Review of My Soul to Take (2010) by Corey B — 26 Mar 2012

I had forgotten that Wes Craven is a rather eccentric writer prone to silly excess. Most of the times it works as in the delightfully postmodern New Nightmare, or the insanely over the top People Under the Stairs, but in the case of My Soul To Take, silliness trumps everything else.

For starters, Craven, who can usually be counted on to provide some solid suspense, can't provide more than a jump or two. The opening ten minutes is probably the most fun, as he dives into his serial killer story with a series of gruesome murders, attacks, and multiple personalities. It's silly to be sure, but gloriously so. Craven seems to be cackling behind the camera, having a great time.

Then, the main story kicks in. The silliness stays, but the fun starts to disappear. Not right away though. There's this weird mob-run school structure, a presentation involving a condor costume that is incredibly over-the-top, and bizarre moments like the "shadow" conversation that come out of nowhere and are never mentioned again.

But, Craven uses the slasher film mold to tell his story, and it is clear that he has lost his passion for this genre. The kills are dull, with little suspense. The twists, which spiral one on top of the other, get tedious, especially when the slasher formula eliminates most of the suspects by the midpoint.

Instead of elevating the genre, or diving into the madness, Craven scales back and provides a cliched ending.