Review of Cornered! (2009) by Ajai S — 04 Mar 2011

Argh. Los Angeles. A serial killer goes about slaughtering convienance store employes. His latest victims to be is Steve (Eduardo Garcia) the owner, Jimmy (James Duval) his drug addict nephew, Donnie (Peter Story) a pussy with a thing for a hooker, Jess (Elizabeth Nicole) said hooker, and Mona (Ellie English) proud phone sex worker.

Thats about it. None of the characters are particularly likeable, most are underwritten and none act in any manner you'd recognize as human. But worst of all is the killer. He's barely present. A horror movie succeeds or fails on whether or not it possess a sense of malevolence. The killer doesn't need to be on screen BUT there must be a presience that instills a sense of forboding...this doesn't have that. The villian is not scary or threatening (most of the victims wander off alone DESPITE said serial killer being all over the news and despite the previous victims prolonged absence and despite a huge fucking blood trial dismissed as I kid you not ketchup). Failing the presence of dread, danger, malevolence a horror movie can shock you with gore and violence. The gore and violence are standard, even a man getting cut in half with a power saw they manage to fuck it up, the scene fails to regester. Now horror films aren't known for amazing dialogue but this dialogue is horrible (Donnie's trying to convince the killer not to kill him, killer says he's lying Donnie responds why would I lie at a time like this? Uhmm. Maybe cause I'm about to cut your fucking head off? is what the killer should have said). Yeah this film fails on just about every level imaginable. Avoid.

NOTE: I do find it disturbing that these characters (the victims) are discribed as lowlifes and deviant in the description (online and on the case). Steves a hard ass, Jimmy's trying to go straight but having a rough go going cold turkey (common story), Donnie's fat and a pussy, and the 2 sex workers are just trying to make ends meat. Hell Jess was my favorite character (not saying much but she showed the most redeeming qualties) and not just because she showed some leg alot of clevage and was smoking hot. Point is labelling these characters deviant or lowlife indicates the director/writer/marketing department has never interacted with the real world.