Cold Prey surprised me because it doesnt do anything out of the ordinary, other than execute every aspect of the film exceptionally well. And, thats something that I cannot say about 90 percent of the slasher films that have come out in recent years.
This story of 20-somethings at an abandoned ski lodge is dripping with tension and gives us solid back-story on a killer thats a step above your typical slasher villain.
Even knowing all of the tropes of a slasher film, I still found myself highly engaged. The characters are really likable. As the viewer, you care about them and for once, you wont be rooting for their demise. Ingrid Bolsø Berdal (Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters) was terrific as final girl Janincke.
The thought of a man holding an “audition” to find his next wife is an unorthodox premise for a film, but thats quite all right, as this 1999 film is highly unorthodox in every way.
Audition is one of those films that stuck with me for days after I first watched it. It has one of the most dramatic gear changes Ive seen in a horror film. In the last twenty minutes of the movie, it completely catches the viewer off guard.
This isnt the kind of film that you can watch and forget. Audition will be with you for some time after you finish watching it. Audition reportedly served as inspiration to Eli Roth for Hostel. Audition is one of director, Takashi Miikes best films and its absolutely not to be missed.
There are a few reasons why Inside didnt really find its audience in the U.S., none of which pertain to the film, itself.
Insides domestic fate as a direct-to-DVD release, and what I thought to be a poor choice of cover art, kept the film from making the kind of connection with viewers that it should have. Inside isnt a run-of-the-mill horror film. Its suspenseful and keeps its audience on the edge of their seat throughout its entirety. In fact, save the violence, it could be fully functional as a suspense film.
There are scenes in Inside that were so brutal that I felt inclined to look away. Its a no holds barred kind of movie. The premise of a mad woman trying to steal an unborn child from the womb might seem farfecthed, but Béatrice Dalle is captivating as the mad woman and sells the performance 100%. You will never look at a pair of scissors the same after watching this flick.
