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CRUEL WORLD (????)
Director: Kelsey T. Howard. Hacktors: Edward Furlong, Jaime Pressly, Andrew Keegan, Aimee Garcia. Rating/5: 
The lowdown: It's only a matter of time before reality TV hits a big bump, when contestants either kill themselves or each other. Cruel World takes that idea and runs with it, casting Terminator 2's Edward Furlong (in his first role since 2000's jail drama Animal Factory) as Phillip Markham, a psycho who doesn't take too kindly to being spurned on an Average Joe-style reality show. Markham wants to turn the tables and become the puppet-master. He will make them dance, oh yes! Good points: While the idea of a reality TV-themed slasher may have the more seasoned readers stifling yawns (it's already been done, after all, most notably by Battle Royale and the brilliant My Little Eye. But there's something quirkily unique about Cruel World which I really enjoyed. For one thing, with its eye-candy cast and popular concept, Cruel World could so easily have gone down the candy-coated, MTV-friendly, PG-13 route. It doesn't: it's hard-edged, it's often pretty sick and it makes you feel unsure about how to react. It's often hilarious, but generally at the expense of reality show contestants who are genuinely dying, one by one. We're put in the position of laughing (if we so choose) along with Markham as he gets his bloody revenge. While the whole thing doesn't quite qualify as a gorefest, there are definitely some nasty moments, including one of the best decapitations I've seen in a while: it's not bloody, but the way the body hits the ground is a popcorn-dropper. Cruel World's structure is one of the best things about it. Without giving anything away, it hits the ground running, delivering in the first 15 minutes what most slasher flicks save until the end. From then on, you're never entirely sure which card the movie is going to play next. In this day and age, it's one hell of an achievement. Furlong is excellent as the lead maniac, having a ball as he orchestrates the mayhem. The actors playing contestants are also strong: Aimee Garcia especially impresses as hot Latino chick Gina, as does Nicole Bilderback as Mikko, who gets an amusing Kill Bill-esque fight scene, which even tips its hat to Tarantino's movie(s) with a soundtrack flourish. Bad points: Come the final five minutes, you'd swear that both writer and director have been replaced by gibbering loons. The last two scenes really feel as though they've been sewn on at the last minute and shot in a couple of hours, making little sense. Thankfully, they play like alternate endings on a DVD and don't detract from the fun experience you've had throughout the flick. Cruel World is also a little rough around the edges in places, editing-wise. While I rather like the quirkiness this lends it, there are moments which are rendered unclear. The second time that a pair of suspicious local cops visit the house, for instance, you've no idea why they've turned up, exactly where they've turned up or what they think Markham's doing. No big deal, but the flick is a tad strange at times. Overall: A fun, unpredictable ride, Cruel World definitely doesn't take itself at all seriously, while delivering a nice comment on how seemingly regular people are willing to put themselves through hell, in order to secure those 15 minutes of fame. Release Date: Cruel World has yet to secure distribution. Oh, but it will, it will... [Home] © Copyright Slasherama 2002-present |