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Cast: Michael Biehn, Alexandra Daddario, John Savage
In 1989, a 6-year-old boy is lured into the vehicle of a stranger. The stranger is a serial killer with a tendency of butchering teenage girls. In the basement of a rural Pennsylvania slaughterhouse, he will teach the boy everything he knows. Five years later, teen Allison (Alexandra Daddario of Hall Pass) comes to live with her uncle (Michael Biehn of The Terminator) following her parents' death. In time, she will discover the boy and his madman mentor. And they will all be plunged into an unimaginable evil from which there may be no escape.
As the film opens we are introduced to this schizophrenic madman who kidnaps a young boy with the intention of teaching him his trade which is snatching teenage girls and butchering them. The film jumps five years and we are no introduced to young Allison, a teenager who has moved to live with her uncle and his family after the death of her parents in a car accident. These two plot lines couldn't be anymore different, the story of Allison and her struggle to cope with her loss is very real, these are characters you immediately become attached to. On the other hand is this sick, twisted madman who kills his victims in brutal ways and he shows no mercy in doing so. The story is simple so you know at some point their lives are going to intersect and when it does all hell breaks loose.
If you're sick of all the watered down horror movies Hollywood seems to be making nowadays then you are in for a real treat here. "Bereavement" has everything going for it from it's well developed characters, it's high level of suspense and it's brutal scenes of violence. The scenes with the killer are gruesome at times and are not hard to watch but at the same time they play an important part in the story and are not just there to provide gore for no reason. Director, Stevan Mena does a terrific job of creating a high level of suspense and fear that that has you clinging to your seat. He wears many hats here and he does a terrific job at all of them. The cast also did a great job here including, Michael Biehn, Alexandra Daddario and John Savage
The film is a prequel to "Malevolence" which was released in 2004, why it took so long in between I don't have a clue but this is going to be a film fan's of horror are going to love and one they will be telling all their friends about. When it comes to horror you just don't get much better than this, you have characters you care for, a killer that is about as ruthless as they come and plenty of frightening moments to make for one entertainment, heart-pounding film. If you're a fan of horror then this is a must own film, available on DVD and Blu-ray both come with Special Features that include:
Audio Commentary with Writer/Producer/Director Stevan Mena
Deleted Scenes
Theatrical Trailer
TV Spot
The Making of Bereavement
First Look: On The Set
Still Montage
Screenplay(DVD-ROM)
You can order the DVD HERE and the Blu-ray HERE.
"Bereavement" goes right for the jugular and it doesn't let up till the credits begin to roll, one of best horror films I have seen this year and one I can't recommend enough.
Released by Anchor Bay Entertainment
**** Out Of *****