-Written by Kyle Bain.
The Horror is a campy, experimental film written and directed by Apostoly Peter Kouroumalis. In this film a series of individuals are faced with fate, and that fate is death. What is the only way to truly repent, to pay for your sins? According to The Horror, it is, in fact, death.
Kouroumalis himself warned me that The Horror is not everyone’s cup of tea, and that there was more than just a slight chance that his film wouldn’t resonate with me. His words were true, as the film is incredibly experimental, steeped in rudimentary techniques blended in a way that frustrates the mind and fucks with the human psyche.
There’s a level of intensity and uncomfortability present in the film that lives beneath the surface, but these things effectively drown in the wake of just about everything else. The editing is fractured, causing the film as a whole to be fractured–and while I believe this is intentional, it simply doesn’t work. Kouroumalis, who I’ve become familiar with over the past few years, has a particular style of filmmaking, and The Horror is it. He uses shock and awe to wow his audience, to create unique experiences. I have, in the past, seen instances of this in his films where it works, where it aligns with a narrative or character development. The Horror, however, as wild a concept as it might be, needs to be more linear and fluid in order to be successful. Something is lost in translation in terms of the narrative–and the purpose behind the film doesn’t come through clearly as a result.
The troubles continue with the acting, as nearly every actor struggles to convey any semblance of emotion throughout the entirety of The Horror. Honestly, I can’t think of a single character in which I felt for them, appreciated them, or even understood their purpose. The characters feel hollow, ultimately incomplete. I’m sure some of that stems from the script, and that the actors can only work with what they are given–but it’s perfectly clear that these actors lack the ability to to convey emotion, to help bring a character to life. They, too, feel empty. As with any film that I watch, I’m never sure of the whole story behind the production of the film–and I can’t be entirely sure what the actors are capable of beyond The Horror, but this film paints them in a dark, dingey light.
There are inconsistencies in the dialogue as well, fluctuating between a common tongue and something almost Shakespearean. While there’s hope for the dialogue, hope that Kouroumalis could develop something accessible, that dialogue ultimately exists on two extreme ends of the spectrum. On one end of the spectrum is a dialogue that simply isn’t capable of expressing anything to viewers, and at the other end is a dialogue that is far too complex. That’s not to say that viewers aren’t capable of understanding the more complex dialogue, but rather that it isn’t compatible with the rest of the film. The Horror can’t find balance anywhere, and the dialogue is the strongest example of this.
I was warned ahead of time that The Horror may not appeal to me–and I tried to prepare myself for that possibility. The reality is, however, that I believe that The Horror will struggle to find an audience. Sure, there are people out there who will appreciate, even enjoy this film–but it’s not for me. There are glaring issues present throughout the course of the film that can’t be overlooked, and I feel as if The Horror is incapable of finding success as a result of its shortcomings.
Written & Directed by Apostoly Peter Kouroumalis.
Starring Camille Clement, Toly A.K., Saul Delago, Michael Aronovitch, Katy Stephenson, etc.
2/10 = AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS
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