![]() Mainly, though, it's the ideas which make this shine. Mention must also be made of the blunt, persuasive presence of Bruno Lawrence, bringing to life a character who could easily have been badly mishandled. Some of the performances might perhaps have been a little more fluid but Alexis Arquette (as the titular Jack) and especially Sarah Smuts-Kennedy as Dora are exceptionally honest in their portrayals of a damaged brother and sister. The dialogue is unpretty (sometimes even crude), but direct and often powerful - in many ways watching this was like discovering an unknown early Cronenberg flick, but in place of Cronenberg's cool intellectualism Garth Maxwell has crafted a highly emotional film which isn't afraid to take its viewers into uncomfortable territory. The characters are sharply defined and individual, yet at the same time convincingly complex. There is violence and death, disturbing rather than gory, and an insidious tension which builds slowly and isn't allowed to dissipate until the very end. The plot is straightforward but intelligently thought through and far from simple, resting on the characters and the tragic events in which they're embroiled. The film looks great, using the natural beauty of NZ alongside impressive cityscapes, but also showing us the very ordinary and (of course) the dark and ugly side of both the rural and urban environments. It has everything a quality horror movie needs, including the elements which big-budget and "typical American" horror all too often lack. This low-budget horror film from New Zealand is, for me, a textbook example of why I love the genre. ![]() A weird little gem of a film - not for everyone, but definitely worth catching at least once. There is little violence, but that which is shown is brutal and merciless, especially the shocker ending. ![]() The storyline may be somewhat thin, but the emotions of the characters are plenty strong enough to fill in the gaps. Sarah Smuts-Kennedy is equally awesome as the conflicted Dora. Alexis Arquette is frightening and sympathetic, turning in an incredibly harrowing performance as the scarred Jack and doing a great accent to boot. The performances are awesome, especially by the two leads. This is both a horror movie, a grim fairy tale and a tense emotional drama, sometimes difficult to watch but always just intense enough to keep you from looking away. When Jack is indeed kidnapped by the freaky foursome, it is up to Dora to find him and save him. To make matters worse, the four creepy sisters show up, determined to find Jack and take their revenge upon him. The increasingly emotionally distraught Dora tries desperately to hold onto her life and those she loves. ![]() Jack is seriously emotionally disturbed, lashing out at everyone that his sister loves and violently confronting their natural parents once the two are able to track them down. Dora, with the help of her abilities, is able to find Jack and bring him back with her. With the help of a weird, shop-class constructed hypnosis machine, Jack kills his adopted parents and flees the farm. Jack, beaten and tormented every day, grows up hostile and explosive. Dora, an introvert with psychic abilities, leads a mostly normal life, though it's a mostly friendless one. Dora is taken in by a caring well-to-do couple while Jack is sent to live with a country family, consisting of a cruel mother, an abusive father and their four creepy daughters. Starring: Alexis Arquette, Sarah Smuts-Kennedy, Bruno Lawrence, Tony Barry, Elizabeth Hawthorneġ993 / 96 min / 1.85:1 / English 5.Abandoned by their drunken and disturbed mother at a very young age, Jack and Dora are soon adopted by different families. Both twins feel the pull to find each other again as they grow older, but violence threatens their joining from all sides. Jack ends up with a sadistic family who bullies and controls him whereas Dora is raised by a quite normal family, but starts being tortured by extra-sensory powers. Pop Culture / Music / Humor / Biographies / CookbooksĪ gothic horror gem from New Zealand returns in a brand new 4K restoration! From the twisted mind of Garth Maxwell comes the tale of separated twins Jack (Alexis Arquette) and Dora (Sarah Smuts-Kennedy), abandoned by their parents as children and separated by adoption. Local Lore: Appalachia & WNC Myths, Ghosts, Witchcraft & More!Īctivity / Coloring / Pop-Up / Sticker Books
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