Monday, January 23, 2017
Michael Allen
Director: Andrew C. Erin.
Writers: Andrew C. Erin, Daniel Farrands.
Cast: Julie Benz, Danielle Harris, Fionnula Flanagan, Jennifer Blanc-Biehn and Belle Shouse.
Havenhurst is a horror film from director Andrew C. Erin (Sam's Lake, 2006) and writer Daniel Farrands. The film also stars a few horror film veterans, including: Danielle Harris (Hatchet II, 2010), Julie Benz (Saw V, 2008) and Jennifer Blanc-Biehn. All of the cast and crew come together in a terrifying title, which brings serial killer H.H. Holmes back to life. The film asks: what if H.H. Holmes continued killing in modern times? The eviscerated corpses will answer this question. Meanwhile, the film's moral compass is a bit broken. Almost all of the characters are motivated by vice, while another is just incompetent. Still, Havenhurst invites you into a tenement, which is full of tricks and traps and you should pay the rental fee.
Writers Andrew C. Erin and Daniel Farrands have based their story's myth on the character H.H. Holmes. He lives on through some of the film's main characters. Holmes is another example of how killers are created, not born. Beaten by his father and tormented by his peers, Holmes would go onto murder untold numbers of people. His presence haunts the film. In one scene, protagonist Jackie (Benz) sees his picture in the lobby of her new apartment (a bit of foreshadowing). Later in the film, Jackie becomes suspicious of her landlords and she finds clippings of him, in a secret room. Holmes' blood still flows through some of his clan members and Jackie must fight them, or become just another victim. Holmes' infamy continues to live on in film.
Havenhurst is very much a horror film. Mystery is the film's secondary genre. The film begins with a double-murder. Harris' character is quickly dispatched by a hidden character. All sorts of traps lead to her death. And, this setting is everything but homey. In a later scene, a minor, drunk character is passed out and bloodied on his bed. But, his bad day has just started. A trap door, in his bedroom, leads to a torture scene, which will not be forgotten soon. An evisceration and a bloody acid facial create all sorts of uncomfortable moments. But, who is responsible for all of this murder and mayhem? Jackie slowly discovers that she has taken residence in a lost remnant of the Spanish inquisition. All passages lead to the torture chamber and the results are truly disturbing.
There is only a weak moral message in the film as most of the characters choose vice over virtue. Still, horror films are not meant to be a sermon, just entertainment. The protagonist Jackie should never be left alone, with children. She has already set one, small character alight, via negligence. But, she finds some redemption through the young girl, Sarah (Belle Shoushe). Late in the film, Jackie is still doing her best to save this child. Most of her efforts are in vain, though. There are even more amoral characters, to come. The landlord gives few of her residents a second chance. A snifter here or a bit of quick cash there and characters soon find themselves in the grinder, or worse - in the furnace. Minor characters suffer a lot in Havenhurst. And, few of the major characters even survive the film. Even fewer of the characters show any courage, or if they do - they come across as incompetent. Cops are often very unreliable in horror films; they continue their losing streak here. Thus, Havenhurst ends in tragedy, which is slightly unsatisfying, but to be expected in the horror genre.
This viewer enjoyed all of the visual terror within Havenhurst. The film offers all sorts of terrifying scenarios as one New York City apartment traps more and more characters. Actress Benz is a bit too soft spoken, for the role of protagonist. However, there is enough character in this old residence, for the entire film. The villains are plentiful, but heroism is sparse. So, with these two elements combined, almost all of the scenes lead to the rack. Once you are in the hidden basement, there is no way out. And, serial killer Holmes continues his killing spree, through his long lost brethren. You should not miss their misdeeds. Just don't expect a happy ending, with even the child characters showing corruption.
Overall: 7 out of 10.
A trailer for the film is available here: A Havenhurst Trailer on 28DLA
An alternate poster for the film: A Havenhurst Alternate Poster
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Posted in: 2017,horror,horror movie,horror movie review,independent,indie,moral message,morality,movie,movie review,preview,review,story
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