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Cast: AJ Bowen, Amy Seimetz, Joe Swanberg
An escaped murderer is in pursuit of his ex-girlfriend, who has fled to start a new life in a small town.
What's written above is short and to the point and there's really not much more you need to know or should know before seeing the film. I have seen a number of serial killers movies lately so I was pretty much expecting the same type of movie here but as the film began I realized this was not going to be one of those movies.
"A Horrible Way to Die" follows both Sarah's and Garrick's stories, both when they were together as a couple with use of flashbacks and present day as Sarah struggles to regain her life and Garrick now an escaped killer looking to find her. As far as Independent films go this one has to stand out for it's realistic story and characters, the story follows several characters so in a sense it's a bit complex but it's also very easy to follow.
The film follows a basic story line which shows us Sarah going to her AA meetings while attempting to regain some normalcy in her life and Garrick as he begins to kill his way to finding her, but towards the end we a thrown a few twists which not only makes the film that much more interesting and suspenseful but it also has you wondering if anyone of the main characters are going to survive the movie at all. Director Adam Wingard uses a single camera that constantly zooms in and out of focus as his shooting style to bring their story to the screen, also his use of close-ups nearly everything brings a personal and realistic feel to the story.
The cast is another reason the film is so good, Aj Bowen and Amy Seimetz are both terrific as the film's leads and I look forward to seeing them act again very soon. The supporting cast did a terrific job playing their roles as well. "A Horrible Way to Die" isn't like the other Indie serial killer films I have seen as of late and I can't say this is going to be for everyone but fan's of Independent cinema are going to find it to be an fresh take on the genre with it's unique and original story and it's use of camera work to help tell the story. The film has it's fair use of killing but it's never what I would call gory but it's more realistic take on the subject matter makes it that much more frightening. This is film-making at it's best, I can't say it's a flawless film but it's a damn good movie either way and one I recommend to any fan of the genre. Both the DVD and Blu-ray come with Special Features that include:
Audio Commentary with Director/Editor Adam Wingard and Writer/Producer Simon Barret
Behind The Scenes of A Horrible Way to Die
You can order the DVD HERE and the Blu-ray HERE.
With are the bad movies out it is nice to see a well made, intelligent film that leaves a lasting impression long after it's over.
Released by Anchor Bay Entertainment
**** Out Of *****