Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    HORRORSCREAMS VIDEOVAULT – SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT HORROR
    • Home
    • Film Reviews
      • Films Beginning With Numbers or Symbols
      • A – C
      • D – F
      • G – I
      • J – L
      • M – O
      • P – R
      • S – U
      • V – X
      • Y – Z
    • Book Reviews
    • Franchise Corner
    • Competitions
    • Horror Screams Podcast
    • Contact Us
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    HORRORSCREAMS VIDEOVAULT – SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT HORROR

    Film Review: AN IDEAL HOST (2020)

    Steven WestBy Steven West27th October 2020No Comments2 Mins Read

    AN IDEAL HOST *** Australia 2020 Dir: Robert Woods. 84 mins

    From a witty script by Tyler Jacob Jones, debuting feature director Robert Woods (also nabbing credits for music, cinematography, editing and visual effects) has made an engaging riff on Carpenter’s THE THING within a broader satire of social mores. It follows a minor trend for dinner-party-based horror films in the wake of THE PERFECT HOST, THE INVITATION and THE DINNER PARTY.

    The playful approach extends to a succession of title fonts as hostess Nadia Collins frets over the form, style and very specific scheduling of her imminent housewarming party. She and wealthy other half Evan Williams have settled back into their childhood town via a “slice of paradise” in the form of a lakeside dairy farm. By welcoming back old friends, they simultaneously revive old grudges, enduring jealousy, festering secrets and latent homophobia. More so when the party is crashed by alcoholic, misanthropic school friend Naomi Brockwell, with ex-boyfriend (Daniel Buckle) and his partner in tow.

    The long-delayed grudge match proves a fitting setting for the gradual realisation that the estranged friends are not whom they appear to be. The embittered Brockwell cottons on to the sinister changes in the peers she has come to resent, something transferring from person to person while Woods’ score knowingly apes the ominous beat of Morricone’s THE THING soundtrack. A dinner party awkwardly reuniting those who have long lost contact, and built around the stigma-laden business of coming back “home”, is an exercise in paranoia to start with – so the introduction of body-jumping alien beings (with CGI tendrils and a deafening INVASION OF THE BODYSNATCHERS-inspired shriek) feels like a natural extension.

    Not all of it lands: Collins, afforded a fun punchline, is terrific though the first half overplays the strained relations to the point where almost everyone becomes a slightly grating cartoon. The more serious second half generates some straight suspense and bone-breaking, skin-peeling gore, with the high stakes more adeptly balanced with the humour of alien-hijacked characters moaning at each other for messing up the world domination plot. It’s eccentric enough to be memorable and performed with vigour. And as with several horror films this year, its Carpenter-influenced narrative arc and dialogue resonate more deeply as the plot unfolds : “It means one of us is infected – we have no way of knowing…”

    Review by Steven West

     

    Facebook0Like0Share0Tweet0Pin0
    Aliens australian bodysnatchers Carpenter Comedy dinner party evan williams Grimmfest Horror Infection nadia collins naomi brockwell robert woods Sci-Fi Science Fiction tendrils The Thing

    Related Posts

    Film Review: A FERAL WORLD (2020)

    10th May 202203 Mins Read
    Read More

    Second Sight Films release Lake Mungo on Standard Edition Blu-ray

    3rd May 202202 Mins Read
    Read More

    Film Review: CAVEAT (2020)

    1st May 202202 Mins Read
    Read More

    Your life is in the hands of a PROTOTYPE on 5th April

    13th April 202201 Min Read
    Read More

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    Search The Website
    Recent Posts
    • North American Trailer Released For ‘Hollow’ Ahead Of Its Release on VOD & DVD
    • Wyrmwood: Apocalypse the Zombie thrill-ride sequel gets Home Entertainment release this May
    • HORROR SCREAMS PODCAST: Episode 29 – I Walked With ROB ZOMBIE
    • Film Review: ENDANGERED SPECIES (2021)
    • Film Review: JAKOB’S WIFE (2021)
    Archives
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.