Musical contributions from Keith Emerson, Philip Glass, and Goblin mainstay Fabio Pignatelli. Writing credits from multiple horror aficionados including Dario Argento. These details are nothing to sneeze at, but still just two noteworthy aspects of a supernatural horror flick of the sort that Italian filmmakers were consistently churning out in the 70s and 80s. A violent, vivid prologue filled with fetching costume design sets the stage for the plot to come, wherein beautiful filming locations, set design and decoration, and great effects complement fine art direction and production design.
Regrettably, digging under the surface, 'The church' isn't as blessed as one would pray. Scene writing, dialogue, and acting are all quite ham-handed. Characters are direly thin, little more than set pieces themselves. While the concept and the screenplay itself are pretty fun with great potential, the execution is plainly dubious and lackluster. Even as violent deaths and effects including blood and gore punctuate the runtime, before we know it half an hour has passed - then an hour, then 90 minutes - and still the movie feels like it is at best stuck in the "rising action" part of the typical narrative arc, if not merely the exposition. There is no meaningful climax, and the film maintains a flat, even tone from start to finish. It's an approach that can work well for many features, but not an Italian horror flick where visceral reaction is paramount.
There's little more to be said. Honestly, I'm disappointed. There were so many swell ideas here, and the technical aspects point to what could and should have been a cheekily thrilling, entertaining exemplar of horror. What we get instead is a dull, uninspiring slog that simply looks nice with no substance. I suppose if you're dead-set on indulging in Italian horror this is an okay watch, but otherwise I can't particularly imagine recommending 'The church.'
Two dissatisfied thumbs down.
Regrettably, digging under the surface, 'The church' isn't as blessed as one would pray. Scene writing, dialogue, and acting are all quite ham-handed. Characters are direly thin, little more than set pieces themselves. While the concept and the screenplay itself are pretty fun with great potential, the execution is plainly dubious and lackluster. Even as violent deaths and effects including blood and gore punctuate the runtime, before we know it half an hour has passed - then an hour, then 90 minutes - and still the movie feels like it is at best stuck in the "rising action" part of the typical narrative arc, if not merely the exposition. There is no meaningful climax, and the film maintains a flat, even tone from start to finish. It's an approach that can work well for many features, but not an Italian horror flick where visceral reaction is paramount.
There's little more to be said. Honestly, I'm disappointed. There were so many swell ideas here, and the technical aspects point to what could and should have been a cheekily thrilling, entertaining exemplar of horror. What we get instead is a dull, uninspiring slog that simply looks nice with no substance. I suppose if you're dead-set on indulging in Italian horror this is an okay watch, but otherwise I can't particularly imagine recommending 'The church.'
Two dissatisfied thumbs down.