Tuesday, October 30, 2018

THE 31 MOVIES OF HORROR-WEEN: VICTOR CROWLEY (2018) ** ½


(Note:  This is actually the 32nd Movie of Horror-Ween, but I had a little extra time on my hands this month, so consider this one a bonus.)

Victor Crowley is the fourth film in the uneven Hatchet series.  It was made in secret by director Adam (Hatchet 1 and 2) Green and sprung upon an unsuspecting world.  (Kind of like the new Blair Witch movie.)  It’s a step up in quality from the last two entries in the series, but still isn’t quite up to snuff with the original.

The opening sequence, set in the ‘60s, is my favorite part.  Part of the reason is because it features Jonah Ray from Mystery Science Theater 3000 and Kelly Vrooman from The Sunny Side Up Show.  They have a good vibe together and it’s a shame they’re totally dismembered before the opening credits roll.

Well, it’s ten years after the Victor Crowley murders.  Andrew (Parry Shen), the paramedic who survived the ordeal, has written a tell-all book on the subject.  As he makes the talk show rounds, people make it abundantly clear they think he’s the real murderer.  While on his way to revisit the scene of the crime for a true crime show, the plane crashes into the swamp.  Meanwhile, a group of filmmakers trying to make a movie about the murders, happen by the plane crash and offer assistance.  Naturally, Crowley (Kane Hodder) is prowling around the swamp with his trusty hatchet in hand waiting to turn everyone into chopped liver.

There’s more comedy this time out, and much of it is successful; something that can’t be said for the other entries in the series.  (I liked the constant interruptions by the captain on the PA system during the flight.)  Felissa Rose steals a handful of scenes as a mouthy publicist and Dave Sheridan is on hand to do impressions and act as a likeable goofball as the tour guide/aspiring actor.  Shen also gets to show off his comedic chops, especially in the scene where he is forced to sit in on what has to be the most awkward book signing in history.  

Speaking of chops, the gore is solid this time out.  There’s plenty of eye gouging, decapitation, face-hammering, scalping, and head stomping to go around.  The best bit is a nod to Cannibal Holocaust but updated for the smartphone era.

Despite doing a better job at combining the gore with the comedy than in any of the other sequels, Green never really finds a way to tie it all together.  It’s not bad or anything, but the movie often feels slight and unnecessary.  There’s really nothing here that builds upon the established lore of the character, which is odd because it’s called Victor Crowley.  Because of that, I was expecting it to at least focus on him a little more instead of keeping him in the shadows for most of the film.  Maybe I wouldn’t have felt this way if they had just called it Hatchet 4.

AKA:  Hatchet:  Victor Crowley.

(There might be a few more reviews on tap before Halloween comes to a close tomorrow, but if for whatever reason I don’t post any, fear not:  I’ll continue the horror-movie-watching project throughout November with a little feature I call “Halloween Hangover”.)

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