Mum & Dad (2008)
** (out of 4)
British horror film about a girl named Lena (Olga Fedori) who is kidnapped by her co-workers (Ainsley Howard, Toby Alexander) and brought back to their mom (Dido Miles) and dad (Perry Benson) who will allow her to live as long as she plays by their rules. What follows is a bunch of torture while Lena tries to get a plan for an escape. MUM & DAD is the latest in a very long line of torture horror films but this one here doesn't depend on a lot of graphic violence and gore. Instead, writer-director Steven Sheil tries to build up a bizarre and rather unique atmosphere that is full of weird characters and situations and for the most part he succeeds. While the film is far from perfect I think there are enough good moments to where fans of the genre should remain mildly entertained while those against these type of films will find enough to be offended by. I think the best thing about the film are the performances from the five leads, all who fit their roles extremely nicely. I was really impressed with Howard who plays the twisted sister Birdie. This character is such a jerk and sleaze bag that you can't help but feel as if Howard was a real person in a real documentary. I thought Fedori also did a nice job in the role of the main girl because she really made you feel for the character and want to see her survive. Both Benson and Miles are extremely creepy as the parents and especially Benson as the twist father with a few too many issues. I think the biggest problem with the movie is that the story itself really isn't anything original and along the way we're really not given any twists or turns. I think a little bit more originality would have helped matters but as it is, MUM & DAD is a twisted little movie that will rub some the wrong way but the targeted audience should be able to make it through.
** (out of 4)
British horror film about a girl named Lena (Olga Fedori) who is kidnapped by her co-workers (Ainsley Howard, Toby Alexander) and brought back to their mom (Dido Miles) and dad (Perry Benson) who will allow her to live as long as she plays by their rules. What follows is a bunch of torture while Lena tries to get a plan for an escape. MUM & DAD is the latest in a very long line of torture horror films but this one here doesn't depend on a lot of graphic violence and gore. Instead, writer-director Steven Sheil tries to build up a bizarre and rather unique atmosphere that is full of weird characters and situations and for the most part he succeeds. While the film is far from perfect I think there are enough good moments to where fans of the genre should remain mildly entertained while those against these type of films will find enough to be offended by. I think the best thing about the film are the performances from the five leads, all who fit their roles extremely nicely. I was really impressed with Howard who plays the twisted sister Birdie. This character is such a jerk and sleaze bag that you can't help but feel as if Howard was a real person in a real documentary. I thought Fedori also did a nice job in the role of the main girl because she really made you feel for the character and want to see her survive. Both Benson and Miles are extremely creepy as the parents and especially Benson as the twist father with a few too many issues. I think the biggest problem with the movie is that the story itself really isn't anything original and along the way we're really not given any twists or turns. I think a little bit more originality would have helped matters but as it is, MUM & DAD is a twisted little movie that will rub some the wrong way but the targeted audience should be able to make it through.