A Winnebago full of friends, on their way back from rockin’, partyin’ and drunken three-ways (and suffering from a great deal of buyer’s remorse regarding all three), take the wrong back-road shortcut and wind up smack in the middle of a horrific situation they can barely comprehend. Things get worse, and deadly, and bloody, and the last remaining survivors are forced to band together to survive.
Sounds like every other horror movie ever made, doesn’t it? Well, try this on for size: Dr. Viktor Vasilienko (played to the hilt by Andrew Divoff), a discredited biophysicist, is experimenting on living (and very conscious) subjects, injecting them with a serum that turns them into ravenous, cannibalistic (above-ground) mutants—something for which only he has the cure! And when one of these subjects gets loose, it goes on a killing rampage, attacking even young children with reckless, murderous abandon!
Still skeptical? What if I were to tell you that this mutant freak subsequently succumbs to its disease and is eaten by vultures? And that these vultures then mutate as well and begin to attack people via swift and vicious aerial assaults, spew acid from their beaks and just cause no end of wondrous chaos! Now I have your attention, don’t I?
Directed by Robert Kurtzman, formerly of KNB EFX Group and now head of Ohio’s Precinct 13 Entertainment, THE RAGE is a return to the yesteryear of fun ’80s horror, complete with mad scientists, ridiculously bloody deaths (courtesy of practical FX), cool monsters and mutants and the requisite number of hapless victims sure to satisfy any gore fan’s bloodlust. There is a movie that provides, literally, not a single dull moment as it barrels along with breakneck speed toward the cool ultraviolence and presents itself as this year’s ultimate party movie.
Kurtzman directs John Bisson’s script with panache and style, while never letting the visuals overcome the story. For the first time in recent memory, the viewer is presented with a group of friends who actually like each other (conflicts and disagreements aside) and are placed in a perilous situation that does not give them time to comprehend, only react and instinctually attempt to escape. Divoff, however, is clearly the star, and it’s his movie all the way. As Vasilienko, he’s never been better; his abused scientist’s descent into madness is not only reasonable, but at times actually seems justified. But he never goes raving mad or over the top, instead remaining in control even when being attacked by his own creations. Another veteran making a welcome appearance is PHANTASM’s Reggie Bannister, seen here briefly as kindly Uncle Ben, out for a leisure fishing trip with his young niece and nephew (played by Sadie and Louie Kurtzman). You just know things are going to end badly, but wait until you see how badly.
The group of friends, however, are played mostly by newcomers who seem to be giving their all, but are easily overpowered by the veteran horror guys (and, mean as it sounds, by the vulture puppets at times). Fans might be disappointed in particular by Erin (SICK GIRL) Brown’s performance as the ostensible heroine, Kat, as she comes off rather bland, especially in her scenes with Divoff. Ryan Hooks as Josh fares much better, particularly when swinging his baseball bat in animalistic survival mode, as opposed to his scenes as the sensitive boyfriend.
Minor nitpicking aside, there isn’t much to be disappointed in. THE RAGE will have most fans vibrating with glee, waiting to see what comes around the next corner. Mutant midgets? Harryhausenesque vulture setpiece? Another river of gloopy blood? Just wait. Then pop on RE-ANIMATOR (or SLiTHER) as a double-feature and wonder why they’re not making enough movies like this any more.
Originally Posted on 5/22/2007
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