DVD Review: SPIKE (2008)

-------------Review by contributing writer Scott Baker------------------
 

SPIKE
Written and Directed by:  Robert Beaucage
Distributed by:  Maverick Entertainment

SPIKE is one of those movies that slips through the cracks of classification. I thought it to be horror initially but found out very quickly that it is not. It’s not technically a thriller, either. As the credits rolled, I actually had to sit for a minute and think about how it would be classified. In the end, I decided to label it as a suspenseful romantic-tragedy.

 

Here is the plot synopsis for SPIKE, courtesy of Maverick Entertainment:

 

After skidding off the road in the dead of night, four friends find themselves lost in the forest and tangled in a twisted love story. As they are each picked off one by one by a bizarre beast it becomes clear that none of them will make it out of this forest alive; unless the one the monster so desires is left behind. Will they stick together and find their way out of the grips of this love sick monster or will they turn on each other and perish in this dark fairytale?

 

What initially drew me to SPIKE is the creature art on the cover of the DVD case. All you see is a humanoid figure covered in black spikes. I was like “Wow, I LOVE creature-features and monster flicks almost as much as I love zombies! This movie is gonna rock!” Interestingly, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

 

But even though the film didn’t knock my proverbial socks off in a horror-related way, it’s actually not bad...as long as you’re not expecting to be scared. SPIKE is a thoughtful, well-acted reprisal of the Beauty and the Beast legend, but with a modern and weird twist to it.

Set in a single night in the forest, SPIKE tells the story of an obsessive teenager who bears a unique deformity: his entire body is covered with dangerous quills. He is obsessed with a girl he befriended as a child and eventually fell in love with. When a chance accident on the road leaves said girl stranded in the woods, the teen oddity hopes he can show her his love and maybe kindle that same spark inside of her. Unfortunately for him, the girl’s boyfriend is with her and events do not unfold as he had planned.

 

Most everything with SPIKE is well done. The acting is excellent with Edward Gusts giving an outstanding performance as the deformed teen. The special effects are truly note-worthy as well. I’m not sure how the production team made the quills that covered the creature’s body, but they are very believable and don’t waver when he moves (much like you would expect cheap spikes to do). Also, the cinematography is great as well.

 

My sole complaint about the film is that the lighting could have been much better. Many of the scenes are so dark that it’s hard to make details out, specifically in relation to what’s going on. I found myself backtracking every now and then to make sure I hadn’t missed something. But, otherwise, most everything else is great.

 

I would recommend this film to anyone looking to escape from the everyday chick-flick romance, or anyone that is looking for the lighter side of obsession. While not normally my genre, I still found myself entertained. Check this one out if you need a break from horror.

 

 

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website

 

 

CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Maverick Entertainment