The Eves and Praying Not to be the First One Killed: A Movie Review

*full disclosure: a screener of this film was provided by Gravitas Ventures.

**here be some minor spoilers.

Director: Tyler Godt.

Writers: Tyler Godt and Matthew Albrecht.

The Eves is a hybrid of the horror film mixed with the thriller. This is also a film from Conation, whose other title Buck Wild has not been released yet. The Eves moved to DVD August 23rd through Osiris Entertainment, with Gravitas Ventures hosting the video-on-demand launch this month. Check your Netflix queue if you like a little mystery with your healthy serving of blood and T & A. Conation uses these horror conventions throughout the first half of the film; however, the tension improves in the second half, when a killer stalks this group of friends. All they want is some fun in the sun during Spring Break, but they find a farm full of bodies instead.

Many of the corpses have the words "delivered" etched on their foreheads. As well, there are overarching Christian themes introduced at a hunting lodge and a dilapitated church. You know in horror religion is going to be used for all types of evil and The Eves does not disappoint. Drinking games, romps in the barn and jokes quickly transition into all sorts of evil doings including being thrown into large grave sites, eye gougings, and betrayals. It is so hard sometimes just to have a good time! Some of that enjoyment is still here, especially when characters turn out to be someone and something entirely different.

The pretense begins with an overheated engine and a short meeting with the sheriff. Soon, the trap is being set, with more of the cast on the side of villainy than you might think. The pretense continues with awkward romps into the forest or into the barn and the ease of sexuality is one of the sticking points for some of the male characters. You would think after fourty years of feminism and postmodern feminism that women would be free to drop their kit at the drop of a dime and not have to worry about it. However, Jesus still has some issues with loose morals, at least in the film anyways. So the sinners have to be punished, which the title hints at. But, some are not willing to go down without a fight.

There are several sublplots here that involve certain rivalries. There are rivalries between the women and who they will date. There are rivalries between brothers over the teachings of God and there is a competition between who can spout the best, most accurate bible verse. Therefore, much of the last third of the film is devoted to hashing these rivalries out in bloody fashion. The final rivalry will be kept in the dark, as the final scene is too good to give away. Suffice it to say, several characters get their just desserts while even more of the undeserving find a sharp knife or a solid bludgeoning.

Also, the rivalries are what is moving the film along, but with so much conflict there almost seems to be a lack of unity in the script. Whose side are you going to pull for: the screaming women, the backstabbing brothers, or the Bible spouting Paul? This reviewer was happy to watch many of them simply die, as fourty five minutes of screaming was starting to get on this critic's nerves.

Overall this is a well produced indie film from a small production company based in Austin, Texas and Los Angeles, California. Now available in various formats, horror and thrillers fans should ignore this reviewer's minor complaints to pick up a somewhat conventional horror story, which does its best to create tension through mysterious motivations. The film achieves its goals of offering an entertaining time and you should give this disc a spin on a dark and stormy night. Thanks Edward Bulwer-Lytton and thanks to Tyler Godt for creating an excellent film.

Writing/plot/story: 7 out of 10 (Godt sets up a nice double twist, but the second one can be seen a mile away).
Motivations/realism: 7.5 out of 10 (they are just some kids who want to party, the acting is suitable to the material).

Overall: 7.25 out of 10 (enjoyable, some tropes early, good mystery, some tension).

*now available on Comcast, Verizon, Charter, Time Warner Cable and many more platforms.

**disclaimer: the use of advertising in reviews does not bias the review itself. The goal of reviews on 28DLA is honesty first, discussion second and profit last.

The Eves at Osiris Entertainment:

The Eve's DVD Details at Osiris

The Eve's Homepage:

The Eve's Official Website with Trailer

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Posted in: 2011,2011 release,dvd artwork,farmhouse,gravitas ventures,horror movie review,movie poster,movie review,revenge horror movie review,sinners and saints