Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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37 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A horror film that has its moments., April 7, 2007
"Penny Dreadful" is one of the 8 After Dark Horrorfest films that saw theatrical release over the course of one weekend in 2006. I considered going to the movies to see a few of the films but figured the DVD's would probably cost me less than the fare of a movie ticket (I was right based on the sale price the week they were released). Besides, I can deal with disappointment watching a bad movie on disc than seeing one in the movies.
I'm a big fan of horror movies and can be pretty lenient in my opinion of them as long as they aren't a complete disaster. (See my review of "The Beast of Bray Road"The Beast Of Bray Roadfor an example of complete disaster. "Penny Dreadful" falls somewhere in the half way point.
The film focuses on Penny Deerborn (Rachel Miner) who is terrified of automobiles after a tragic accident when she was young took the lives of her parents. Penny is embarking upon a road trip with Dr. Orianna Volkes (Mimi Rogers), a psychiatrist trying to help rid Penny of her amaxophobia. During the trip, the two cross paths with a hitchhiker. This, of course, is the point in all horror films when everything goes to hell.
I'll start by saying that the hitchhiker is a very creepy character and there are scenes of great tension in the movie. I enjoyed the idea of the car, a source of terror for the character, having to serve as a refuge. The biggest flaw with the film is it's too long (92 minutes). Instead of being released as a feature film it should have been part of Showtime's "Masters of Horror" series. There are a few side characters introduced in the film who serve no real function but to be potential victims. They could have been cut from the film without even being missed.
I also thought the movie ended a bit suddenly. I don't need movies to be wrapped up nicely in a little bow but a person wants some sense of closure. There may be a possibility the director wants to do a sequel in the future but I wish film makers didn't approach every topic to be serialized. The director captures some great moments of tension and Rachel Miner is believable depicting her character's phobia.
All in all, I wasn't sorry picking up the DVD but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. The film would probably work better as a rental and I suggest viewing it alone late at night to heighten the mood.
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18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This Year's Blair Witch?, April 4, 2007
Though this film is not as scary as the original "Blair Witch Project," it is somewhat similar in terms of the premise. It is set exclusively in the deep woods, thus sparking the comparisons. Basically the story is about a young woman haunted by a tragic car accident from her youth, who winds up trapped in a car by a deranged psychopath. The young woman must overcome her fears and fight against the killer's "games" in order to survive. Rachel Miner is an underrated actress, and her skills are utilized well here; she carries the film for the most part. This is her second notable performance in a very dramatic and demanding role ("Bully" was her best performance), so by casting a quality lead actress it adds to the film greatly. The plot and suspense is not quite on par with, say, Steven King's work, nor is it as tense throughout as "Blair Witch." Nevertheless, Miner's performance provides a dynamic that most horror flicks lack - a female lead with strength and survival instincts that can actually be taken seriously. I rented this based on Rachel Miner's performance in "Bully," and I was not disappointed.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A SUBTLE, SATISFYING HORROR, September 13, 2007
One of the things I've really enjoyed so far about the After Dark Horrorfest films is their refreshing take on popular horror concepts. Penny Dreadful provides a fresh take on slasher films. In fact, I rather hate calling it a slasher but that's ultimately where it will be lumped. What Penny Dreadful really is, is a psychological horror and a powerful one at that. Not for those who are claustrophobic for sure!
The film stars Rachel Miner, best known for her riveting performance in "Bully" as Penny Deerborn, a young woman whose deep rooted fears have virtually handicapped her life after she was traumatized by an auto accident which killed both of her parents. Penny's fears seem to be many but start with a fear of cars. She is traveling with her Psychologist Orianna (played by Mimi Rogers) to the scene of the accident to confront her fears.
Along the way they hit a person hitchhiking along a dark stretch of road. Seeing that the person is ok, they offer the mysterious hitchhiker a ride to a nearby campground (ha ha ha) and by now the silent passenger has even creeped out the Doctor and she's anxious to be rid of their rider as soon as possible. You can probably guess the hitchhiker turns out to be a crazed killer but that might be the last thing that is stereotypical about Penny Dreadful. Unlike so many other recent horror slashers, Penny Dreadful doesn't seek to amaze viewers with creative new ways to kill, nor is it all that gory. Rather, this is a study in terror.
The killer eventually traps Penny in the car, wedging it between two large trees so she cannot open the doors. The bulk of the picture is spent within the dark, frigid confines of the car as the killer merely toys with Penny, making her witness to several murders, and delighting in her fear and helplessness. With so much of the film taking place in one static location, it does tend to slow things down quite a bit and those who crave action and a high body count may be disappointed.
But it is this fact that sets Penny Dreadful apart from other recent films such as the under whelming remake of Black Christmas. There are seemingly no connections here between killer and victim. No acts of revenge for what happened to the killer as a little kid. No misguided, moralistic reasons for killing like in the "Saw" film series. In fact, this is truly more terrifying because the psycho in Penny Dreadful is the very definition of a random killer.
Perhaps not for everyone's tasted but a solid, subtle horror-thriller, deftly directed by Richard Brandes. Look for horror icon Michael Berryman in a cameo role.
REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON
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