My Bloody Valentine (2009)
Ten years ago, a tragedy changed the town of Harmony forever. Tom Hanniger, an inexperienced coal miner, caused an accident in the tunnels that trapped and killed five men and sent the only survivor, Harry Warden, into a permanent coma. But Harry Warden wanted revenge. Exactly one year later, on Valentine’s Day, he woke up…and brutally murdered twenty-two people with a pickaxe before being killed.
Honestly I don't even know how to rate this movie... It isn't really horror, it's more a serial killing/blood movie.
It is a cheap horror movie with elements that you can find on any other movie of this kind. I guess I probably missed the only element that would make watching this movie a worthier experience: the 3D.
Resuming it: the movie presents us with several ways to chop a head off with a pick hammer used by miners. All the movie centers on the action itself of killing people so if you are expecting to be thrilled at the end of it, forget this movie.
Horror movies go through the same routine year after year. There are some that make an impression, and others we just laugh at. We hope for the thrills and suspense, but they are not always there. Through the past few years, The Ring and SAW have been the main two successful horror movies. Last year two good ones come to my mind: Quarantine and The Strangers. My Bloody Valentine 3D is good, but let me explain.
This movie follows the same routine as most. However, a few things stick out that makes this one more enjoyable than others. One is the end. A lot of times the end makes up for the rest of the movie. The ending to this film is pretty good. It has that mystery element of who is the actual murderer. So they do keep you guessing. It seems clear, but it’s not. The second thing is the 3D technology. This movie contains gore, nudity, and blood. Lots of it. And all of it can be seen in 3D. They use this technology to the best of their ability. They (the filmmaker) throw things right in your face, making the experience more up-close and personal. Now I can say for the people who did not see this in 3D, it probably was not that enjoyable. It was a good decision to make this 3D because if it was not there would not be much interest in this at all.
The third thing is that I didn’t have to pay for it. A 3D costs about $10 and that’s a matinee price. I can definitely say I liked it, but if you had to pay you probably left feeling like you didn’t get your money’s worth. But I will end on a positive note. There are certain expectations you have for movies. These type have a low expectation. So it is what you see is what you get. But you will get more out of this movie if you are able to see it in 3D. It will make a big difference in your theatre experience. That rhymed.
At The Movies
My Bloody Valentine 3-D (PG) * * *
Hunted!
By ROBERT WALDMAN
Studio executives, give your heads a shake. First one has to question the geniuses at 20th Century Fox for releasing the romantic comedy Bride Wars one month before Valentine’s Day. Maple Pictures, I’m not letting you off the hook either. Why on earth would you release My Bloody Valentine 3-D one month before that most cherished of all dates for young lovers? Granted, love may not exactly be the order of the day for this bloodletting but guess what – fans of horror will definitely take a shining to this illicit treat, now scaring up quite the storm at the Granville Seven, Esplanade 6, Empire Studio 12, Colossus and various Famous Players Silver City cites around B.C.
A bit better than your traditional horror/gore spectacle, My Bloody Valentine 3-D has some great special effects, though I confess I saw the print in 2-D. By all means take in this graphic head-turner in three dimensions if you can to get those rather impressive pick axe lacerations up close and personal.
Trouble in this film sure runs deep. From the opening we learn that a one-town industry has scores of citizens cut down mercilessly by a mystery assailant. All the killings took place at a mine ten years earlier and apparently the assaults are starting up again with a flourish.
Mine owner Tom Hanniger is the man of the hour and was at one time quite the ladies man. Feelings of love apparently bear some blame for the trouble brewing as one Sarah Palmer can’t quite shake those past yearnings. Now married to Sheriff Axel Palmer the law is doing its best to determine who’s responsible for the current slayings and put a stop to the assaults. Whether anyone is left in the town to see the next sunrise is debatable as the bodies continue to mount skyward in this tale of death and destruction courtesy of a maniac who wears a miner’s outfit. Come to think of it, the goriness of the whole proceedings reminds one of the fisherman wearing killer from those I Know What You Did Last Summer films. Freddie Krueger and Jason would definitely be proud of this murderer’s technique.
Low budget films can be a blast if done well. Competent acting and a fairly decent script for this kind of genre helps make My Bloody Valentine 3-D a cut above your average slasher pic. Director Patrick Lussier (Dracula 2000) succeeds in creating here a good small town feel and the shots inside the mines look fairly authentic and are quite gritty. Naturally, why teens flock to these kind of slayer films are due to the violent elements and the confrontations here, though controlled, are bound to get some onlookers unexpectedly jumping from their seats.
Male pride is on the line in this film with both Jensen Ackles and Kerr Smith (Final Destination) effective as two men trying to solve a murder (or ten) with Jaime King (Sin City) suitably frightened as a grocer’s daughter desperate to live another day.
Maple Films has made quite a mark in reviving the horror genre with the exceedingly clever Saw movies and the new Jason Statham action adventures like Crank. Chalk up another low budget success for this Canadian based distributor who’s looking to make a killing with this early Feb. 14 present and a potential new hit Valentine’s Day serial killer series.
Read more reviews by Robert at www.moviereviewssite.com
