As with all of my reviews of films for The Creepercast, I fully recommend that you check each and every one of them out. I am one man and this is my opinion. I've seen plenty of movies that received reviews that were the complete opposite of how I saw the film. These writers, directors, producers and actors all put a lot of time and love into these projects. They deserve to be seen and appreciated for what they are. Everyone has a dream and I fully support the people that take the time to make theirs a reality. With that being said....
With the recent shift in horror film making and the dawn of 'Deathwave', we've seen a change in the narrative that makes up our beloved genre. It's no longer just about the most franchisable masked madman or how disgusting our special effects can be. We're seeing smarter and more emotional story lines. Characters are more drawn out and there is a deeper meaning behind all the murder and mayhem. There is also a stronger focus on the acting contained in these films and the desire to tell a story that may not even end up much bloodshed. Does this still qualify as horror? Absolutely. It merely is taking the groundwork, that was laid by our forefathers, and building a new addition onto an already towering structure. This new direction may have its detractors and naysayers, but that doesn't make it any less of a viable addition to the genre. You still have plenty of slashers, monsters and zombies roaming the celluloid cinescape to satisfy all of your blood lust and fiendish desires. For me, however, being a fan of the beauty in the grotesque. I'm always looking for something more behind the darkness. I have a passion for tales of love and longing and there's a certain poetry in the misunderstood monster. For too long, we've focused on scaring each other and avoided the most frightening part of the entire story, what lies beneath our heroes and villains. Sometimes, the darkest part of what creates the terror, is the reality that brought it to life. So, brings us to 'The Axe Murders of Villisca'.
Written by Owen Egerton and Kevin Abrams, along with co-writer and director Tony E. Valenzuela, 'The Axe Murders of Villisca' is more than a ghost story. It's more than a slasher film with paranormal ties. This is a deeper meditation on longing, loss and forgiveness. Not necessarily of someone else, but of yourself. The story begins with the origin of the house itself. Based on a true, unsolved, series of murders, we find the good Reverend Kelly (played by the iconic Sean Whalen) murdering an entire family as they slept. Fast forward to modern day, we meet Caleb (played by Robert Adamson), Denny (played by Jarrett Sleeper) and Jess (played by Alex Frnka). Three wounded high school students, who through a series of events, end up at the Villisca murder house to take a haunted tour. Caleb and Denny are old friends and part time paranormal YouTube investigators. Jess is recovering from the stigma created by a video of her having sex, that is being circulated among her fellow students. After Caleb sticks up for Jess, she returns the favor by coming to his home to thank him. When she arrives, Caleb and Denny are about to go on their last paranormal investigating together, before Caleb leaves town. He invites Jess to go along, as they head out to the Villisca house. While they are being taken through the home by Greg (played by Jon Gries), they learn about the horrific events that took place back in 1912. When Jess crosses one of the roped off areas, they are quickly ushered out of the home. Not too be the one to have ruined the investigation, Jess offers to help them break in, for a late night tour. While attempting to communicate with the victims of the Reverend Kelly, they awaken and evil that never left the premises and to fight to make it out alive themselves.
While on paper, the story may sound like something you've seen several times before, what you actually get with 'The Axe Murders of Villisca' is so much more. Yes, there are murderous spirits and possession. Yes, there are actual axe murders that take place. Yes, there is a haunted house aspect to this film. However, all of those things are merely a tool and a device to help our main characters come to terms with their own personal demons. It's not a film that is without flaws. There are some rather cliched tropes that are used as a means to an end, but that can be forgiven because the end result is a very satisfying one. Each character has their moment of clarity, where they have to look down the darkness inside themselves or be destroyed by it. Although, they all have to fight what's haunting them at the moment of truth, they each have each other to rely on as a pseudo support system. Teaching us that we don't have to be alone in our struggles with the past. We are not the sum of one event that seems to define us. Instead, we are a composite of all of the things we've done in our lives and all the things we have yet to do still. No one person is perfect or without flaws. It's how we take that pain and guilt and turn it into something positive. How we use it as a force for change or take on the burdens of others, who may not be as strong as we are at that moment in their lives. That's the resounding message that seems to come through in the end. All carried out through a tale of darkness, sadness and death.
If there was one thing I could change about this film, it would be the introduction of Rob (played by Kellan Rhude) and Connor (played by Riley Bodenstab) in the third act. It allowed for a slightly higher body count and a rather tacked on end sequence, but for me, it didn't really drive the plot forward. What positive things it allowed for, were some interactions with our main protagonists and allowed them to confront some of the subjects that might not have been touched upon otherwise. I'm assuming that was the reason they were included in the finale, but even with leaving all of their final sequences in place, we didn't need the last shot of them in the film. It left the overall tone with a bit of a bad taste in our mouths. That's a minor complaint among a lot of very positive things that did happen in it's, slightly shorter than average, run time. This film also contained some beautiful establishing shots and a very compelling score. All of these moving parts, made for a very moving and thought provoking journey. While I still have some misgivings about the picture as a whole, I can't deny that it made me think about things that play heavily in all of our lives. As not only teenagers, but as adults as well. 'The Axe Murders of Villisca' is a film that may not strike a chord with every viewer that sees it, but it's a solid addition to the ever growing lexicon of intelligent horror. Everyone involved in this film should feel proud of what they accomplished and I look forward to seeing what they bring to the table next. A solid 4 out of 5 star film, that could have spent a lot more time building up the back stories of our three main characters, but in the end.... didn't have too. What stands at the end of the day, is a solid piece of film making that should be viewed by those who like their films to be more than just another attempt at creating a new franchise.
If you enjoy this film, check out: 'Spring', 'The Battery' and 'Darling'
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