Sunday, April 17, 2011
Michael Allen
Tagline: "A new meaning to blood relatives."
Image Entertainment dropped Robert O'Hara's The Inheritance on DVD and Blu-Ray April 12th and the film is one of only a few which features an almost all African American cast. Rusty Cundieff came out with Tales from the Hoodrel="nofollow" in 1991 and Snoop Dog produced Bones in 2001, but overall there have been few horror films with primarily African American actors. That is until now. Robert O'Hara has brought together an excellent cast for this film, including: Keith David (Platoon), Rochelle Aytes (Trick 'r Treat), Golden Brooks and many others. The film is a blend of supernatural mythos and slavery inspired superstition and the film works, except for a cut-off ending.
In the film, the cliche of the African American dying first in horror is reversed. Instead, two Caucasian characters wind up offed before anyone else, with few lines offered by these two before being dismantled. Also, all the acting from those mentioned above is well done and only near the finale does melodrama show its evil head. Through and through, The Inheritance shows quality, while a 19th Century theme of slavery comes back to haunt a group of greedy cousins.
These cousins have assembled in hopes of receiving a generous reward. Little do they know that their Uncles and Aunts will soon offer them up as blood sacrifices, instead. You see, Chakabazz has provided untold riches and prosperity for Uncle Grady (Andre De Shields) and Aunt Bee (Novella Nelson). However, Chakabazz is more devil than philanthropist and he needs blood sacrifices and demon babies, before he will bestow his financial gifts. Thus, the cousins inherit blood rites instead of wealth and their next stop is the sacrificial altar. Enslaved to Chakabazz's bloody demands, these cousins will have to fight both their checkered past and Chakabazz's disciples to have any chance at a future.
The premise might sound a little better than the film actually is. Unfortunately, too much time is spent in night shoots, with poor lighting. As well, the finale comes much like a brick wall, rather than a rousing final act. O'Hara, in his first feature film, makes the amateur mistake of not using enough outdoor lighting, so that facial features and even characters cannot be seen. The result is confusion. Also, the cousins do not put up much of a fight, against their older blood-thirsty ancestors. Too much time is spent running from people twice their age, as the sacrificees constantly run in circles. Near the end, this reviewer did not know who to root for and he found himself repeating the cultish chants: "come Chakabazz, come!" This is probably not the effect O'Hara was looking for.
Minus the conclusion and some dark lighting, The Inheritance is a mostly tense time spent exploring the supernatural and the long dark past of 19th Century slavery. Not meant to be serious, director O'Hara shows a flare for creating an interesting atmosphere, where few escape and even fewer can forget lines like: "the flesh is the strength," the blood is the life," and "don't forget me, for I will not forget you!" (Inheritance). If you see the film, then repeat these lines too for a ghostly visit from Chakabazz!
Overall: 7.5 out of 10 (some problems seeing the cinematography, the aforementioned ending is a cut, rather than a transition, good acting, interesting premise, and some good slavery/anti-slavery mythos).
The Inheritance reviewed at DVD Talk, by Ian Jane:
The Inheritance at DVD Talk
The film's fan page:
The Inheritance on Facebook
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Posted in: cult,demon baby,image entertainment,keith david,movie review,mythos,pagan worship,robert o'hara,sacrifice,slavery,supernatural,the inheritance
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