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10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Oh the humanity!, December 5, 2004
HYPOCRISY ALERT! HYPOCRISY ALERT! I just wanted to get that out of the way right at the start. Not more than twenty-four hours ago I wrote a review waxing philosophic on the state of the modern horror film. I argued that fans shouldn't viciously tear apart every movie they find objectionable because the current spate of horror films is better than no horror films at all. In other words, we should accept the bad with the good rather than stop renting and thus face a potential drought of horror movies. Now that I have gotten that out of the way, I shall proceed to trash "Adam & Evil." I didn't set out to heap scorn on this film when I popped it in the DVD player a few weeks ago, although a cursory glance at the cover art sent a chill of disappointment through my body and I felt my heart sinking. In fact, nothing screams "straight to video" more loudly than a film entitled "Adam & Evil." Well, perhaps something like "Adam & the Bollweevil," or even "Adam & Evil Knievel" might rank as likelier candidates, but you get the idea. "Adam & Evil" does not inspire confidence that I'm about to watch a slasher film on par with Carpenter's "Halloween."
Right from the start of the film we learn the filmmakers have cast us into the ninth circle of clichéd slasher film hell. The movie introduces us to the typical bunch of young airheads getting ready to embark on a camping trip out in the sticks. There is Seth (Kevin Robson), the goofy virgin who tries too hard with the ladies but hopes that the trip will finally cure him of his unwanted condition. Then there is the snotty and narcissistic brunette Yvonne (Erica Cerra). Next up is a staple of every poorly made horror film, the ever important "loud guy" Matt (Brody Harms). Along for the ride are Evelyn (Barbara Kottmeier), Adam himself (Sean Arnfinson), Adam's girlfriend Yvette (Lynsey Brothers), and a few other kids. I am willing to bet that as you look at this list you will notice the Eve connotation in the three girls' names, and that Seth is also a name pulled straight out of the Old Testament. Where Matt comes in is a mystery unless we look to the New Testament. Something tells me the Matthew responsible for the gospel didn't go around announcing to everyone who would listen that he wanted to be known as "Matt." Call it a gut feeling.
Anyway, these dolts head out to the forest for a few fun filled days of gossip, drinking, and romping around in the water. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? See those bright objects moving in your peripheral vision? They're called red flags. Things get a little tense when they stop off at a local bar populated with the usual Hollywood redneck stereotypes in order to ask some questions only to discover that the locals, with the exception of the busty wife of the local sheriff, aren't interested in helping out. Too, a creepy park custodian stumbles into the campground and gives everyone a scare before scurrying back into the forest. If you think we'll see him again before the credits roll, that's one bet I won't take. I should also mention a couple of other potential stresses facing the group. Adam and his friend Matt did something quite idiotic a few years before--namely setting a house ablaze with fireworks that claimed the lives of the family living there--that continues to haunt them to this day. Too, one of the gals worries about a stalker boyfriend she recently broke up with. Both of these scenarios serve to provide us with potential red herrings in order to make the film more suspenseful. I laugh defiantly at such nonsense.
I won't spoil the ending for you, but I will take a few seconds to describe the incredibly banal lead up to the "twist" ending. For a slasher film, "Adam & Evil" is downright puritanical with the red stuff. I felt like a bizarro Clara Peller hollering, "Where's the gore?" every time a killing went down. Seth, for example, perishes in his tent in a particularly bloodless, off camera fashion. A couple of the other kids meet their maker when they run into the killer while floating around on a raft in a pond, again a rather bloodless affair. The presence of a bow and arrows and a shed full of sharp instruments promised great things--a promise unfulfilled, unfortunately. "Adam & Evil" is one of the tamest slashers I have ever seen. What did they do, turn the script over to the Hayes Commission before shooting scenes? Note to aspiring filmmakers: if you're going to make a low budget slasher film that will never see a theatrical release, go over the top with the sauce. At least then you've got a shot at making a cult classic. And another thing: make sure you pick people with a modicum of acting skills instead of the mannequins posing as living beings in this film. Sure, you'll have to shell out a few more bucks, but it's worth it. Remember, unless I'm laughing so hard at the bad acting that the film achieves the coveted "so bad it's good" label, ham handed performances can only hurt you.
Surprisingly, the DVD comes with a commentary track. Not that you'll want to listen to it, but there it is. We also get a few trailers for three other schlock films: "Contagion," "Hallow's End," and "Asylum Days." Forget about picking up a copy of "Adam & Evil." It's not the sort of film a hardcore horror fan wants friends to see prominently displayed on the movie shelf. There are plenty of other worthier slashers out there that demand your attention.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
I Agree With Jeffrey, January 12, 2006
I watched Adam & Evil this morning on cable and was extremely disappointed. When I read the description and the year it was made (2004), I had to set a reminder.
I should have known a harbinger of things to come was when it noted brief nudity. Not to watch strictly for a bevy of beautiful girls but it is an important element to a horror slasher flick.
The movie starts out promising with a cast of your typical high school sweethearts. The excitement of celebrating high school graduation at a secluded lake to party and satisy their carnal lust.
It rapidly goes downhill from there. The movie was styled like Friday the 13th that I kept waiting for Jason Vorhees (or his Mother) to pop out of the woods.
As Jeffrey noted and I totally concur, if you are going to make a horror movie such as this one with the same story line done over a million times, do something original. You better have a ton of serious and creative splatter, beautiful naked "teens" running from a killer, etc. This movie had none of it.
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
High Quality Unheralded Slash Horror, October 2, 2004
While not quite reaching the status of the all-time greats of the slash horror subgenre like the best of the Halloweens or Friday The 13ths, "Adam & Evil" is a quality job, actually far Superior to a few of the lesser entries in the big name franchises. Taking the familiar theme of a group of high school/college-age kids heading out to the forest where an unseen lurker has access to a variety of sharp bladed instruments, it mines this territory well. There are certain themes in every genre that rightly never go out of style - in horror it's this, the haunted house, the dark secret in the past several people have conspired to keep buried (actually that one plays a role in "Adam & Evil" too) and a couple of others; in comedy it's the 'mistaken identity', the 'mismatched pair forced to team up' (either as unlikely lovebirds or not-so-buddy cops or whatever); in action it's the high-speed car chase and the climatic slug-out between battered-down but ticked-off good guy and dastardly villain; and so on. All these 'themes' have one thing in common: when done poorly they come off as trite, dreadfully repetitious and ripoff-ish, and irritatingly mindless; when done right it's amazing how many successful variations on a theme can be spun out given some ingenuity and effort. "Adam & Evil" does its familiar themes right, and even manages a few surprises.
Suspenseful, sexy, genuinely witty (NOT a spoof), and very well produced, this movie manages to be both fresh and unpredictable, and carves a solid little niche for itself in its corner of horror moviedom. Very recommended.
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