Another week, another Shudder exclusive. Being a fan of horror without Shudder is like loving the sun but never going outside. It's such a cheap bill ($5.99 per month) for their impressive library of horror movies and television - some of which is exclusive to the streaming service itself. This week's exclusive, The Furies, comes from writer/director Tony D'Aquino, and it's a brutal diversion for slasher fans.
The film follows Kayla (Airlie Dodds) who is kidnapped alongside her best friend Maddie (Ebony Vagulans) and forced into the woods with several other women. Each of the women are placed separately throughout the forest and released from a box labeled "Beauty" and they are hunted by masked men who are released from a box labeled "Beast". Determined to find Maddie and keep her safe, Kayla braves the woods and the killers who inhabit it.
Viewers will find rather quickly that The Furies doesn't break new ground. It applies a slight twist to a familiar premise and the story itself goes nowhere particularly interesting. The script by Tony D'Aquino feels half-cocked and unsure of itself, there are several unintentional moments of hilarity, and the majority of the film's performances are lacking to say the least.
That's not to say that you can't find enjoyment within The Furies, though. In fact, I had quite a bit of fun with it. The central performance by Airlie Dodds is a strong one that showcases her range, even when she's let down by the script. Compared to the other performances, she's downright phenomenal. Dodds is tasked with carrying the film and it's largely due to her that it's not a total misfire. The practical effects, too, will be bliss for genre fans with an appetite for carnage. Faces get peeled off with axes, arms get yanked off of bodies, and heads literally explode. Each kill is suitably gnarly, and, thankfully, they happen often.
As director, D'Aquino also fares much better. The Furies doesn't call for fancy film-making by any means and he seems content to establish tension during the more horrifying moments and let the brutality and lead performance speak for itself. This is a throwback b-movie through and through and D'Aquino capably handles it as such with the help of cinematographer Garry Richards, who performs remarkably.
All in all, The Furies is a flawed but fun film with top-notch gore and a strong central performance. It isn't as gleefully filled with b-movie mayhem as recent titles such as The Domestics (which you should watch immediately), but there are far worse times to be had.
Score: 2.5/5
No comments:
Post a Comment