Connect with us

News

“Jackals” is a Welcome Addition to the 80s Slasher Genre

Published

on

Written by Shannon McGrew

“Jackals” is the latest film from director Kevin Greutert (Jessabelle, Saw 3D: The Final Chapter) and is an 80s throwback to the much beloved slasher genre. The film stars Deborah Kara Unger (Silent Hill), Stephen Dorff (Blade), Johnathon Schaech (Prom Night), and Ben Sullivan (“Hell on Wheels”).

The film, set in the 80s, centers around the Powell family, who have hired a cult deprogrammer to rescue their son from the grips of a murderous cult. However, not everything goes as planned, as the cult descends upon the Powell’s family cabin with horrific consequences. As the cult members start to infiltrate the cabin, the Powell’s learn that they must do whatever it takes to protect their family and their son before it’s too late.

There is a lot to love about this film, especially if you are a fan of 80s horror movies. Though the slasher genre has never really been a favorite of mine, I can still appreciate the fandom behind it; and in terms of “Jackals”, director Kevin Gruetert really hit the nail on the head. I really enjoyed the fact that there wasn’t just one killer, but many of them, as well as the fact that you never actually see their faces. Their anonymity made their actions that much more terrifying because who they are as a person is never revealed.

In terms of acting, there was definitely some standout performances as well as a few that fell flat. Though the majority of the actors showcased an immense talent, a felt that a few of the characters were miscast, which resulted in their mediocre performances. However, that did not take away from the stronger performances, most notably from new-comer Ben Sullivan. He is an actor that audiences are definitely going to want to keep an eye on as I feel like he has a long and successful career ahead of him. His portrayal of Justin Powell, the son who has been brainwashed by the savage and deranged cult, is raw and hypnotic.

I also want to make note the return of Stephen Dorff! He seems to be having a bit of resurgence as of late and I’ll be honest, I’m loving it. His portrayal of Jimmy Levine, the cult deprogrammer, is harsh yet understanding, as he tries to bring Justin back to his family without any harm. However, in a movie such as this, no one can truly get out unscathed, and it doesn’t take long before the blood begins to flow. The kills are inevitable, and how they are executed are brutal and unforgiving, with a touch of realism that makes each death uncomfortable to watch.

This year has been the year of the cults – whether it be through film, television, events, haunts, etc – they are all centering on this topic. Though I’m pretty much over that, I do applaud writer Jared Rivet for giving these cult members a unique spin. As I mentioned, we never see their faces, and for the most part they are unusually quiet, which is unsettling in and of itself. We aren’t privy to what type of cult they belong to, and though not knowing would typically annoy me, I was okay with it in this story. The horror isn’t about what they believe in, it’s about their power and their control over their “family”. They show no remorse for their actions and they aren’t interested in converting anyone. They have one singular focus in the film and that’s to get Justin back.

Overall, “Jackals” is a heart-pounding thriller that captures the 80s spirit of the horror genre. With solid performances and terrifying imagery, “Jackals” is sure to become a cult favorite within the slasher subgenre. Make sure to check out the film once it hits select theaters and On Demand September 1st, 2017.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Movies

‘Evil Dead’ Film Franchise Getting TWO New Installments

Published

on

It was a risk for Fede Alvarez to reboot Sam Raimi’s horror classic The Evil Dead in 2013, but that risk paid off and so did its spiritual sequel Evil Dead Rise in 2023. Now Deadline is reporting that the series is getting, not one, but two fresh entries.

We already knew about the Sébastien Vaniček upcoming film that delves into the Deadite universe and should be a proper sequel to the latest film, but we are broadsided that Francis Galluppi and Ghost House Pictures are doing a one-off project set in Raimi’s universe based off of an idea that Galluppi pitched to Raimi himself. That concept is being kept under wraps.

Evil Dead Rise

“Francis Galluppi is a storyteller who knows when to keep us waiting in simmering tension and when to hit us with explosive violence,” Raimi told Deadline. “He is a director that shows uncommon control in his feature debut.”

That feature is titled The Last Stop In Yuma County which will release theatrically in the United States on May 4. It follows a traveling salesman, “stranded at a rural Arizona rest stop,” and “is thrust into a dire hostage situation by the arrival of two bank robbers with no qualms about using cruelty-or cold, hard steel-to protect their bloodstained fortune.”

Galluppi is an award-winning sci-fi/horror shorts director whose acclaimed works include High Desert Hell and The Gemini Project. You can view the full edit of High Desert Hell and the teaser for Gemini below:

High Desert Hell
The Gemini Project

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Continue Reading

Movies

‘Invisible Man 2’ Is “Closer Than Its Ever Been” to Happening

Published

on

Elisabeth Moss in a very well-thought-out statement said in an interview for Happy Sad Confused that even though there have been some logistical issues for doing Invisible Man 2 there is hope on the horizon.

Podcast host Josh Horowitz asked about the follow-up and if Moss and director Leigh Whannell were any closer to cracking a solution to getting it made. “We are closer than we have ever been to cracking it,” said Moss with a huge grin. You can see her reaction at the 35:52 mark in the below video.

Happy Sad Confused

Whannell is currently in New Zealand filming another monster movie for Universal, Wolf Man, which might be the spark that ignites Universal’s troubled Dark Universe concept which hasn’t gained any momentum since Tom Cruise’s failed attempt at resurrecting The Mummy.

Also, in the podcast video, Moss says she is not in the Wolf Man film so any speculation that it’s a crossover project is left in the air.

Meanwhile, Universal Studios is in the middle of constructing a year-round haunt house in Las Vegas which will showcase some of their classic cinematic monsters. Depending on attendance, this could be the boost the studio needs to get audiences interested in their creature IPs once more and to get more films made based on them.

The Las Vegas project is set to open in 2025, coinciding with their new proper theme park in Orlando called Epic Universe.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Continue Reading

News

Jake Gyllenhaal’s Thriller ‘Presumed Innocent’ Series Gets Early Release Date

Published

on

Jake gyllenhaal presumed innocent

Jake Gyllenhaal’s limited series Presumed Innocent is dropping on AppleTV+ on June 12 instead of June 14 as originally planned. The star, whose Road House reboot has brought mixed reviews on Amazon Prime, is embracing the small screen for the first time since his appearance on Homicide: Life on the Street in 1994.

Jake Gyllenhaal’s in ‘Presumed Innocent’

Presumed Innocent is being produced by David E. Kelley, J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot, and Warner Bros. It is an adaptation of Scott Turow’s 1990 film in which Harrison Ford plays a lawyer doing double duty as an investigator looking for the murderer of his colleague.

These types of sexy thrillers were popular in the ’90s and usually contained twist endings. Here’s the trailer for the original:

According to Deadline, Presumed Innocent doesn’t stray far from the source material: “…the Presumed Innocent series will explore obsession, sex, politics and the power and limits of love as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.”

Up next for Gyllenhaal is the Guy Ritchie action movie titled In the Grey scheduled for release in January 2025.

Presumed Innocent is an eight-episode limited series set to stream on AppleTV+ starting June 12.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Continue Reading