Director: Sam M. Bell and Jessica Hunt
Year: 2019
Country: United Kingdom
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Plot:
Agreeing to participate in a dating show, a group of contestants arrive at a remote spot in the countryside and prepare for the festivities to come, but when they start to realize that something is off about the show they have to try to survive the experience and get away alive.
Review:
For the most part, this one wasn't all that bad. One of the strongest features found here is the general setup of the show that's supposedly being filmed here. Bringing everyone out to the countryside where it's obvious what the intended couples are supposed to be from the start with their promotional videos giving us a sense of who they are and the various games they play for the competition gives this a strong start. With the dating aspects creeping into the narrative and the couples start to present themselves even better, the show itself becomes quite intriguing with what they have to do especially with the cutaway to the producers watching and encouraging everything that happens here as it starts to become quite dark in tone and spirit. That's really the whole selling point of this one and really holds it up alongside the sleaze angle typically prominent in these genres.
However, it does have several big flaws. The main issue is the absolute dearth of traditional horror elements present here that really makes it questionable what the scares are supposed to come from. The games being played here, from being forced to skinny-dip in freezing cold water for a better breakfast, a convoluted and unresolved clue-based hidden object search that just throws its unnecessary layer of padding into the game with switched couples and then a bizarre set of camping skill showpiece that again goes nowhere really doesn't signal any kind of genre devotion at all. Most are going to be out off by this due to the curious decision to go this route, especially with the finale twisting everything around and making for a series of admittedly brutal yet quite questionable antics that raise serious inquiries about what they're doing, what the whole purpose was and what point this all has in a satire of reality shows. These here being this one down somewhat.
Overview: **.5/5
Overall, this manages the odd task of still being a watchable effort even when nothing really going on and the general confusion arises only after the twist is revealed. Those that enjoy this kind of take on the genre should heed caution, those looking for an out-and-out no question horror piece should outright avoid and those curious but apprehensive about the flaws should heed caution.
Lonely Hearts - Trailer from Darkside Releasing on Vimeo.
Comments
Post a Comment