Linda (Jacki Kerin) receives word her mother has died. She inherits the old gal’s nursing home and decides to take it over. Before long, the ancient residents start kicking the bucket. Is it just old age, or is something more sinister going on?
Well, you have to wait a LONG time to find out.
Next of Kin (which should not be confused with the far superior Patrick Swayze action flick from 1989) is one of those slow burn kinds of horror movies. While it isn’t very successful, at least director Tony Williams provides some rather dazzling camerawork during the slow stretches (of which there are many) to make the events seem more interesting than they actually are.
Williams also cribs from everything from Diabolique to The Changeling to Don’t Look Now to ‘Salem’s Lot. These little visual cues are fun for film snobs. However, when they are pieced together, it doesn’t amount to a whole heck of a lot.
Slow burns are a tricky thing. If the finale comes off like gangbusters, all is forgiven. On the other hand, if you don’t stick the landing, the audience will be asking for a refund. This one kind of falls somewhere in between. The climax isn’t bad. In fact, there are parts of it that really work. Ultimately, it just isn’t enough of a payoff to justify the slower-than-slow set-up.
Part of the problem is the setting. I mean a nursing home just isn’t an ideal location for a horror movie. Why have a bunch of old geezers running around when you could’ve had this take place at a summer camp for nubile horny camp counselors? I appreciate that Williams was trying to think outside of the box and all, but there’s a reason why the typical horror formula works best with sexed-up teens instead of crusty codgers.
Kerin does a good job as the waifish heroine. She kind of has a Nastassja Kinski quality about her that’s appealing. John (Wolf Creek) Jarratt lends fine support as her boyfriend, even though it’s a mostly thankless role. Neither performer is quite able to salvage the film though.
AKA: Hell House.
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