Rob Zombie is about as polarizing of a figure as they come, especially when it comes to his efforts in the horror industry. Personally, I find him a mixed bag of ideas. I didn't downright his efforts in the Halloween franchise, and I actually did enjoy his Devil's Rejects film. I was excited for 31. As a matter of fact, it was one of my most anticipated horror films of the year. The concept alone was enough to entice me. Something about survival-like games are something I've always found interesting (the success of Saw and Purge indicate I am not alone in this). Which is why I am saddened to say that 31 squanders all of its potential by adding up to a less-than-satisfactory feature film.
As a director, Zombie has always been rough-around-the-edges and scruffy when it comes to certain things, things like his absolute infatuation with violence or profanity, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but he always struggles with excess and an inability at using these things to the narrative's benefit. In 31, the first thirty minutes of the film is just about all throwaway drivel, with unlikable characters being unlikable characters, reduced to snarling archetypes rather than legitimate personalities. And, when the interesting stuff finally comes, none of it really amounts to much. None of the antagonist are what I'd call worthwhile, with every one of them doing something to take away anything menacing about them.
In the end, 31 left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I don't think it'd be fair to call it a horrible film, I enjoyed some of the camera-work, for instance, but as a whole, I'd call it a mediocre affair. Abysmal characters and little of the “good stuff” to save it, 31 might be my biggest letdown of the year.
Rating: 1.7 out of 5.0
As a director, Zombie has always been rough-around-the-edges and scruffy when it comes to certain things, things like his absolute infatuation with violence or profanity, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but he always struggles with excess and an inability at using these things to the narrative's benefit. In 31, the first thirty minutes of the film is just about all throwaway drivel, with unlikable characters being unlikable characters, reduced to snarling archetypes rather than legitimate personalities. And, when the interesting stuff finally comes, none of it really amounts to much. None of the antagonist are what I'd call worthwhile, with every one of them doing something to take away anything menacing about them.
In the end, 31 left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I don't think it'd be fair to call it a horrible film, I enjoyed some of the camera-work, for instance, but as a whole, I'd call it a mediocre affair. Abysmal characters and little of the “good stuff” to save it, 31 might be my biggest letdown of the year.
Rating: 1.7 out of 5.0