Post by Mr.HoRrOr on Jan 1, 2012 18:36:37 GMT -5
Plot:In the fourth film in the popular franchise, a group of friends decide to go snowmobiling during their winter break. They make a "wrong turn" getting lost in a storm and seek shelter in an abandoned sanatorium. They are completely isolated by the storm, but the sanatorium has a troubled past and some of its former patients still reside there and are not happy about the intrusion. In a deadly game of cat and mouse the college kids must fight to survive the night. Only their wits can save them in this scary showdown locked away by the elements reminiscent of the classic film The Shining.
Cast:
Sean Skene
Daniel Skene
Scott Johnson
Jennifer Pudavick
Tenika Davis
My Thoughts:Not bad for a part 4.
Review:Once most franchises, especially horror franchises. Hit the fourth film. They're pretty much out of steam. And thus the fourth picture becomes an exercise in futility. But in the case of the "Wrong Turn" franchise. The fourth movie actually ends up being better than the third one. The last time we saw the killer inbred redneck freaks from the "Wrong Turn" franchise...they (meaning just the surviving member 3-finger)...were picking off escaped convicts in the woods of West Va. "Bloody Beginnings" tells the tale of the 3 killer inbreds pre "Wrong Turn", and its sequels.
Basically, it adds a little pointless backstory to the 3 hillbilly freaks. Not that we needed it though. Necessarily. We know they're strong. Damn near invincible. Cannibalistic, and murderous. "Bloody Beginnings" just adds a few more layers to the story. By kind of expanding on the overall mythology of the inbreds. And their ties to a much larger community of inbred hillbillies. As if most people don't already mentally have this stereotype of West Virginia. This movie does absolutely nothing to tamp that stereotype down.
In fact, it expands on it if anything. Once the backstory of the three brothers, told when they were just yay-high...is expounded upon. We fast-forward to 2003. Ironically, the exact same year the original and first "Wrong Turn" movie came out! But "Bloody Beginnings" takes place during winter. So if you want a timeline here, the best I can do is to surmise that maybe "Bloody Beginnings" takes place the winter before the Spring or Summer that Jessie, Chris, and the others visit West Virginia.
You also have to factor in that the hillbilly trio in the first movie looked really aged, compared to how young they look in this film. But then again what does the aging cycle look like for three inbred hillbilly cannibals? Perhaps their encounter with the kids from the first movie takes place almost a decade later. Either way, "Bloody Beginnings" puts another group of young people into the sights of these three killers. A pretty diverse and intriguing group of youngsters I might add. The scene where we first get introduced to the films two lead females.
Certainly puts forth that this is gonna be a different group of youngsters than we're used to seeing in movies like this. The gist of the fourth movie is that the inbred trio murdered their doctors at the insane asylum they were locked up in as youngsters. They then let all of the patients out of their cells. And many years later, they've now claimed the area as their hunting grounds. This includes the abandoned asylum. Which is where the teens, who are on a snowmobiling trip, take refuge in after they get lost during a bad storm.
Once they arrive, they're watched for a bit before the hillbillies make their move. And then the fight for survival begins! Unlike its predecessors. "Bloody Beginnings" doesn't get very creative with the kills. But the brutality of the deaths. And their impact, which is heightened by the fact that this group of teens are actually likeable...manages to make the movie ultimately a success on that particular end. It's a pretty bloody movie. Staying true to the franchise steeple.
Although I'd say part 3 is bloodier. "Bloody Beginnings" is actually the least bloody movie in the series. Mostly because most of the kills take place in the dark. So it's hard to get the full effect. And also, the same weapon is used to take out atleast 3 of the college students. The film also returns to its roots somewhat. By giving us a nasty cannibalism scene. Involving boiled flesh strips. By no means, is it as suspensefully-effective as Francine's dissection in "Wrong Turn"...but it's still stomach turning enough to be memorable.
The fact that this movie is set during the winter, and a bad snowstorm. Give it an extra feel of dread and suspense as well. As the kids cannot simply just flee outside and make a break for it. Especially considering they come under attack during the night, when the storm outside is still raging. And the hillbilly trio is hell bent on making sure they don't leave. And lastly, a lot of their group are being picked off.
So panic and despair begin to set in. If this movie has one weakness, it's a particular scene where the remaining kids have a chance to if not kill, then badly maim the cannibalistic trio. But one character decides to go all "Greenpeace". And convinces one of her friends not to "end" the murderous trio. While it did make for an interesting plot twist. It was super annoying and ultimately foolish. At the same time. The films conclusion lacks intensity somewhat. But still manages to be strong at times.
Mostly because it involves a cool snowmobile chase. Ultimately however, I found the final scene to be pretty disappointing. And not in a lack of quality kind of way. However, if the movie had ended as I had hoped it would. It might have then opened up new questions and the possibility of the return of a few characters in a possible fifth picture. And I guess maybe the writers just didn't want that headache.
Overall, "Bloody Beginnings" certainly lives up to its tagline. And the injection of a rare group of teens who while at times, show their naivety...are overall likeable, tolerable, and easy to pull and root for, give the movie a much needed extra dimension. It's a good film for a Saturday night rental. And for rabid fans of the "Wrong Turn" franchise.
Positives:Likeable college student characters. A rareity in straight-to-dvd slasher films these days. Decent kills, good setting and backdrop for the action with the spooky abandoned asylum. And the raging storm outside.
Negatives:The ending was a bit mean-spirited. And the scene where one character decides against greatly harming the trio when the opportunity presents itself was one big WTF? moment.
Overall:Three stars out of four.