After Dark Horrorfest, commonly known as “8 films to die for” is an annual horror festival that began in 2006 and features eight feature length horror films. Since the initial Horrorfest in 2006 it has become somewhat of a cult hit, each year cranking out more thrills and chills. Unlike a typical film festival, Horrorfest doesn’t take place at just one location; it actually plays in dozens of theatres across the country, with more being added all the time.
Over this series of reviews I will be chronicling released from different years of Horrorfest, which originally played in January of 2006. There are as the name suggests eight different films, all dabbling into different elements of horror, gore, and the supernatural. I really enjoy the concept of a horror festival on a national level, and it really gives a chance for aspiring writes of the genre to do something unique and outside the realm of cliché that has engulfed the genre so often.
Although in the past I have rarely seen an independent horror film that has captivated my imagination or even thrilled me, I am keeping my mind open to the possibility that the ever growing Horrorfest really will be the difference maker in the genre. So without further delay, how do these films fare?
Films
The Broken is more of a supernatural thriller, bordering on the realm of a Twilight Zone episode crossed with Supernatural. It tells the story of Gina McVey, a regular girl with a regular life. That is until one night while having dinner with her boyfriend and family a mirror shatters for no apparent reason. After the initial surprise no one seems to think much of it; that is until the next day. Gina spots a woman who looks exactly like her, she even drives the same car as her. Curious, Gina follows her look alike into her home where she spots a picture of herself and her father. Shocked and without explanation she storms out of the apartment and gets into an accident, landing her in the hospital. Upon getting out she starts investigating, but everyone around her seems different and she begins having vivid nightmares that confuse the situation even more. But determined to get answers Gina digs into the realm of the supernatural and discovers that entities known as doppelgangers (known if folklore as doubles, or an evil second version of a person). Will she be able to save herself and her family, or are things already doomed?
I rather enjoyed the premise of The Broken, and the lore that it dictates. The concept isn’t completely unique but it plays out as more of a thriller than a horror, which I found refreshing. The plot is rather character driven, and while the acting definitely has room for improvement, our immersion into the story is based completely around the need for Gina’s resolution. The story itself is rather interesting but it does tend to drag on at times, which leaves this thriller rather unchilling at most times. While it won’t be going into any of my all-time favourites list, I do see myself watching it again. Ultimately The Broken is a winner in the independent thriller category.
The Butterfly Effect 3, is the third instalment in the series which kicked off in 2004 with Ashton Kutcher in the lead role. This time around Chris Carmack (The OC, Love Wrecked) plays the protagonist; Sam Reide. Sam works with the police to help capture criminals by claiming to be psychic. Really though, Sam has the ability to travel backwards in time to moments in his life just by thinking it. He inhabits his body of that time period, but has the power to alter the events.
The plot of the film follows his attempts to clear the name of a wrongfully accused murdered, the man on death row for killing his girlfriend. Her sister is convinced that the wrong man is being killed for the murder, and after initial reluctance begins to unravel a web of deceit.
I’ll be honest; I typically hate sequels which play off the original’s success without bringing back the storyline or characters. They take only the concept and generally butcher it; The Butterfly Effect 3 wasn’t an exception.
The movie played out in a rather predictable and uninteresting manner, revolving around ridiculous concepts that have no place in any movies. After witnessing rape, incest, and convoluted storylines I would really love to have my 90 minutes of time back. I don’t know how a concept as cool as time travel and altered reality could fall so short, considering I really enjoyed the first Butterfly Effect. While this film share the same name as the original don’t let it fool you, or spark any interest; this film is filled with weak characters, a weak plot, and a disappointing ending. To be honest the only thing this movie had going for it was Chris Carmack, who’s half decent acting made it bearable at moments, but couldn’t come close to making this movie palatable. At the end of the day I wouldn’t recommend this film to anyone.
Video
The Broken and The Butterfly Effect 3 are brought to us in 1080p AVC MPEG-4 and the transfers on both of these films are relatively similar, both surprisingly decent for independent releases. Crisp and clear in most scenes, there were only a few instances where grain became overly apparent, most commonly during poorly lit interior scenes, or night scenes. Ultimately I was impressed, and compared to many of the other independent release in high definition I think you will be too. While neither is perfect, considering them for what they are I was definitely pleased.
Audio
Brought to us in 5.1 DTS-HD, The Broken and The Butterfly Effect 3 aren’t as well off in the audio department as I felt they were in the video. For the most part both films fare just fine, peaking during conventional dialogue. But as soon as voiced are raised or the score elevates you can really detect the holes in the audio track. Often becoming overly jumbled and front heavy, I was a little disappointed. On the plus side the bass offered some nice touches to the film, and was used rather efficiently. Ultimately I felt the audio could have been a bit better, but all things considering and for the type of release this is; I will give it a slight nod.
Special Features
The Broken
- Miss Horrorfest webisodes – A look into the pinup of the festival, Miss Horrorfest.
The Butterfly Effect 3
- Miss Horrorfest webisodes – again a more insightful look into Miss Horrorfest.
Final Thoughts
The films themselves vary greatly from one and other. I would consider both thrillers, but where one is original and engaging, the other drops the ball completely. The Broken by far being the better of these two films, it’s a little disappointing that you have to get them on the same disc. But I would still recommend checking the disc out, solely for The Broken and completely omitting The Butterfly Effect 3. For those of you out there who plan on buying all the films in the After Dark release, you will be pleased to hear that the video transfer on these films was actually quite decent despite a few minor problems. The audio wasn’t too bad itself but there was definitely room for improvement. At the end of the day I would recommend the purchase of this disc only to those of you who are collectors of the series, otherwise a rental is more than enough.
