Sarah (Chelsey Crisp, “Fresh Off the Boat”) and Matt (Michael Steger, “90210”) have moved into a big house in the country. Sarah is pregnant and the couple hopes to raise their new family away from the city. They’ve invited their friends Bree and Dave out to the new house to celebrate. Sarah’s estranged twin brother Eric and his girlfriend Skye crash the housewarming party, and they convince the group to spend the evening ghost hunting in the nearby ruins of a burned-out prison.
Michael Steger and Chelsey Crisp in Bleed
Bleed is the first feature film from writer/director Tripp Rhame (also a first for co-writer Ben Jacoby). The filmmakers were wise to surround themselves with veteran actors who do a good job of bringing to life an otherwise middling screenplay. Crisp and cast elevate a run of the mill straight-to-video offering to something better; a film that successfully creates a spooky remote atmosphere. In the first act, Sarah has a blow out on a lonely country road and a squirrelly small-town deputy comes along to help her change her tire. Actor Mark Ashworth plays the deputy and his performance is a stand out. I would have really enjoyed seeing much more of him and was disappointed that he didn’t have a larger role to play.
Much of the film features subtle makeup effects that work beautifully, without drawing too much attention to them. The digital visual effects, however, cheapened some scenes they were intended to enhance. These moments weren’t terrible or jarring, but some unneeded bigger visual moments were attempted that didn’t particularly benefit the end product. Bleed shines more during its more atmospheric and simpler moments. The film’s runtime is only 80 minutes, yet it drags a little in places. Bleed is an above average ghost story thanks to its cast and overall emphasis on creating a realistic environment populated by believable characters.
*** / *****
Distributor: Gravitas Ventures
Theatrical & VOD Release: March 25, 2016
Directed by: Tripp Rhame
Written by: Ben Jacoby
Starring: Riley Smith, Chelsey Crisp, Michael Steger, Lyndon Smith, Brittany Ishibashi, Elimu Nelson
Synopsis: It seemed perfect – a new house, a new marriage, a child soon to be born. But when Sarah and Matt invite their friends to celebrate, the situation turns deadly as they enter a burned-out prison on a ghost hunt. As the six friends encounter horrors of this world and beyond, no one is safe – not even the unborn.
Tribute or Triumph: A Review of the Film MARTYRS (2016)
What happens after we die? Is there such a thing as an unwilling martyr? Is the suffering of the flesh a skill set, something that transcends this world and could set one apart from humanity?
(L-R) Director Kevin Goetz, Director Michael Goetz and Troian Bellisario as Lucie in the action horror film MARTYRS an Anchor Bay Entertainment release. Photo courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment.
How far would you be willing to go to find answers to life’s great mysteries? Would you kill? Would you torture? These are some of the questions that MARTYRS (Blumhouse Productions, The Safran Company, and Temple Hill Entertainment) asks – and wants you to ask yourself. But before you can begin to answer, there are other questions that should be considered.
Did they need to remake the film in the first place? Were they able to add something to the conversation as opposed to just asking it again in English? The question of what purpose a remake serves is not an easy one to answer. Remakes are a lot like cover songs; they’re done out of love. But are you making it your own or is it simply a copy?
In making a remake, the choices shrink, thus making those small decisions magnified and more important. Do you “re-interpret” the melody, structure, etc; do you change the style completely and turn a punk song country? Or do you do your damnedest to be faithful to the original, an homage, a tribute of devotion?
(L-R) Ever Prishkulnik as young Lucie and Elyse Cole as young Anna in the action horror film MARTYRS an Anchor Bay Entertainment release. Photo courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment.
If you change nothing, you risk having fans of the original decry that the decision to remake it was pointless. If you change everything, fans of the original will say it doesn’t remain “true” enough to the source material. It’s a no-win situation. The only solution is perhaps to ignore what anyone who has seen the original would want/think – an impossibility of course as one would have to assume that the principle decision makers would all have seen the original before signing off on a remake, and they would certainly have their own opinions on what should be done.
Does MARTYRS go the route of re-interpretation or cover song, of inspired adaptation or architectural blueprint, of victim or martyr?
Let me start by saying that in many ways I wish I had not seen the original French version first. I believe I would have enjoyed the American remake more and be less-inclined to judge it based on its decisions. Unfortunately, it is a remake, and as such, it has to be judged as a remake. How it compares and what choices it makes are ultimately what will determine much of its value and interest. It can never be a standalone experience in the grand scheme of things.
(L-R) Troian Bellisario as Lucie and Bailey Noble as Anna in the action horror film MARTYRS an Anchor Bay Entertainment release. Photo courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment.
And ultimately, MARTYRS is a slick production. The visuals and sound are strong. The directing (Kevin Goetz and Michael Goetz) is not poor – I may quibble with some of the decisions, like lighting such a dark story so brightly and presenting such grim and stained characters so cleanly, but overall, the scene to scene machinations are solid. The acting is fine, and when not delivering exposition-heavy dialogue or reacting too strongly to convey emotions that should have been better balanced by other factors (lighting, makeup, etc), when allowed to lose themselves in the story and characters, the actors (especially Troian Bellisario, Kate Burton, and Bailey Noble) are believable and help carry the weight of a difficult film.
But back to my initial foray – what kind of remake is MARTYRS? A risky one. And a safe one. It accepts the challenge of walking the line between faithful homage, presenting the first half of the film in a not entirely shot-for-shot of the original but pretty close fashion (outside of some unnecessary additional exposition-driven dialogue, presumably to help less savvy American audience understand what is very literally and specifically going on). In the second half, there are many changes. And I would say many of them are successful – and even those that weren’t as successful are interesting.
Bailey Noble as Anna in the action horror film MARTYRS an Anchor Bay Entertainment release. Photo courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment.Troian Bellisario as Lucie in the action horror film MARTYRS an Anchor Bay Entertainment release. Photo courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment.
I don’t want to give too much away, but the largest non-plot related decision was to make the character of Ann (Bailey Noble) more passive. Throughout the movie, I thought this was a mistake, but the work that was done in conjunction with some of the larger changes, ultimately led to a satisfying ending for her character. Truth be told, I found myself wishing they had done more to be different. Given themselves more freedom to stray. The strongest moments were in the differences. In the scenes that paralleled the original, the film was unable to live up to the darkness and despair that inspired it, evoking but providing mere echoes of the greatest strength of the French version – the haunting, nearly visceral feel of the suffering. It is clear that this has been done intentionally, reducing the violence for a more mainstream audience. Fans of the original will no doubt hate them for this more polished and neutered vision.
Troian Bellisario as Lucie in the action horror film MARTYRS an Anchor Bay Entertainment release. Photo courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment.
But, I feel that first time viewers will appreciate much of what has been done. It has a stronger thriller spine and provides a more American and Hollywood ‘happy’ ending. For the weekend, escapist moviegoer, this is a film that will in many ways be more satisfactory than the original. For purists, and for those that have seen the original, it will likely be difficult to accept. But if you can look beyond the scenes that are pale comparisons and ignore the moments that force explanation of theme and purpose, I think you’ll find enough to justify a remake. And that is no small achievement.
Troian Bellisario as Lucie in the action horror film MARTYRS an Anchor Bay Entertainment release. Photo courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment.
So – does it survive? Do the sacrifices transcend? Does MARTYRS do what it must to provide answers? It’s difficult to say. This viewer found the remake to be more victim than martyr. It offers a glimpse, but I do not believe it truly sees beyond what was offered up in the original. As a result, unfortunately, there are just too many shortcomings for me to rate this as 4 stars. But I would remiss if I did not note that it is a very strong 3.
*** / *****
**MARTYRS is a retelling of the French 2008 horror cult film written and directed by Pascal Laugier. This MARTYRS film’s screenplay was written by Mark L. Smith who is also the co-writer of THE REVENANT screenplay along with Alejandro González Iñárritu which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy.**
TITLE: MARTYRS
IN THEATERS & DIGITAL HD: January 22, 2016
VOD RELEASE DATE: February 2, 2016
DIRECTORS: Kevin and Michael Goetz
WRITER: Mark L. Smith
CAST: Troian Bellisario, Bailey Noble, Kate Burton
SYNOPSIS: Ten-year-old Lucie flees from the isolated warehouse where she has been held prisoner. Deeply traumatized, she is plagued by awful night terrors at the orphanage that takes her in. Her only comfort comes from Anna, a girl her own age. Nearly a decade later and still haunted by demons, Lucie finally tracks down the family that tortured her. As she and Anna move closer to the agonizing truth, they find themselves trapped in a nightmare – if they cannot escape, a martyr’s fate awaits them…
ROB ARCHER (Kick-Ass 2, Bulletproof Monk) as “Krampus”WILLIAM SHATNER as “DJ Dan”
A young family deals with their son’s sudden strange behavior after a visit to a secluded Christmas tree field. Students film a documentary in an abandoned building where unsolved murders occurred. A prodigal nephew goes to a country manor to beg money from a wealthy aunt, only to put his entire family in danger of being slaughtered by Krampus. All this plays out, while Santa deals with a zombie elf outbreak in the toy shop. Interwoven throughout the action are scenes of William Shatner doing his Shatner thing in all of its hypnotic glory.
Fans of the Ginger Snaps films will be happy to return to the little town of Bailey Downs in the new anthology feature A Christmas Horror Story. The film opens on a computer generated North Pole (one of Christmas’ few weaknesses is this cheap looking fractal landscape and architectural animation). A wounded, battle-ready Santa Claus stands in the reindeer stable, chest heaving, a bleeding claw wound on his face. The structure is under siege from an unseen force banging at the doors. Bright white light shines through the widening gap in the doors as whatever waits outside tries to get in. The film cuts to 12 hours earlier and DJ Dangerous Dan (William Shatner) is broadcasting from a lonely radio station on Christmas Eve. It’s just Dan and his Scrooge-esque producer, Norman. Visibly disgusted by Dan’s Christmas cheer, Norman storms out of the station, DJ Dan tells listeners that Norman is on his way to the Bailey Downs Mall for a radio remote broadcast.
Adrian Holmes and Oluniké Adeliyi
The film is cleverly constructed. The Dangerous Dan scenes seem, at first, to serve as a classic horror anthology wraparound. However, in A Christmas Horror Story, it dawns on the viewer that characters crossover into each others’ storylines. Other than the gonzo segments featuring Santa’s bloody battle with undead elves at the North Pole, the tone is consistently spooky and dark throughout. The four concurrent and interconnected stories somehow lead to Santa’s predicament in the stable from the film’s opening. The Santa segment feels like a square peg in a round hole until it is brilliantly linked to the overall story at the film’s climax.
A Christmas Horror Story is a cut above most good horror movies of late. The CG North Pole that opens the film is quickly forgiven because the storyteller’s resources were devoted to loftier ends. Care was taken to serve the style, tone and story and to bring out the best in the cast. Oluniké Adeliyi gives the standout performance as the tormented mother of a little boy who acts strangely after disappearing at a family outing. Adeliyi is one of the most riveting and watchable actors that I’ve seen in a genre film in years. The entire cast treats the material with a reverence that is missing from most contemporary horror films. Their focus elevates A Christmas Horror Story, and guarantees that viewings will be an annual tradition by many horror fans. After all, Christmas and horror stories go together like chocolate and peanut butter.
FINAL RATING: ****/*****
TITLE: A CHRISTMAS HORROR STORY
THEATRICAL, VOD AND iTUNES RELEASE DATE: October 2, 2015
DIRECTOR: Grant Harvey, Steven Hoban, Brett Sullivan
WRITERS: James Kee, Sarah Larsen, Doug Taylor, Pascal Trottier
CAST: William Shatner, George Buza, Rob Archer
SYNOPSIS: Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy, peace and goodwill. But for some folks in the small town of Bailey Downs, it turns into something much less festive. When Krampus – the anti-Santa who punishes the naughty children – is summoned by a young boy, everyone’s fight for survival begins.
If You're Reading This, I Must Be Dead 