FILM REVIEW by Noel Tanti and Krista Bonello Rutter Giappone

THINK FUN FILM REVIEW by Noel Tanti and Krista Bonello Rutter Giappone Film: Horns (2013) ««««« Director: Alexandre Aja Certification: R Horns Gore rating: SSSSS Krista: I will first get one gripe out of campy, and with something interesting he embarked on two remakes that are the way. There are two female support- to say, extremely tongue-in-cheek. more miss than hit, Mirrors (2008) and ing characters who fit too easily into the Piranha 3D (2010). Both of them share binary categories of ‘slut’ and ‘pure’. I’d K: The premise is inherently comical the run-of-the-mill, textbook scare-by- like to say that it’s a self-aware critique and the film embraces that for a while. numbers approach as Horns. of the way social perceptions entrap an- It then seems to swing between bit- yone, but the women are simply there to ter-sweet sentimental extended flash- K: Verdict? Like you, I enjoyed the either support or motivate the action, backs and the ridiculous. The tone feels over-the-top aspect interrupted by the leaving boyhood friendship dynamics unsettled. The film was at its best when over-earnestness in the overly extended as the central theme. Unfortunately, the it was indulging the ridiculous streak. I flashback sequences that were too dras- female characters felt expendable. wanted more of the shamelessly over- tic a change of tone. the-top parts and less of the cringe-in- Noel: The female characters are very ducing Richard Marx doing Hazard N: I see it as a missed opportunity. This much up in the air, shallow, and ab- vibe which firmly entrenched the wom- film could have been really good if only stracted concepts that are thinly fleshed an in a sentimentally teary haze. The the filmmakers had the guts to pursue out. As you pointed out, they are little more delightful parts reminded me of its campy, mischievous premise. more than unimaginative props that Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981). In work around the murder mystery plot. that film the community-pariah was K: Agreed. Thematically, they don’t make much excluded for a crime he didn’t commit, • sense and come across as half-baked (at revenge transformed him into a mon- best). ster. (On a side note: the soundtrack features a great music selection.) K: Does it work on the crime-thriller level? Being a two-hour film it’s over- N: The film started off well but then it ? long. If it were to rely on the ‘suspense’ didn’t seem to know where to go next. It of its ‘whodunnit’ plot, the solution is resorted to a clichéd approach—seem- pretty obvious early on, given the short- ingly, director Alexandre Aja’s preferred age of suspects. way of doing things. He started off as one of the bad boy French N: I loved the bits where the film be- directors—High Tension came a sort of Carry-On Demon. I loved (2003) was daring in the scene with the doctor and the nurse. many ways. Few films These moments were funny, poignant, had dared to empower and had a point to make. They remind- women with so much ed me of early John Landis films: light, savagery as he did. Then 51.

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