Review of Necromentia (2009) by Caitlan B — 24 Jan 2011

The tales of three men that all want to get back something they have lost are brought together in a very twisted part of hell.

This is one of those movies that I recorded off the Horror Channel that had a crappy title, but description sounded marginally interesting. I wasn't expecting much, but the result was not what I bargained for at all. This is quite a twisted little movie that hides it's low budget origins well. The story is an anthology of seperate characters that are all linked, but it is told in a non-linear fashion that makes for quite interesting viewing, even though it gets a little confusing in places. The look and feel is all very modern and the use of a blistering heavy metal soundtrack helps. The visuals are where the movie really shows it's strong points. The set designs are all dark and dingy and remind me of the likes of 'Hostel' and 'Saw' but have a kind of twisted carnival sideshow feel about them. The make-up effects are topnotch, and the creatures are quite possibly the most well designed I have seen in a low budget movie in quite a while (think of a 'Hellraiser' / 'Silent Hill' mix on some industrial strength mind-altering drugs and you will get the general idea). The gore effects are all handled well and really add to the twisted feel of the movie. The torture porn elements are not sleazy and add to the storyline, unlike certain other movies that have had much more positive reviews in the past. As I mentioned earlier, the story is possibly the weakest part of the movie, as it doesn't really explain itself and gets a bit muddled and self-obsessed in places. The ending is very abrupt and open-ended and made me feel that I had only watched the opening part of a larger story. If you are looking for something a bit nasty, grimy and different, then you should consider giving 'Necromentia' a watch.