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DVD Review


DVD cover

Necromentia

 

Starring: Layton Matthews, Chad Grimes and Santiago Craig
G2 Pictures
RRP: £12.99
MP956D
Certificate: 18
Available 05 October 2009


Hagen’s wife once made him a promise that should she die she will find a way to come back. As the film begins, he has been caring for his dead wife’s degrading body for a number of days, waiting for her to return to it. He is approached by two violent men, one of whom is Travis. The man claims he has the key which can open a door into hell, where he claims all the dead arrive. It is a chance for Hagen to bring his wife back. However, Travis restrains Hagen and carves a large and intricate Ouija-like symbol deep into the skin of his back. Before he knows it Hagen finds himself in a hell unlike anything he imagined. Here he is confronted by the sinister Mr Skinny, and learns that he is simply a pawn in an uneasy bargain between Travis and the denizens of hell...

To say that Necromentia is all over the place would be a monumental understatement. Many films in recent years have experimented with a non-linear structure. Ju-on: The Grudge is a prime example; but that works because it tells the same story from different points of view, without covering the same ground, and progresses the story and ups the ante with each scene.

After giving this plot some thought I’ve come to the conclusion that the reason it is pieced together out of sequence is that if told in a straightforward manner it would be too tedious for words. The film does have some redeeming points, however. I like that fact that there is no hero; each character schemes for his/her own selfishness. In fact, if you find yourself siding with anyone it’s likely to be Travis. In addition, I’d like to think that there’s an underlying moral message present which says hell is what you make it, but it’s more likely that the budget restrictions prevented a more elaborate environment.

The director has to be given some credit for editing and rearranging what might have been a very ordinary film into something slightly more intriguing.

4

Ty Power

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