|
|
Written and Directed by Starring Presented by 92 minutes |
|
||
|
THE
COTTAGE Review
A few months back, while interviewing author and journalist Alan Jones, he had mentioned that one of his current favorite movies was THE COTTAGE, a comedy/horror from Paul Andrew Williams about a bungled kidnapping that winds up on the premises of a murderous farmer. Upon the film’s DVD release in North America uncut and after a viewing, I would have to agree with Mr. Jones as THE COTTAGE is one of the few films to perfectly capture the horror and comedy portions correctly and is one of the better horror releases this year. Brothers David (Andy Serkis of LORD OF THE RINGS and KING KONG) and Peter (Reece Shearsmith) are in severe trouble. Their plan of solving their financial woes by kidnapping Tracey (Jennifer Ellison), the daughter of a crime lord has gone awry and they are left to hide in the countryside of England, with the girl bound and gagged in their car. The girl’s father sends Asian hitmen to kill the inept brothers, who look as far away from kidnappers as you’ll ever see, and to make matters worse, they stumble onto the territory of a hideously deformed, murderous farmer, who’s not too happy. THE COTTAGE is a great example on how to blend different genres by making a fun, enjoyable, if not unique film. The British have always been known for their dark humor and it doesn’t get any darker here. The first half is literally a crime caper comedy, as the brothers, brilliantly played by Serkis and Shearsmith) play a pair of the worst kidnappers you’ll ever see. They bicker constantly back and forth like brothers do and can barely keep Tracey in order, who despite her restraints still manages to break Peter’s nose. Their accomplice, Andrew (Steve O’Donnell) is also Tracey’s stepbrother and he unwillingly brings the Asian hitmen to them, who have a hostage of their own with them. The second half is where the horror begins as all the characters become stalked and targeted by the crazy farmer in some extremely gut wrenching (literally) moments and some inventive gore. The British cast is great and game, with some terrific performances. Two stood out in Serkis, who is always good in whatever he does, and Ellison, who plays such an annoying victim so well you can understand why someone would want to kill her (or at least gag her). For Serkis, it was good to see him so prominently in a role without makeup and carry the film, which he does particularly well here. He plays the straight man here, as he is not bright, but he’s not stupid either. Shearsmith was also good as Peter, a complete imbecile who can’t even do simple things like wear a mask. He is completely useless but it’s clear to see he is out of his element in crime. Doug Bradley has a great cameo as an Old Man who encounters David and forewarns of the farmer in the film’s first mention of the killer Farmer. The special effects are particularly nasty, and the uncut version delivers lots of gore, though it takes a while to get there. Once it does however, it flows well. The look of the Farmer looks a little too much like Jason in FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 but otherwise the gore is very well done by Stuart Conran and his team (which also worked on SHAUN OF THE DEAD). Paul Andrew Williams has made a solid film, even if its chock full of elements we’ve seen before. However, the pacing in which they are told and the characters displayed make for a different experience. The two brothers turn out to be very likeable whereas the victim in the beginning turns out not to be so innocent as one might think. It is this context that makes THE COTTAGE work, and provides lots of fun moments. Aside from the brother dynamic, this is a film that doesn’t take itself seriously and it shows. The film ends superbly. The DVD extras are miniscule, with the highlight being deleted scenes, which account for about 12 minutes in length and gave a little more depth to the story. The outtakes simply aren’t funny and consist mainly of actors falling down or flubbing lines. The storyboard gallery is nice though nothing two special, showcasing two scenes that I won’t spoil for you. Then there’s 11 previews of other Sony movies, which they could’ve cut down considerably and put in a behind the scenes featurette or something. In all, THE COTTAGE is pure fun for horror fans. It’s a perfect companion with SHAUN OF THE DEAD for a nice double feature and shows that when it comes to comedy/horror hybrids, the British have it in spades over its American counterparts. It’s a worthy add to your horror collection and destined to be a cult classic. THE COTTAGE: 8 Out Of 10 Maggots
|
HOME
BLOGS
|
|||
