13 sins." A touching at first and eerie closer to the final role of the mother of the main character went to Joel Carter, her character is the key in the plot of the movie. "Jezabel" reviews of the film called the unsuccessful attempt of Kevin Grotert to become the new Polanski, the director probably did not even decide for himself what exactly he was shooting - a psychological thriller a-la 80's or modern horror. But for the viscous atmosphere and Sarah Snook, he should be sincerely thanked.

Writer's mistake?

The horror film "Jezabel" reviews movie fans are blamed for the weak structure of the script. Although throughout the timekeeping felt the presence of some mystery, understatement, all for some reason did not rise in any way to its place, lacked important components, details. The picture was not kept in an excruciating tension, it did not cause an inexorable flurry of emotions - perhaps because screenwriter Robert Ben Garant before this project worked on family films like the franchise "Night at the Museum" or the animated film "The Adventures of Mr. Peabody and Sherman." His script for the film "The Infernal Child" - comedy of horror - was the only one close to the subject of horror. Perhaps, that's why the script, on which the film "Jezabel" was shot, is slightly weak, because the screenwriter worked for the first time on a serious and sinister history. The best, of course, is ahead!

Horror Attributes

Analyzing the picture "Jezabel", reviews about the film, written by ordinary people, not specialists, you know - the project has all the necessary attributes of horror. The main character with an enviable periodicity is tortured by a strange dark figure, at the slightest opportunity, screaming and dismissing her hands. In other episodes of Jesse, and with her and the audience, frightening shadows, reflections, and a scene on the Voodoo cemetery, when the main character with a friend digs out and opens a small coffin, impressive. But at the same time, the director does not frighten the beholder so much as he stages the atmosphere of sticky, viscous horror, surrounded by black marshes in the glint of flickering torches. The film "Jezabel" has an atmosphere, and quite working, but, unfortunately, in this case at idle.

Under a carbon paper?

Unfortunately, at present the horror genre is in the unenviable position of the beloved, but already fairly battered and exhausted direction of the cinema. It seems that glorious times and achievements are already behind, but the prospects are not at all rosy. The last impressive monster, for some iconic, appeared in the past millennium, and he was a fragile brunette-Japanese in a long nightgown. For the sake of justice it is worth noting that good pictures - the representatives of the genre go out one at a time per year, but they can not influence the overall situation. Most modern films are a collection of famous and podnadoevshih cliche, without a grain of originality, originality and innovation.

Genre stamps "Jezabel"

Critics' reviews of the film indicate the elements present in the film, analogues of which the viewer can contemplate in other similar projects:

• The scene is a house with a ghost. A very popular element was used in the "Enchantment", "Other", "Paranormal phenomenon", "Curse", etc.
• Setting - the mysterious swamps of Louisiana with an admixture of voodoo. A similar viewer watched in the "Key from All the Doors" and in "The Woman in Black 1,2".
• The main heroine is a young girl, for the sake of despair, chained to a wheelchair, as in Astral 3, Oculus, The Unborn, and so on. Not a beauty, but a sweet one that evokes sympathy for women, men are interested in successful angles And invariably deep decollete.
• The main intrigue is a gloomy, eerie secret from the past.
• Secondary characters: the father of the main character is a harsh, elderly peasant, who knows a lot, but does not tell anything; The ex-lover does not know anything, but is ready to help the protagonist, forgetting about his wife, work and former measured life.
• The embodiment of evil - a ghost - frankly lazy, appears about the 20th minute of the timing and does not really seek to frighten the main character. Active hostile actions take only three times, the rest of the time is limited to presence.

In principle, the horror concept of the picture with an admixture of the detective line is remarkable, but its implementation (assembled from approved techniques and ready-made solutions) coupled with the "unexpected ending" in the best traditions of the genre does not draw to the masterpiece.