Blu-ray Review: A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE (2010)

 
A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE
Directed by:  Adam Wingard
Distributed by:  Anchor Bay Entertainment

I am a huge fan on true crime....I love any book or movie about serial killers, especially those based on real killers, whether it be a true documentary about the killer, or a fictional film just loosely based on a real killer.     A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE was not based on a real killer, but it certainly could have been...it feels real anyway.   The filmmakers have done a wonderful job crafting a very suspenseful and eerie serial killer film.  
Here is the basic plot from the Anchor Bay website:

Forget everything you’ve ever seen in a serial killer movie and get ready for the chiller that stunned festival audiences around the world: Notorious murderer Garrick Turrell (AJ Bowen of HOUSE OF THE DEVIL and HATCHET II) has escaped from police custody and resumed his killing spree. His former girlfriend Sarah (Amy Seimetz of ALEXANDER THE LAST) is a recovering alcoholic trying to put her life back together in a new town with a new man (Joe Swanberg of NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS). Her past continues to haunt her. And now her ex-boyfriend is leaving a trail of slaughter in his hunt to find her. From Adam Wingard, the director of the award-winning film POP SKULL and screenwriter Simon Barrett (DEAD BIRDS) comes the movie experience that is emotionally raw, disturbingly graphic and brutally real. Prepare yourself for A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE.                    

 The acting in this film is remarkable.  Every role is played in a very believable way by a cast of mainly unknown  (or at least non-recognizable) actors.    Amy Seimetz plays the main character of Sarah, and does a remarkable job.  Her pain is very believable, especially in the end sequence.
I can't say too much about this film, because there is a huge twist at the end that I defiantly don't want to give away.  I want it to effect you the same way it did me!

 From a technical aspect, the film is shot very well, it is a super crisp picture, especially on the Blu-ray I assume.   I did have a small problem with the style it was shot in, though. There were times were the film would go out of focus or the camera would shake pretty bad.  Now I realize all this was done on purpose, but it was almost like the filmmakers were trying too hard to make their film very stylized and almost "artsy".  That is a small complaint though, overall the film looks really good.

 One thing I would warn is not to go into this expecting a slasher type film.  There are only a few scenes of "blood and gore", but those few scenes are done remarkably well.  This a much more of a intellectual horror film than a just a all out gore fest.   This could actually be scene as a very dark drama with horror aspects than a true horror film.  The film can be a bit slow at times, but all that time is used really developing the characters and letting you get to know them....or at least make you think you know them!  Again, this is where the great twist ending comes into play, but I obviously won't say anything more about that!

Check this one out for sure.  Special features include the following:

*  Audio Commentary with Director/Editor Adam Wingard and Writer/Producer Simon Barrett
*  Behind the Scenes of A HORRIBLE WAY TOT DIE


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray