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HORROR POSSUM She speaks her mind, in five words or less. Her verdict on this film: "Shit accents, shit acting. Shit".

FOREST OF THE DAMNED (2005) Director: Johannes Roberts. Hacktors: Tom Savini, Nicole Petty, Shaun Hutson (in a cameo). Rating/5: The lowdown: This low-budget indie has been anticipated for a while, especially as it sees special effects legend Tom Savini taking on an acting role as a mad hermit named, uh, Stephen. Adhering to the classic kids-in-a-van scenario, the film pits our largely doomed teens against a posse of fallen angels, who seduce their victims before biting them to bits. Good points: The fallen angels look great - not only are their physiques a joy to behold, but their make-up looks darn intimidating, too. Director Roberts also knows his way around a camera, delivering some nice, expensive-looking shots. There's a reasonable amount of gore on display, including one scene which made me squirm, in which someone slits their wrist, in order to squeeze out of some handcuffs. Ugh. Hate that wrist stuff. German actor Dan Van Husen is a lot of fun as a Crazy Ralph-style doomsayer - you've gotta love those characters. Every film should have one. Ah, wait a minute: they do. Bad points: The acting is variable, to say the least. Nicole Petty does a good job, but the rest of her screen chums are played by people who are either trying too hard or aren't trying at all. The cast seem to be a British/American combination, but it was a mistake to feed the Brits with American-style dialogue. Tom Savini is okay as the mad hermit, but we never really learn his relevance to the plot, making his character feel winched into a pre-existing tale. Shaun Hutson's appearance, towards the end, is sadly cringeworthy, as the man is playing himself. Oh dear. Overall: Some great moments, let down by dodgy acting and some script problems. Just enjoy the sexy angels and you'll be fine. Release Date: Check out the film-makers' website for details. [Reviews Menu] [Home] © Copyright Slasherama 2002-present