In a relentless spiral of terror and violence, Claire Parker, a classic girl-next-door who supports her studies by working nights at a gas station, relives her own death on a daily basis after being killed by a deranged man she met in a rather strange situation. Is this harmless but oh-so-damn-realistic nightmares or a sudden whim of the three Fates who are playing more than usual with the thread of a young life?
Appearing for the first time in the 2006 edition of the Sundance Film Festival, a kermesse where independent works go in search of some visibility, even better if sealed by some recognition awards, Gruesome (also known as Salvage), fortunately for all horror fans has managed to arouse a fair amount of interest among distribution houses and, after a good 3 years since its release, it finally arrives on our shelves thanks to One movie. Lucky because this time it is not the case where we hide behind the weak justification of modest capital employed to grossly cover up an obvious lack of ideas and creativity. It's easy to think about how often a film's cinematography creates that general sense of low quality that in some cases even makes one desist from viewing. Without wanting to generalize too much, neglecting this important visual factor is tantamount to scoring a resounding own goal by making a product that might indeed hold some surprises less appealing.
At this point it seems clear that the Crook brothers' work has taken this aesthetic "detail" into serious consideration, and the end result is fascinating thanks to the opacity that has invested the entire range of colors used, all tending toward a general blue-gray impression. Probably this particular style will not be sent down by those who are accustomed to the decidedly unartistic binges coming from the current wave of American makeovers, visually too clean and perfectionist to arouse any kind of emotion. While generating a kind of peace and tranquility, the use of these chromatics do not keep too thinly veiled the sadness that hovers in the beautiful postcard-perfect suburbs chosen as the background landscape.
All these features denote a definite departure from overused directorial approaches and make the film difficult to pin down to a precise year of production, almost suspended in time. It is a plus value that adds to the desire to bring back that sense of simplicity and lightness typical of the 1980s productions that crowded channel schedules in late night. It is no coincidence that Gruesome could be described as a melancholy dip into the past, destined to fuel the night terrors of future insomniac youth.
On the narrative level, the film presents an interesting dreamlike interlocking structure that gradually and sparingly disseminates clues capable of worthily preserving the impact of the final revelation, a surprise finally worthy of the name.
The plot might evoke a horror version of "Groundhog Day," but the unfolding is freer and less linear than one might think.
On the other hand, special praise is due to the care that has been taken in the special effects department, which are small in number but effective in raising the overall quality level of the visual rendering.
Limpid and sincere performances by the main protagonists among whom Chris Ferry's stands out, adept at stealing the show and bringing to life the realistic and intimidating figure of Duke Ellington, a typical murderous madman with mythical connotations, a born disturber of the dreams and hopes of young victims.
The only demerit goes to the Italian dubbing, which is decidedly underwhelming and indicative of an "industrial chain" treatment that manifests itself in the choice of voices inadequate to give the right pathos to the various characters.
Rather misleading, on the other hand, appear both the title and the poster, which easily mislead one into thinking that this is yet another exponent of the "torture" category, a move this somewhat bold but never so despicable when placed in the penalizing market perspective.
Gruesome is destined, with the obligatory benefit of the doubt, to remain an isolated case since the two directors failed to match the same artistic levels in the subsequent "Rise of the Dead," although their role was limited to writing the screenplay.
Review by Cerberus
