Torture Chamber

Director - Dante Tomaselli (Satan's Playground)
Starring - Vincent Pastore (Return to Sleepaway Camp), Christie Sanford (Satan's Playground), and Lynn Lowry (The Crazies, Ditch Day Massacre)
Release Date - 2013
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Should all sinners be damned?"
Format - DVD (Borrowed)

Rating (out of 5):

     One of the many aspects of horror that I love is that so many others love the genre just as much as I do.  Not all of these people have the time and funding available to make their own films but those that do tend to gain a following like a doomsday cult or a meth dealer.  Most of the time these followers are so dedicated that they become a street team (more or less) and tell everyone they can about a certain film.  Just like with Thanatomorphose, people in various horror groups on Facebook were praising the film Torture Chamber by director Dante Tomaselli.  Tomaselli has been making a name for himself in the horror game.  Hell, I even purchased his film Satan's Playground (which is still in the plastic).  However, after looking at the DVD for Torture Chamber I had no desire to see it.  The film looked like a textbook example of what I call Wal-Mart horror and that is something I have been trying to avoid as of late.  However, Zombie13 thought he would get my opinion on the film so I threw it in and tried to be open minded. 
     The film follows brothers Jimmy (Carmen LoPorto) and Father Mark (Richard D. Busser). These two brothers grew up in two completely different worlds. Mark was raised religiously and found salvation in the catholic church while his brother, a burn victim, was bound and imprisoned in a dog cage.  Their mother, Mrs. Morgan (Christie Sanford), believes his is inhabited by a demon or the devil himself and has him locked away from fear of hurting others.  Jimmy is also able to do otherworldly things and is able to secure a following consisting of the town's youth.  The group kidnap the locals and drag them back to their hideout to torture and commit other heinous acts forcing his brother to step in to save all their souls.
      When I first saw artwork for Torture Chamber (not the one pictured above)  I assumed this flick would be what I like to call Wal-Mart horror.  If you are new to my reviews then you will not know what Wal-Mart horror is.  Wal-Mart horror is what I like to call generic horror flicks that borrow heavily from others that were released previously and did fairly well.  When I started watching the film it did not feel like the typical Wal-Mart horror flick that I am accustomed to but when it was all said and done it was clearly one of them.  The acting in this film is hit or miss.  Some of the cast, Lynn Lowry included, did a great job while others really lacked any on screen experience needed to make the scenes fun and watchable.  Once again, more on screen experience would have went a long way.  The story for this one is one I have seen before but in a far more darker and demented tone.  This film immediately made me think of the 2009 horror flick Perkins' 14.  I am a huge fan of Perkins' 14 and i could easily see that story in this film.  The film took certain elements from that film and added a more dark and religious tone to it that had so much damn potential but failed to really capitalize on it.  The film is also painfully slow.  In fact, the film was so slow at times that it took so much effort to actually try and follow the film.  Finally, the film is filled to the brim with great special effects.  The film showcases so many great special effects and deaths that they just have to be seen to be believed.  Overall, Torture Chamber is nothing new or as shocking as it was intended to be.  The film has some decent special effects that should be seen but does not have any replay value.