HCF Review - Furious Vengeance

RAGING FIRE (2021)

There are a lot of crime dramas in the annals of world cinema. Most of the expected tropes have been worn out long ago, but that’s okay. There’s always room for one more, and in this case it marks Benny Chan’s final directorial effort. Drawing from his own work in the likes of New Police Story and Michael Mann’s Heat, this is a moody and stylish affair. The whole thing is painted with amber night-time lights and harsh electronic screens. There are some blistering action sequences along the way for good measure. Is this a story with any depth beyond all this window dressing? Is it more than a well-lit melodrama? Not really. But fans of the lead actor, and the selection of familiar genre staples included here, will want to take a look regardless. So let’s take a closer look at this latest thriller, and enter yet another world full of grey morality and cruel injustices.

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Horror Bites - Crushing Depths

UNDERWATER (2020)

Did you ever see Ridley Scott's 1979 film Alien? He asked knowingly. There are lot of copycat movies out there, while many more take inspiration from it's look and feel. From Outworld to Contamination and everything in between, there are homages and there are outright copies. Some are weird Italian features with bizarre dubbing. The key to making any of these work is of course bringing something new to the table. Even Luigi Cozzi knew that he needed some crazy monster egg effects to make a memorable creature feature. The films in question just have to be engaging, and it's something that I'm not sure this latest entry to to the sub-genre manages to pull off.

Horror Bites - Grave Consequences

THE BODYSNATCHER (1945)

If there was ever a film that showed the employment fates of Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, then this is it. After playing stumbling horror creatures Karloff was now afforded far more verbose characters to work with. There's plenty of variety and screen presence in this period. Producer Val Lewton wasn't sure about the casting in this case, but was quickly persuaded by the actor's charm. Lugosi on the other hand looks unwell and is given a minor role. Their places have changed since the likes of Son of Frankenstein. This is their last film together, and the cruel events on screen may mirror reality in some ways. But it is still a very entertaining film worth talking about for other reasons.

Scorecard

DECEMBER

FILM OF THE MONTH: The Adventures of Robin Hood ☆☆☆☆