Dread: A Movie Review

DREAD: A Movie Review

Director: Anthony DiBlasi

Writers: Anthony DiBlasi

Clive Barker

Starring: Jackson Rathbone and Shaun Evans

IMDB: click here

First of all, if you've seen Jackson's previous horror movies (Pray for Morning and Hurt), don't be set on his manager's poor choice in material. Unlike his previous two movies, there is no confusion and plot development that takes away from the horror of the movie. In Pray For Morning, I was more horrified about the incomprehensible plot that the horror element was completely lost: Why was there a magician? Why was he randomly killing people? Wait, who died? OMG! Jackson! Connor, come back! Yeah...

Moving on.

Quick Overview of Characters (barely any spoilers, but there are a few):

Dread is a movie about a shy, loner-type aspiring filmmaker, Stephen Grace (Rathbone), who is looking for a thesis paper. After sitting in a mundane philosophy class, he meets the school's opinionated rebel, Quaid (Evans). Quaid delves into deepest darkest fears and quickly asks Stephen what horror has hit his life. He replies with nothing at first, but later it is revealed that his brother died in a car accident: he was drunk. Quaid pesters him, telling him that his fear is that of dying, but Stephen, obviously annoyed at this acquaintance's need to analyze him, storms off.

A girl plagued by a permanent birth mark across his body, Abby (Laura Donnelly), and Stephen hang out in a book shop. You can already tell one is interested in the other. There is definitely a friendship bond, but it is one of those bonds where the girl is fixated on a future and the guy just wants to date the pretty girl he stares at in the hallway day-in-and-day-out. Know what I mean? Well, you will.

Quaid apologizes for his rude behavior (be warned: Quaid will apologize a lot in this movie. Actually, he will never stop apologizing). If this movie were on DVD now, I would bring it to my Psychology class and ask to watch it to analyze what a psychopath Quaid is.

Anyway, he asks Stephen to come by his place that night because he has a proposition for him. Stephen shows up and follows him into the back where Quaid is painting a portrait of a naked woman. Like I warned you in Summer's Blood: IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO WATCH THIS WITH A PARENT OR OLDER RELATIVE, PLEASE RECONSIDER! There are many scenes that are R-rated and I am not sure of the exact rating, but I would reconsider. Perhaps you can watch it yourself first and become familiar with the scenes to skip when watching it with someone that may make you feel a bit awkward watching love scenes.

But don't worry, Jackson fans! JACKSON DOES NOT GET LAID. It's a crude running joke throughout the whole movie. He does find love with a certain someone names Cheryl Fromm (Hanne Steen). That comes later on.

Back on topic! Quaid notes that Stephen still needs a thesis for his assignment. He offers DREAD: Discover the origins of people's deepest and darkest fears. After hesitating, Stephen agrees.

The rest of the movie is following their project. Stephen, Cheryl, and Quaid all film volunteers who share their fears on camera. After waking up from a fit, Quaid is prodded about his past by Stephen and he recalls watching his parents slaughtered in front of him as a child. Once the assignment is over, Quaid wants to continue the experiment, but Stephen and Cheryl refuse when he begins lashing out at various instances. Quaid is the reason for Cheryl and Stephen's break up, for Abby's self-destruction, and for a few murders. What is a horror movie without any murder?

As I warned my friend, if you thought Pray for Morning and Hurt were scary, do not watch this movie. I just about screamed at the end. Amazing ending as well. Of course, I'll leave that for you to decide when Dread is released on DVD January 29th, 2010!

5/5 Stars

Keeps you on the edge of your seat!

Truly Haunting.