Review of A Horrible Way to Die (2010) by Bruno V — 17 Dec 2011

A Horrible Way to Die is unlike almost any serial killer film you have ever seen--it is primarily a drama, so do not expect the constant pyrotechnics of a traditional horror film or thriller centering around a serial killer.

Instead of a slasher or detective film, A Horrible Way to Die centers on the struggles of a recovering alcoholic woman who is trying to come to terms with having dated a serial killer in the past. When a potential new love interest enters the picture and her serial killer ex escapes from prison, then the plot begins to thicken.

The film interweaves present with past in way that explores Sarah's, the main character's, consciousness as she attempts to wrestle with the demons of her past in the present. Director Adam Wingard adopts a completely alienating aesthetic in which the camera constantly floats away from the main action, drifts out of focus, etc.

in ways that create a surreal experience for the viewer. Ultimately, the film's aesthetic refuses all of the conventions of the genre and instead chooses to alienate the viewer. The viewer's alienation mirrors the alienation felt by both Sarah (the victim) and Garrick (the killer) and allows the film to become a powerful examination of isolation, addiction, and the desire for connection in a world structured by simulacra.

In the end, A Horrible Way to Die delivers on the brutality as well, but it is a slow, dramatic build that makes the conclusion all the more powerful and haunting.