The Curious Dr. Humpp

Director(s) - Emilio Vieyra (Women's Reformatory, The Naked Beast) and Jerald Intrator (Making the Blue Film, Caught in the Act!)

Starring - Ricardo Bauleo (The Lottery Ticket, The Great Adventure), Gloria Prat (The Naked Beast, Blood of the Virgins), and Aldo Barbero (Killer Women, The Power of Darkness)

Release Date - 1969

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "The curious picture of them all..."

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     If you have followed my reviews over the last few years then you may have noticed that I have a fond love for the American Genre Film Archive releases.  This love started with Batpussy and from then on I've collected them all and reviewed most of them.  I've enjoyed most of these releases but there has been a few that I just didn't care for or started out great but lost it's way before it was over.  Regardless, I love AGFA and their releases and I'll continue to snag each and every one of them.  Sometime back AGFA announced that they would be teaming up again with Something Weird to release the 1969 sci-fi sexploitation flick The Curious Dr. Humpp.  I had seen images from this one before but I had never seen it.  When orders became available for this one I went ahead and snagged a copy.

     The film follows the evil Dr. Humpp who kidnaps people and drugs them to have sex until they die.  He believes that sex is the key to immortality and uses his kidnapping victims in his experiments.  When they are no longer viable to his experiments he drugs them and turns them into mindless drones to do his bidding.  When a young man is kidnapped and forced into Humpp's orgies he quickly befriends one of Humpp's nurses who helps him escape this sexual hell.

      As I had stated earlier, I had never seen this film prior to buying a copy but I had heard some genre fans talking about it over the years in the various horror groups I've been in.  I couldn't wait to see it and when I tossed it in I found myself very underwhelmed.  I enjoy a good sexploitation flick but this one was just too bland.  I loved the idea behind the film but the movie itself just didn't do it for me.  Fans of Rob Zombie should note that the soundbites from Never Gonna Stop (The Red Red Kroovy) was from this film.  The acting in this one is far from perfect but it does have it's moments.  The characters are what you would expect from a late 60's sexploitation flick.  However, the mad scientist and his henchmen/drones were very underwhelming.  These types of characters should really stand out in a skin flick but they, sadly, do not here.  The story for this one is one hell of a set up for a sexploitation flick.  Having a mad scientist experiment with sex by kidnapping people is a story that could really be something amazing.  However, the scenes are incredibly too long which really throws the pacing off.  The film is not that long but so much fat could be trimmed so to speak.  Finally, the film is not a bloody mess. We get lots of skin, dry humping, and some campy make-up effects.  The point of this one is the sex and not the horror or sci-fi aspect so watch this accordingly.  Overall, The Curious Dr. Humpp was not for me.  I know the film has a cult following and is known throughout the genre by fans but I just wasn't a fan.  It dragged it feet for too long and missed some seriously fun moments.  Collectors will want this blu but other than that I wouldn't recommend this one.  

The Bloodhound

Director - Patrick Picard (The Ordinary Dream, The Living Ghost)

Starring - Annalise Basso (Ouija: Origin of Evil, Slender Man), Liam Aiken (Road to Perdition, Ned Rifle), and Joe Adler (Kill Game, Damnation)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Thriller

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Arrow Video really knocked me for a loop when I received the Invisible Man double feature recently when I wasn't expecting it.  This double feature, The Invisible Man Appears and The Invisible Man vs. The Human Fly, were two Japanese releases from the late 40s and mid-50s that I had never seen before.  When I received those for review I also received the 2020 thriller The Bloodhound from Arrow as well.  This one looked really interesting and I couldn't wait to check it out.  I want to thank Arrow and MVD for sending these over to check out.  

     The film follows a young man who visits an old friend who is very sick and wealthy.  He spends all his time in his home with his sister.  The visit and the two reminiscing starts to take an unusual turn when strange things begin to happen in the home.

     The artwork and title for this one really peaked my curiosity.  I had no idea what the film was about but the artwork didn't give me much of a hint.  With that being said, it is a bit of a slower burner that has trouble finding traction.  It does stumble from time to time but I enjoyed it for the most part.  The acting in this one is absolutely phenomenal.  The supporting cast delivers solid well grounded performances that works for the scenes.  These supporting roles are pretty generic but the cast does an exceptional job with them.  With that being said, Liam Aiken and Joe Adler absolutely killed it.  Their characters are the focal point of the film and a poor performance from either of them would have broke the film.  Their characters are so well written and brought to life by these two.  If this film doesn't seem like something you would enjoy I would still recommend it just for the acting alone.  The story for this one is a little confusing at times and very slow paced but it does come together at the end to create something very different.  It's a rather unique story but the pacing and flow of the film does take away from the overall story telling aspect of the film.  I found myself confused several times even though I was paying careful attention to the film.  This is one you will find yourself rewinding several times to see if you missed something.  Finally, this is not a bloody or gory thriller.  It is very character and story focused which will turn some of you gorehounds off.  Overall, The Bloodhound is a great thriller if you are looking for something a little different.  The cast is absolutely amazing and the story is decent but could use some work.  I recommend it.  

The Invisible Man vs. The Human Fly

Director - Mitsuo Murayama (Special Investigation Unit, Medal from the Devil)

Starring - Ryuji Shinagawa (The Last True Yakuza, Ghost Music of Shamisen), Yoshiro Kitahara (Kamen Rider, Gamera: The Giant Monster), and Junko Kano (Typhoon Reporter, Black Test Car)

Release Date - 1957

Genre - Horror/Crime

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When Arrow Video sent over their Invisible Man Appears blu I had no idea that it was actually a double feature.  I was really fucking excited to see the first film but when I tossed it in the player I was surprised to see a second film on the set.  I did a quick look and discovered that the second film, The Invisible Man vs. The Human Fly, was a sequel in spirit only but it really peaked my interest.

     The film follows a police force as they attempt to hunt down a serial killer that seems to be hunting down people that served in the army sometime ago.  The police uncover a sceientist is able to shrink humans.  In order to combat this they turn one of their own invisible to fight the fly menace.

     I went into this one a little more excited than I was the first one.  A film following mad scientists, a serial killer, and the Invisible Man...what could go wrong?   Well, a lot actually.  The characters are not that likable, the story is not as wild as it sounds, and the pacing is all wrong.  The acting in this one is not bad.  The cast really tries to get into their roles but the characters, regardless of who they are, are just not likable.  It's not the cast's fault but I just didn't care for the characters.  The story for this one has so much potential especially for a mid-50s sci-fi flick.  It has a lot of elements that I could really enjoy but the way everything is put together is very underwhelming.  I love the mad scientist approach to the film but the scenes, dialogue, and pacing of the film is absolutely all wrong.  I found myself waiting for the film to end than I was actually wanting to watch the film.  Finally, the film has some of those classic invisible man moments that make the other films so much fun along with some other cheesy visual effects of the time.  However, if you are looking for blood and gore you will be very disappointed.  Overall, The Invisible Man vs The Human Fly was a huge disappointment.  It doesn't have the same charm as the first film and the story is an absolute mess.  

The Invisible Man Appears

Director(s) - Shinsei Adachi and Shigehiro Fukushima 

Starring - Chizuru Kitagawa (Foul Play, Hell's Windmill), Takiko Mizunoe (Men vs. Women, Turning Point), and Daijiro Natsukawa (Praying at Dawn, Poppy)

Release Date - 1949

Genre - Horror/Sci-Fi

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When most people think of the classic Universal Monster movies they typically think of the iconic Wolfman, Dracula, or Frankenstein and for good reason.  These films are absolutely amazing and have inspired genre fans for decades.  However, I often find myself drawn to The Invisible Man.  Don't get me wrong, I love the other classic monster movies but The Invisible Man has always been my favorite.  Maybe it's from teenage daydreaming of being invisible from my peers.  Regardless, The Invisible Man has always been one of my favorite Universal properties.  However, Universal was not the only company to take a stab are the unseen.  In the late 1940's Japan got in on the action with The Invisible Man Appears.  This is one I had never seen before or was even aware that it existed until MVD sent over a review copy of Arrow Video's new blu release.  I want to thank MVD and Arrow for hooking me up!

     The film follows a scientist who has created a serum that can turn the living invisible.  He has successfully tested it on animals but has not moved to humans yet.  However, a jewel thief discovers the serum and uses it on himself in order to help steal some expensive jewels.  What he doesn't know is that the scientist that created the serum has not created a cure yet.  Being invisible begins to wear on him mentally and he becomes unstable.

     The Invisible Man Appears is one I was not familiar with.  However, once the film started I quickly realized that it was going to be a fun one.  The movie has that old Universal feel mixed with the Japanese cinema charm.  It was a fun and very unique experience that I greatly enjoyed.  The acting in this one is very enjoyable.  The cast brings to life some unconventional characters for the time along with some extremely bland characters.  The cast does a great job for the most part but some do deliver better performances than others.  The story for this one is the original Invisible Man with some aspects added to it.  The film follows a man who becomes seriously unstable once he becomes invisible, much like the original film, but this version spins a crime angle with it when they toss in the jewel thieves.  It works and has that Japanese crime drama feel that would become popular in the coming decade.  It was fun and worked very well.  With that being said, a lot of the scenes feel repetitive.  The film could have trimmed some of the fat down so to speak and still tell the same story.  Finally, this is not a bloody or gory flick for those of you looking for one. We do get some classic camera tricks and gags to pull off the invisible aspect.  Most of which are very impressive.  I had to pause the film a few times just to see how they pulled off some of the gags.  Overall, The Invisible Man Appears was a fun experience.  I liked it and how it was able to build on the original story.  It is a bit too long and repetitive at times but it's still fun.  The blu from Arrow looks absolutely stunning especially if you consider the film's age.  I highly recommend checking this one out.  

Rottentail

Director - Brian Skiba (Deadly Excursion, Slaughter Creek)

Starring - William McNamara (Feel the Dead, Day of the Mummy), Domonique Swain (Face/Off, Ghost Whisperer), and Corin Nemec (Sand Sharks, Sea Beast)

Release Date - 2018

Genre - Comedy/Horror/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "Hippity Hoppity Homicide"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     I'm a sucker for a holiday horror flick but some holidays tend to get all the movies while others are skipped over.  Easter has seen it's fair share of horror hits over the years with movies like Easter Sunday, Easter Casket, Peter Rottentail, Kottontail, and Easter Bunny Kill Kill.  I've watched and reviewed all of these but I was looking for something new this year to watch when I remembered I had bought the indie horror comedy Rottentail last summer.  I found the film for $5 on blu and bit the bullet.  It's not an Easter movie per se but a killer man-rabbit was good enough for me to watch it on Easter.

     The film follows a scientist who uses rabbits in his experiments.  However, when a fellow scientists takes his rabbits to run an experiment on he finds himself bitten by the mutated bunny where he is transformed into a man-rabbit with a lust for revenge against those that hurt his fury friends.  

     I went into this one know nothing about it.  I loved the look of the monster on the cover and for $5 I couldn't pass up adding it to my collection.  Sadly, the film was a huge disappointment.  It had all the makings of a great horror comedy but the film is unable to pull everything that it has going for it into something fun and entertaining.  That acting in this one is surprisingly well done.  Nemec is absolutely brilliant as Rottentail.  His one liners and comedic timing is fucking amazing.  I was not expecting him to nail a performance like this.  The character makes the film but it's not good enough to actually save it.  The supporting cast is solid enough but they don't stand out like Nemec and his high energy performance.  The story for this one is basically Spider-Man with a few changes to make it fit better.  A mutated rabbit bites a scientist and it turns him into a murderous man-rabbit is pretty funny but the film is extremely uneven.  A lot of the scenes are extremely drawn out and boring while others are over the top comical.  The movie could use some heavy editing and the story needs to be a little more stream lined.  Finally, the film has some messy moments with some blood but the kills are very lackluster and unimaginative.  The practical effects are solid enough  and the make-up effects are great but the visual effects used are pretty bad.  Overall, Rottentail was not as fun as I was hoping for.  I liked the title character but the film around it was unwatchable.  This movie took me a lot longer to finish it then I expected and a lot had to do with how bad it was.  Skip it.  

The Reckoning

Director - Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, Tales of Halloween)

Starring - Charlotte Kirk (Fractured, Ocean's Eight), Steven Waddington (Sleepy Hollow, Halo: Nightfall), and Sean Pertwee (Event Horizon, Dog Soldiers)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Fear spreads like the plague"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Neil Marshall is one of the most underrated genre filmmakers of our time.  Dog Soldiers is one of the best, if not the best, werewolf films of the last 30 years.  The Descent gained him some widespread fame but Doomsday is one of the most overlooked sci-fi thrillers of recent years.  Films aside, he's also directed episodes of Constantine, Hannibal, Game of Thrones, Black Sails, and West World.  When I saw that RLJE was releasing his new period piece horror tale centered around witch trials and the plague I knew I had to see it.  I reached out and they were kind enough to send a review copy of the film my way to check out.  

     The film follows a young woman who has an infant daughter when her husband who becomes ill and kills himself.  Struggling with money and facing eviction, she tries to borrow it but fails.  Her landlord and local squire is forcing himself on her in order to help her with her debt.  When she refuses he labels her a witch and convinces the townsfolk of the same when he points out that her husband became ill with the plague while she did not.  She is taken in and tortured until she confesses but the witchfinder general is unable to break her.  

     I went into this one really fucking excited.  I had just watched the amazing horror anthology The Mortuary Collection and was looking forward to whatever Marshall brought my way.  Sadly, the movie has a lot to say but says it in the most boring manner.  I really wanted to like this one but when it was all said and done I found myself very unimpressed.  The acting in this one is great.  Kirk was fantastic as the window, mother, and accused witch.  She brings so much emotion to the role and you really feel it.  When she cries you beleive those are real tears.  Her performance definetly impacts the story.  The supporting cast is just as fantastic as well.  The characters are all very well written and the cast does a fantastic job.  The story for this one is a story that I could really get behind.  I fucking love horror tales centered around witches but this one proved to be a bit of a boring experience.  It did have a few nice twists here and there but the film itself is rather uneventful.  The scenes drag on with dull dialogue that makes the lackluster film feel as if it will last an enternity.  Finally, the film has some bloody moments that fit with the film very well.  The supernatural dream sequences look great and utilize some fun make-up effects but the lack of gore and plague ridden bodies is a bit of a disappointment.  Overall, The Reckoning is alright for a first time watch but nowhere near as memorable as it could have been.  This is a real missed opportunity here.  

     

The Mortuary Collection

Director - Ryan Spindell (The Babysitter Murders, Two Sentence Horror Stories)

Starring - Clancy Brown (Thor: Ragnarok, SpongeBob SquarePants), Hannah R. Lloyd (Grimm, Unicorn), and Tristan Byon (Two and a Half Men, Criminal Minds)

Release Date - 2019

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "Every corpse has a story"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Last year was an all around shitty year but 2021 seems to be a bit of an improvement.  At least, from the standpoint of cinema.  Movies that were filmed in 2019 with an expected 2020 release would soon find their release dates approach and pass.  People were without jobs and couldn't afford wasting the extra money on physical media and with theaters closed the movie industry took a hit.  One of those movies that was filmed in 2019 and is scheduled for a new release is the horror anthology The Mortuary Collection which is a Shudder original release. I had been interested in this one for sometime and when I received the press release for the RLJE Films release of the film I reached out for a review copy.  I got it in a few days ago and couldn't wait to give it a spin.  Thanks RLJE for sending this one over.

     The film follows an old mortician (Brown) who is finishing up the services for a little boy that just passed when a young woman comes in inquiring about employment.  While in his office she questions him about the large amount of books where she learns that each story is filled with the stories of all the bodies that has passed through the mortuary doors.  They both are hiding something despicable from each other but the mortician is the one that gets the last laugh.

     I went into The Mortuary Collection expecting a fun and cheesy horror anthology and that was exactly what I was given.  Some of the stories told were a little outlandish but the overall film was very enjoyable.  I could see myself watching this one over and over again until I become sick of it.  It's just that much fun.  The acting in this one is very inconsistent but it's not bad.  The cast does the best with what they were given but some of the characters were written better than others.  Clancy Brown absolutely outperforms everyone in the film.  His character is one of the most important characters in the film working as a crypt keeper style character that tells the stories throughout the film.  His performance here is amazing and unforgettable.  The supporting does a solid job, but as I stated earlier, some of the characters in the segments are better written with more detail than others which does create some very inconsistent performances.  The stories for this one is just like the acting but it was still enjoyable.  Some of the stories are more grounded while others were a little too far out there.  This uneven mix does throw the film off a bit but doesn't make it a bad film because it's not.  The wrap around segment featuring the young woman and the mortician is absolutely fantastic.  I loved the idea that every book is filled with stories of how people died.  That leaves this one open to so many sequels.  The stories told throughout the film are fun.  Some feature tentacled monsters living behind mirrors, to a reluctant husband forced to take care of his ailing wife.  The film really is a roller coaster and a fun one at that.  Finally, the film has plenty of blood and some fun gags but those of you looking for large amounts of gore will be very disappointed.  The effects in this one are really fun.  We get some great practical effects along with some impressive make-up effects.  Overall, The Mortuary Collection is a must see for genre fans.  It's got some humor, great stories, and some impressive effects.  What else do you need?  I highly recommend this one.  

Godzilla vs. Kong

Director - Adam Wingard (Blair Witch, Death Note)

Starring - Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood, Tarzan), Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things, Enola Holmes), and Rebecca Hall (The Awakening, Iron Man 3)

Release Date - 2021

Genre - Action/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "God vs. King"

Format - Streaming (HBO Max)

Rating (out of 5):

     The recent Godzilla/Monsterverse reimagining has really impressed me.  The first Godzilla film was fun but nothing spectacular or memorable in my opinion.  However, Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King of the Monsters were both fantastic films.  I've watched both several times since their initial release and I absolutely adore them.  When Godzilla vs. Kong was announced I was so fucking excited but I was on the fence once I heard Adam Wingard was in the director's chair.  Up until this point his career was very lackluster to say the least.  In fact, his reimaging of Blair Witch was the lowest rated film that I reviewed the year it was released.  Once the trailer was released I put all doubt behind me and jumped on the hype train.  Yesterday when the film premiered on HBO Max I watched it as soon as I could and it did not let me down.  

     The film picks up a few years after Godzilla: King of the Monsters with Monster Zero long dead and the company Apex has secretly taken it's skull to run experiments on it in hopes of creating a giant robot, Mechagodzilla, to fight Godzilla but they are unable to power it.  They bring in Kong who believe that his ancestors were from the hallowed Earth and a power source there could power the mech.  Kong and a group of scientists travel to the center of the Earth to harness that power but they are betrayed by Apex.  However, something goes wrong and the power source does something to Monster Zero's head which brings Mechagodzilla to life.

     This is the movie I was most looking forward to this year.  Seeing the leaked images and trailer really pulled me in.  After finally watching it I can say that this movie exceeded my expectations.  The last time I had this much fun with a movie was when I watched the first Pacific Rim for the first time.  Since my initial viewings I've already watched Godzilla vs. Kong two more time with no signs of slowing down anytime soon.  I fucking loved it.  The acting in this one isn't something that really stands out to me.  The movie's main focus is Godzilla fighting Kong so the cast is there to move the story along.  With that being said there is some characters that I liked and others that I didn't.  Skarsgard takes on a role I was not expecting nor have I seen him in before.  Her really showed how far he can stretch his acting skills and delivered a fun performance.  With that being said, I'm not feeling Millie Bobby Brown in the film.  She seems to be in the way and does absolutely nothing for the story. The conspiracy theorist could have done his part of the film without her tagging along.  The story for this one is more than just two iconic kaiju's fighting.  This installment introduces so many new aspects to the Monsterverse but with a two hour run time they are not fully explored.  Without getting two spoiler heavy I would have loved to see more exploration of the hollowed Earth along with Mechagodzilla.  Neither of which are explored to their fullest.  Finally, the film is absolutely beautiful.  Kong, Godzilla, and Mechagodzilla looks absolutely amazing and their fight scenes are gorgeous.  The visual effects are amazing which just puts this one over the top.  Overall, Godzilla vs. Kong is the jump start to the summer that we needed.  It's big on action and story.  Fans of Godzilla and Kong will really enjoy this installment.  

Easter Bunny Bloodbath 2: No More Tears

Director - Richard Mogg (Massage Parlor of Death, Bigfoot Ate my Boyfriend)

Starring - Kaitlyn Yurkiw (Teenage Slumber Party Nightmare, Frames of Fear 3), Kirk Munaweera (Earth Girls are Sleazy, Frames of Fear), and Shayan Bayat (Arrow, Tales from the Grave)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror/Comedy

Tagline - "A bigfoot vs bunny film"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several years ago I found the very first Easter Bunny Bloodbath and with it a love for director Richard Mogg and his brand of indie horror.  I've watched and reviewed every release of his up to this point and he has not let me down.  His mix of humor and S.O.V. horror works so well together.  Most of his films are connected together by sharing characters.  This Mogg-verse expanded late last year when he released a follow up to Easter Bunny Bloodbath and Bigfoot Ate My Boyfriend.  This sequel, Easter Bunny Bloodbath 2: No More Tears, was recently released on DVD by Mogg and I had to snag a copy with Easter approaching.

     The film picks up five years after the events of the first film.  John Saurius (Munaweera) is a bigfoot investigator on the hunt for the elusive bigfoot when he comes across a house with a dark past.  When searching the basement for bigfoot he finds Peter (Bayat) in the basement bleeding with no memory as to what happened.  News of his discovery reaches a survivor of the Easter Bunny Bloodbath who has spent the last several years having her face skin grafted back on.  This sends her over the edge and the blood beginsto flow soon after.

     You have to be in the mood for a Richard Mogg flick.  His brand of humor and horror doesn't fit with some genre fans and that's completely understandable.  With that being said, I fucking love how silly his films are.  They never disappoint and are always a fun watch with friends.  EBB2 wasn't as good as the first or Bigfoot but it was still well worth my time.  It has some laughs and a few bloody moments that stood out.  The acting in this one is exactly what you expect from a Mogg feature.  The cast is underwhelming bad on purpose which delivers some laughs regardless if they were intentional or not.  Minaweera returns as John Saurius who has appeared in other Mogg features as the bigfoot investigator.  I love the way he lazily delivers his lines and some of his one liners are pretty funny.  The story for this one is pulling together two established films and it works for the most part but a lot of the scenes feel tossed together or rushed.  This is probably the most hectic and chaotic film from RickMore that I've seen but it still found a way to entertain.  I liked how both films were pulled together resulting in some seriously fun no-budget creature/slasher madness but some of the scenes feel out of place and odd.  If the story was a little more linear it would have been a lot more entertaining.  Finally, the film has several on screen deaths with some blood and cheap, but funny, practical effects.  If you are looking for top tier practical effects you won't find them here.  However, if you want birght red blood and a fake foam head then you are in luck!  Overall, Easter Bunny Bloodbath 2 is another no-budget insanity fueled film from Richard Mogg.  If you want Easter Bunny vs. Bigfoot action then this film is for you!  Check it out.  

Awoken

Director - Daniel J. Phillips (Release, The Martyr)

Starring - Erik Thomson (Hercules: The Legendary Journey, Xena: Warrior Princess), Sara West (Ash vs. Evil Dead, Don't Tell), and Benson Jack Anthony (Legend of the Seeker, 100% Wolf)

Release Date - 2019

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Never sleep again"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Several weeks ago Umbrella Entertainment caught me off guard with their March release announcement.  Bad Boy Bubby had caught my eye but there was a pair of horror releases on DVD that really pulled me in.  Sator was the one that I was really looking forward to.  Several of my horror friends had talked about this particular film in the past which really made me want to see it even more.  Sadly, it was not as fun as I had hoped.  The second film is one I had never heard of before but I can't turn down a horror movie to watch.  That brings me to 2019's Awoken starring Erik Thomason who some of you may recognize as Hades from Hercules and Xena.  I want to thank Umbrella for sending this one my way.

     The film follows a young med student who has a brother who suffers from a severe form of insomnia.  As his health deteriorates she moves him out of the hospital into a secret basement facility to help him and others like him.  However, the worse he gets the more strange occurances happen until she discovers the real reason behind his sickness.

     I didn't know what to expect from Awoken when I tossed it in.  The artwork looked kind of cool and I wasn't sure where the story would take me.  I liked the premise but the predictability and unlikable characters made for a tough one to sit through.  The acting in this one is not bad.  The cast is fully dedicated to their roles but the characters are written in a way that you have a hard time liking them.  The female lead has her heart in the right place but she's so fucking whiny.  Her former love interest is extremely emotional and his indecisiveness makes some of the scenes extremely awkward to watch.  Hell, the film's antagonist is the only character that I enjoyed which is saying a lot about the movie when you sympathize with the villain.   The story for this one is very interesting and has a lot of promise but it's very predictable and the ending is very drab.  Having sleep deprivation tie in to demonic possession is not a new idea having been explored in other films but having an insomniac be a vessel for an ancient demon is pretty fun.  Sadly, this is never fully explored and when the film gets into the thick of it all we slip and slide through it without getting to the good stuff.  The movie could have been so much more.  Finally, the film has a few deaths.  We get some pretty nice looking make-up effects but the kills we get are done either quickly or off camera so those of us with a taste for blood will be very disappointed.  Overall, Awoken is another missed opportunity.  It could have been something memorable for the genre but at the end of the day it's forgettable and tough to finish.  Skip it.