The second part of Three Mothers trilogy, Inferno is what the stuff of nightmares are made of. Several times, its events don't make much sense yet the atmosphere it is able to create with its operatic set pieces, vivid use of primary colours, wicked score & gruesome kills reeks of dread, terror & approaching death, thus offering a cinematic experience that's surreal, haunting & hypnotic.
Written & directed by Dario Argento (Suspiria, Deep Red & Tenebre), the stylistic choices & unnatural setting brim with an uncanny vibe that greatly contribute to its foreboding tone. Argento's direction isn't top-notch here but he still manages to instil a sense of fear & danger with deft use of camera angles, bright shades & clever lighting, and doesn't hold back while piling up the body counts.
The build-up before each killing is allowed to go on for too long and the dramatic portions feel minimal & stretched due to it. Also, Keith Emerson's score is a mixed bag, often surfacing when the scene could do without it and nowhere to be found when some moments could benefit from it. The climactic track is still a delight. As for the performances, they are serviceable at best and there are no standouts.
Overall, Inferno may not be as riveting, arresting or refined as its predecessor and also lacks the required focus & clear sense of direction that the first entry had but thanks to its dreamlike imagery & visual ingenuity, it still makes for an interesting story about witches, alchemy, myth & murders. There isn't a lot to gain by looking for context within its content, for this supernatural horror is nothing more than an eerie & enchanting mood piece.
