Firestarter (2022) - Decent enough little horror film

As someone who seemed to miss the original 'Firestarter' back in 84, I found the 2022 remake on a streaming service and I therefore can't really compare the two.  However, this version is perfectly serviceable within the landscape of modern horror films, despite not really being a stand out which will break new ground.

Zac Efron is a father of a child with supernatural powers (his daughter can summon fire when she gets angry, in case you didn't guess).  Efron is desperate to protect his daughter from those who want to exploit her dangerous powers and the actor does a decent job here, delivering a solid performance, but it's clear that the role doesn't demand much from him. He's come a long way from his High School Musical days and a more dramatic script would certainly be within his capabilities.

The real focus of the film is, of course, on the young girl, Charlie, played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong. Her portrayal is a bit hit or miss.  At times, she's actually pretty watchable, but at other moments, her performance can feel a little forced or inconsistent. Given that Charlie's emotional journey is central to the story, this unevenness does impact the film's overall effectiveness.

The actual story is nothing that new, i.e. following a child with superpowers as she struggles to control them while being hunted by nefarious forces.  I guess if that's all you're looking for then you'll find a certain degree of entertainment here, even if it doesn’t bring much new to the table. The film’s pacing is generally fine, though it can feel a bit slow in places, and the tension doesn’t always build as effectively as it could.

I'm now tempted to seek out the original as it would be interesting to compare this version to the source material, especially considering how Stephen King's work has been adapted differently across various decades. While this 2022 remake is far from bad, it also doesn't stand out in the crowded field of recent horror releases. It's a watchable film that delivers some thrills, but it’s unlikely to leave a lasting impression.

6/10

Leave the World Behind (2023) - Attack of the CGI animals

It's rare that I sit and watch a film and like it and dislike it in equal amounts, based on alternate scenes.  Seriously, one minute I'm really enjoying the story and the next scene drags to such a degree that it practically feels unwatchable.

Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke are the parents of a couple of teenagers who take their family away on a break to the countryside where they rent a villa, only to find that the rest of the world is gradually falling apart due to... Yeah, I'm not trailing off for dramatic purposes - I'm stopping because, by the time the credits roll, there are no real concrete answers to any of your questions, but I think that's kind of the point.

It's a decent enough premise and has an excellent cast.  However, my personal overall gripe with the story was just how much some of the scenes drag.  I confess... I watched it on an online streaming service and I have a very comfortable remote control which allows me to view the movie in ten second segments.  This allowed me to see whether anything vaguely interesting happened in the current scene I was watching.  If it went on too long, I could skip ahead with ease.  Some may say that doing this made me miss key points, but I disagree.  I could tell what was going on with the greatest of ease.

With all the movies on streaming services, many don't even hold my attention until the end.  Yet I'm pleased to say that 'Leave the World Behind' kept me entertained right until the end.  Maybe it was the (near) A-list cast, or whether I was hoping for some concrete answers as to what was going on, but I stuck with it and I definitely don't think I wasted me time on it.

I think I'd have been bored if I'd watched this at the cinema, but, thanks to my remote control, I kind of created my own 'director's cut' of the story and, as a result, enjoyed it all the more from doing so.  There are some genuinely creepy scenes which chart society's downfall - just try to roll with the poor CGI, especially when animals are involved.  I actually found one scene almost too painful to watch when two of the cast members are yelling for a long time at a wood full of computer generated critters.  Quite funny really - I'm surprised no one has memed that scene more!

6/10 Should probably keep you awake if Freddy Krueger was haunting your nights

The Black Phone (2021) - Not bad, but a little muddled

'The Black Phone' is an odd little beast.  It never seems to quite know whether it wants to be a supernatural horror film, or something more grounded in reality as it deals with both child abduction and spirits.

I'll give it credit for its visual presentation. The cinematography is as atmospheric as it is unsettling, capturing the eerie small-town setting and the claustrophobic confines of a basement where much of the story unfolds.  Plus the child actors, which can often blight any major production due to their inexperience, are surprisingly strong. 

Ethan Hawke, as the villainous 'Grabber,' is suitably creepy and his mask may well help him to up his character to (nearly!) the heights of other great horror icons. His portrayal of the masked kidnapper is nicely unsettling, as he switches between sinister calm and explosive violence. 

But I still think that where 'The Black Phone' falters is in its attempt to blend the supernatural elements with the real-world horror of child abduction. The titular black phone, which allows the kidnapped child to communicate with the ghosts of the Grabber’s previous victims, is a nice idea, but the film struggles to blend this supernatural aspect with the more grounded, psychological horror. 

Overall, 'The Black Phone' is a well-shot film with decent performances, especially from its young cast and Ethan Hawke as the villain.  However, its inability to fully commit to either the supernatural or the psychological aspects of its story leaves it feeling somewhat disjointed. 

6/10 Should probably keep you awake if Freddy Krueger was haunting your nights

Truth or Dare (2018) - Um, yeah, it's sort of a thing

Hmm, yeah, what can I say.  It's a 'horror' movie.  Only there's not an awful lot that's horrific.  Take your usual amount of twenty-somethings who are cast as high-school teenagers and present them with a supernatural threat which slowly whittles down their numbers one by one.  A group of friends play a drunken game of 'Truth or Dare' while on holiday in Mexico, only to find that the game continues even when they get home - naturally, with fatal consequences.  Think you know the story?  If you've seen even a few movies of the same genre then you probably do.

And that's where 'Truth or Dare' falls down.  It's not inherently bad.  It just doesn't really offer anything any vaguely seasoned horror movie fan hasn't seen a hundred times before - and done better.

I know there are only so many different ways film-makers have of presenting - yet another - creepy tale, but some go someway to stand out.  I'm a big fan of the 'Scream' franchise (yes, even the later - not as well-received ones), simply because, although they may not be anything different (narratively speaking), but at least the writers inject some 'meta-humour' into the script to poke fun at the cliches associated with the genre.

Sadly, 'Truth or Dare' doesn't really offer anything even nearly new.  The characters are bland and you won't really remember any of them after the credits have rolled.  If you're looking for gore then there's a little bit here which isn't so bad, but - again - nothing you haven't seen done better.

Like I say, it's not a terrible film, but I doubt anyone with an interest in horror will really get much out of it.  The ending was nice (I literally mean the final scene!), but - again - the US remake of 'The Ring' had kind of already done something similar.  It's an okay enough experience to have on in the background if you find it on a streaming service and you don't have to pay full price to watch it.

5/10