The Barrens (2012)
Studio: Anchor Bay Films
Theatrical Release: September 28, 2012 (limited)
Blu Ray Release: October 9, 2012
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
R
Review by James Klein
The Barrens is one of those films where technically the movie is well made: the acting is fine, the direction for the most part works well, and for the first half of the film the movie does provide a few jumps and scares. But as the film went along it was apparent The Barrens had nothing else up its sleeve. The movie seemed to have blown its load at the 45 minute mark and provides the viewer with one dull scenario one after another.
Richard (Stephen Moyer, from True Blood) wants to take his family on a camping trip where he is to spread the ashes of his recently deceased father into the river where they once used to fish. While his six year old son goes along with it, the teenage daughter Sadie is reluctant to come with but that is because she isn't a fan of her new stepmom Cynthia. While Cynthia tries her best with the young lady, Sadie would rather stay at home than to go away with her unbalanced family.
While the family journey to the woods, Richard slowly starts to act strange and seems to go through mood swings on top of brief hallucinations. On their way to the camp, the family runs into a dying deer who just plops down in front of the car and dies. It's apparent something ain't right in these woods. Being it is a horror film, the family decide to do the stupid thing and continue into the woods instead of high tailing out of there.
While at the woods, the family try their best not to get at each other's throats but with dad acting stranger by the second and the fact that something isn't right in these woods, situations start to get more and more tense until it is too late. Is Dad just out of his mind? Is there something really in the woods? These questions are pointless and the suspense is pretty much ruined thanks to the unnecessary opening prologue with two young back packers running into something in the woods. Whose bright idea was it to have this sequence in the film? While I understand the need for a hook to grab the audiences attention, the questions of what is or might be becomes ruined. Maybe this is why I just never really cared about what was going on in the film. Lazy film making; not once does writer/director Bousman raises any questions as to what is going on. While the actors do their best in trying to keep this film from being a bore, I did find myself quite bored with the film once I realized nothing was going to happen. Even the loud and frantic climax seemed dull and predictable.
I will say the blu ray looks great and the sound is fantastic as the loud monster noises and sound effects of screams and foot steps could be heard coming out of all the channels of my speakers. The blu ray does contain a deleted scene which is really an extended ending with an unnecessary epilogue. I would have been curious to have seen a "making of" but alas the one special feature I would be interested in viewing is not available.
The Barrens tries hard to be a different kind of suspense/horror film but overall the movie is something one has seen numerous times and with better results. In fact, one may need an energy drink at their side to keep from falling asleep.
[rating: 1.5]
Theatrical Release: September 28, 2012 (limited)
Blu Ray Release: October 9, 2012
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
R
Review by James Klein
The Barrens is one of those films where technically the movie is well made: the acting is fine, the direction for the most part works well, and for the first half of the film the movie does provide a few jumps and scares. But as the film went along it was apparent The Barrens had nothing else up its sleeve. The movie seemed to have blown its load at the 45 minute mark and provides the viewer with one dull scenario one after another.
Richard (Stephen Moyer, from True Blood) wants to take his family on a camping trip where he is to spread the ashes of his recently deceased father into the river where they once used to fish. While his six year old son goes along with it, the teenage daughter Sadie is reluctant to come with but that is because she isn't a fan of her new stepmom Cynthia. While Cynthia tries her best with the young lady, Sadie would rather stay at home than to go away with her unbalanced family.
While the family journey to the woods, Richard slowly starts to act strange and seems to go through mood swings on top of brief hallucinations. On their way to the camp, the family runs into a dying deer who just plops down in front of the car and dies. It's apparent something ain't right in these woods. Being it is a horror film, the family decide to do the stupid thing and continue into the woods instead of high tailing out of there.
While at the woods, the family try their best not to get at each other's throats but with dad acting stranger by the second and the fact that something isn't right in these woods, situations start to get more and more tense until it is too late. Is Dad just out of his mind? Is there something really in the woods? These questions are pointless and the suspense is pretty much ruined thanks to the unnecessary opening prologue with two young back packers running into something in the woods. Whose bright idea was it to have this sequence in the film? While I understand the need for a hook to grab the audiences attention, the questions of what is or might be becomes ruined. Maybe this is why I just never really cared about what was going on in the film. Lazy film making; not once does writer/director Bousman raises any questions as to what is going on. While the actors do their best in trying to keep this film from being a bore, I did find myself quite bored with the film once I realized nothing was going to happen. Even the loud and frantic climax seemed dull and predictable.
I will say the blu ray looks great and the sound is fantastic as the loud monster noises and sound effects of screams and foot steps could be heard coming out of all the channels of my speakers. The blu ray does contain a deleted scene which is really an extended ending with an unnecessary epilogue. I would have been curious to have seen a "making of" but alas the one special feature I would be interested in viewing is not available.
The Barrens tries hard to be a different kind of suspense/horror film but overall the movie is something one has seen numerous times and with better results. In fact, one may need an energy drink at their side to keep from falling asleep.
[rating: 1.5]
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