Baskin (2015) Review

“Baskin is a tripped out Lynchian nightmare within a nightmare that leads down a bloody path to hell.” ~ Creepercast

Synopsis: A squad of unsuspecting cops goes through a trapdoor to Hell when they stumble upon a Black Mass in an abandoned building. (IMDB) Director: Can Evrenol Writers: Ogulcan Eren Akay, Can Evrenol Starring: Mehmet Cerrahoglu, Gorkem Kasal, Ergun Kuyucu et al

Baskin (which means police raid in Turkish) is a tripped out Lynchian nightmare within a nightmare that leads down a bloody path to hell. This is writer/director Can Evrenol’s first feature debut film, based on his 2013 short film of the same title, premiered at Toronto International Film Festival's Midnight Madness section, and awarded the Best Director at Austin Fantasticfest's New Wave Awards. Yes, it is a foreign film, straight out of Turkey and undoubtedly represents the society and culture in some way. Evrenol has credited 80’s horror and Hammer type films for his appreciation of the art that goes into a horror film. Baskin is bathed in artist expressionism, oft times surreal, like Van Gogh or even Dali. Baskin is truly Evrenol’s ‘Andalusian Dog’ in every way. According to Evrenol “I'd like to think that my inspirations are from a broader source: real-life horrors, modern art, pop art and fairy tales combined.”

There is so much about Baskin that defies explanation. One can only assume that the Turkish culture heavily influenced the writers. The links that do come together are intense, grotesque, and mind boggling. I’ve already linked the film to David Lynch but you can always say there is a little Brian O’Malley’s vision of hell and Eli Roth’s penchant for gore in there as well. The influences and horror tropes are limitless and horribly well done to the point where it is impossible to determine real-life, fictional horror, and fairy tale apart from each other. Evrenol also introduces us to an instant classic monster in the hellish cult's leader, The Father. The Father is easily the new face of evil from his disfigured appearance to his authoritative delivery of each one of the officers sentences. He is the conduit between life, death, and hell, and passes sentence with understanding glee. He is the new Pinhead who has such pleasures and pain to show you and he does so with his creatures standing by to assist. Each of the police officers that ends up in this little slice of hell has a sin to atone for and The Father will make sure they do.

When it comes down too it, Baskin is a well choreographed, shot, and executed film that will mess with the minds of even the most jaded of horror fans. Especially when our final guy gets sucked into the twist that ends the dream within the dream.

Til next we bleed… Farewell from the beasts and I,

Jeff

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