Frightfest 2010 Review 1: Isle Of Dogs

For those who don't know, Frightfest is a huge horror film festival in London which shows off the latest horror films resulting in the majority of the screenings being world premiers, or at least UK premiers. So, the next few posts will be reviews of all the films I saw and whether you should, in my opinion, both checking them out when they (if they) receive a wider release.

The first film I actually saw there this year was Tobe Hooper's original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre from 1974. There's no point reviewing that as everyone knows that it is a masterpiece of horror cinema and to see it on the biggest screen in England was nothing short of spectacular. It was followed by a long Q & A with Hooper, discussing this film in particular but also his occasionally successful career.If you would like to see this, check it out on YouTube here. That video has clearly been edited, Mr. Hooper looked very awkward, nervous and shy on stage. Oh and did I mention I also got an original pre-cert VHS of this film signed by the man himself? No? Well I did. Awesome or what?!

Anyways, let's get to the review of the World Premier of Isle Of Dogs. Directed by Tammi Sutton who's directorial credits include a killer clown film that often appears in the Poundshop (!) Killjoy 2: Deliverance From Evil (2002) and Sutures (2009) a film I had not even heard of before I wasn't too sure about this film. But I went along anyway.

What the hell is it about?
Well according to the FrightFest booklet;

It's a dog eat dog world. So take a deeper plunge into the darker side of human behaviour with an intense portrayal of sex, murder and betrayal. Darius is the gang boss from Hell, a deadly bastard and the last man you'd cross. But when he discovers his young Russian bride  Nadia is sleeping with Riley, he makes the small time hoodlum an offer he can't refuse. Kill or be killed. But murder is a very high stakes game - one with no rules. And as dawn rises on Darius' country estate, there will be seven bodies, with only one winner left standing. In the tradition of London To Brighton, an unflinching portrayal of what people will do to survive. Written by Sean Hogan (Little Deaths) and director Tammi Sutton (the upcoming Welcome To Graveland [what, no mention of killer clowns?!]), comes a barking Brit body count horror.

Was it any good?

No. It was terrible. Beyond terrible. In fact, I ended up laughing at just how bad the film was. I knew this film would be terrible from one of the earliest scenes involving a dog [SPOILER ALERT] in which a Labrador is shot by his unbearably annoying owner. Only problem is the dog was clearly very much alive and even started to wag its tail as the owner leans down to it's 'corpse'. Right. Now that's stupid. [SPOILER OVER]. The film centers around a highly irritating gang leader who is about as cliched as the 'lets split up' idea. Bald? Tick. Cockney accent? Tick. Swearing for the sake of swearing? Tick tick fucking tick you cunt. Racist? Tick. Misogynistic? Tick. The other characters are equally pathetic and one dimensional. The film feels as though it's even trying to blend genres...and failing or is confused as to what the hell it wants to be. It even attempts, hamfistedly, to throw in a bit of feminism towards the end, but turns out instead to be highly offensive to men (and women!).

I really would not recommend this movie to anyone, unless your after a film to laugh at. Sadly, it even manages to fail at that most of the time. Just a terrible film.

I'd give it a 3/10 and I'm being generous.