While the decade started out slow, finding the conclusion to many film series that should've died off years prior by way of excessive sequels, there was something magnificent happening behind the scenes, that would eventually give way to what some could argue, was the best decade in horror cinema.
Yes, eras like the 70s & 80s brought about many popular horror icons (such as Freddy, Michael, and Jason), but many were shallow, and lacked anything more than cheap thrills. When considering the later years, as horror lost it's popularity, and PG13 fun flicks took the stage, an occasional gem would spring up amidst the cesspool of shallow schlock, but the majority were uninspired carbon copies, or remakes. Films like Scream & The Blair Witch Project worked to keep the industry alive, commenting on the culture that had sprung up around the fandom, and subverting expectations; but it was ultimately not enough to fully resurrected the Golden Age of horror.
As each series progressed, they strayed further and further from the material that made their beginnings so important. Not long after, every horror movie was made with goal of creating a franchise in mind, and it ultimately lead to the dark ages of horror, the LATE 90s, and the first decade of the new millennium. During that time, it felt like every new movie was a budget quick drop, just trying to find an idea that stuck, and when it did, the machine would just pump out as many sequels as it could before the hype died down.
This continued on until sometime around 2013, when the majority of franchises like Saw and Paranormal Activity began to lose the audiences' interest, and tried to end their franchises with nothing more than a whimper. While Hollywood's big names were scrambling to ditch the horror genre, new companies began picking up many avante-garde independent films, and started to treat horror as a legitimate genre deserving of the same respect it's peers received. Blumhouse, Monkeypaw, A24, and a number of small foreign companies began seeing great success in the festival circuit, and it wasn't long, before the industry took notice, with many of their films hitting the big screen.
It was during this time that the line between genres began to blur; combining elements of horror, mystery, drama, and suspense. Horror movies began to transform, and from them, came some of the best titles to EVER grace the screen.
This is a film I desperately want to enjoy, one that hits on all the major plot points, and introduces long time fan favorite characters such as [SPOILERS]. Even David Harbor does a fine job capturing the brooding alcoholic nature of the lead character, and communicating Hellboy's real struggles within himself. For the most part, it is a movie that has all the key elements I could hope for from a Hellboy film, but it’s the added fat, that makes this reboot fall short.
Hellboy (2019) has a hard time maintaining a consistent pacing, or establishing a coherent tone. Drastic shifts in cinematography batter the viewer with jarring transitions, that, when paired with the blasting hard rock, party anthem soundtrack, feel almost bipolar. Before the viewer can fully appreciate a moment of poignancy, a raucous fight erupts to the tune of 80s hair metal. Not only does it become obnoxious, the tracks they chose aren't even good; they're clearly the bottom of the barrel songs that were the easiest to license.
If only the this reboot hadn't undergone drastic reshoots in retaliation to the negative test screening, we may actually have gotten a cohesive film. From the color pallet, to the writing, to the music and FX, Hellboy suffers from a mish-mash of ideas, but never fully settles into one. It always just feels rushed and messy.
Final Score: 2.5/5 ⭐
While Hellboy is almost a scene for scene adaptation of The Wild Hunt, it fails to ever become fully realized by being more concerned with fitting "hip" tropes into it's 2 hour run-time, then telling a cohesive story. Easter eggs and fan service abound, but unlike it's predecessor, it never embraces an identity, and will be ultimately forgettable.
Growing up a kid in the 90s, I would no doubt gorge myself on all the great action cartoons and Saturday morning spectacles laid out like a buffet before me on the table of the weekend. In particular however, I remember staying up to watch Adult Swim on Cartoon Network, or waking up early, to catch a glimpse of the violent and flashy style of Japanese animation. Even before my family had cable, I would look forward to our family trips, as I knew hotel stays meant cable access, and I could binge all the series I'd missed, and just indulge in the anime I couldn't access at home. Much like the other youth of my era, I become completely obsessed with shows like Pokemon, and Dragon Ball Z. At the time, my mom was unsure about the risks propagated by the media, about how violent shows bred violent youth, or the all consuming craze that swept the nation. Eventually, my mom accepted anime as just a more mature platform of storytelling to the usual American cartoons, and even began to support my interest by buying VHS imports of certain specials and movies. When we finally got cable, I would sit and watch entire blocks of anime episodes, even those I'd seen before, and when we got internet, I would download and draw images of my favorite characters (all while screaming like a madman, or sound-fx with my mouth). I bought the merchandise, played the games, and spent hours sketching with friends. I enjoyed playing these heroic characters, calling out their special moves, and imagining myself pushing beyond my limits to be a hero.
The only thing I could never do, was convince my family to make the 3 hour drive to the nearest city, so I could actually SEE an Anime film on the big screen. Even those that did get a US theatrical run, were usually 1-3 day limited events, and were almost impossible to catch unless you lived anywhere near a metro center. Instead, it was either resorting to importing fan subs, or waiting the 2 (or more) years for localization. The closest I ever got was the global release of the first Pokemon and Digimon movies. It wasn't until recently that mainstream acceptance of foreign films and animations, has allowed anime to reach beyond it's niche appeal.
Fast Forward 20 years...
Following the success of the Dragon Ball series reboot with "Super", and it's relatively profitable movie releases, Toei Animation and Funimation took a gamble with their largest theatrical release yet, premiering a trailer for Dragon Ball Super: Broly at San Diego Comic Con 2018!
The trailer received a immensely positive response, and made it resoundingly clear that they could confidently continue the series on the big screen. Adding to the excitement, was the announcement that this was the first movie since the late 90s to be written by series creator Akira Toriyama himself. While he humbly denies his creative writing ability, there is a consistency he bring to the story-telling, a sort of comforting sense of familiarity. With the same admiration for the series I've held all these years, my youthful vigor overtook me, and I KNEW, this would be the first of many feature length animes I would see in theaters, no matter how far I had to go; after all, I'm an adult now, so the power was in my hands, and I could share this life long dream with my own family.
Reaching the next level...
Thanks to Fathom Events, DBS: Broly happened to be showing in Albuquerque, NM on the same weekend we would be traveling for my daughter's gymnastics tournament, and so the pieces fell into place! One of the awesome benefits of seeing a film hosted by Fathom Events, especially one back by a massive theater chain, is the way it really feels like a special occasion. Due to limited showtimes, the seating is always nice and full, and every person in attendance is as excited as you to be there. Before the movie, there is a low murmur of excitement, and in place of the usual ads for local business, or upcoming blockbusters, there are previews of future event films, usually comprised of anniversary runs of classic anime, or independent releases. The best part however, is the content related specifically to what you're watching; anything from trivia games, to cast and production notes, to audio clips from the soundtrack.
Speaking of soundtrack,
one of the DBS: Broly's greatest strengths, was just how good the music was! Every moment captured the essence of the scene it was attached to. Gone were the days of the alt.-rock "bangers" from US releases, or quirky lighthearted "bops" of previous Japanese soundtracks, and in it's place was a driving and powerful industrial amalgam of the best of each, coupled with a sweeping original score. It managed to somehow be heavy, but sensible, and it never felt gratuitous. One of the evening's highlights, was after the movie ended, there was a rousing round of applause, followed by a couple of "bros" seated next to me asking their friend if he wanted to sit through the credits for their favorite song, or if he'd rather head out to their truck and pop in their imported CD!? Special moments like these that people share, really showcase how universally beloved this franchise has become.
Sounded Good, but looked even better!
The advancements in digital animation have benefited the anime industry as much as it has been a detriment. While the movements have become more fluid, they often feel cheapened by recycled attributes, or uncanny textures against the surrounding environment. Usually this is the most apparent with characters, especially those in the background. One thing long time fans of the Dragon Ball series have pointed out, is that the anime borrows from Toriyama's style, but it often looks too clean, and discards his traditional influences. Thankfully, DBS:B looks every bit as good as previous entries, and the "over polished" nature of Dragon Ball Super doesn't appear as prevalent as it does in the series. Since I am not an animator, I can't speak on the amount of digital work done for the film, but can say, that whatever they did do, blends more seamlessly with parts that appear to be drawn by hand. It is very artistic style, almost reminiscent of the original Dragon Ball and Z cartoons, with clear classic influence.
Final Thoughts
The Story So Far...
It would require almost an entire other blog to do a proper review breakdown on the the technical aspects of the movie, and to treat it like a more conventional write-up. However, It's hard to really scrutinize this film, when it really hits on almost everything fans and the general audience could hope for. Instead, I wanted to share what the series meant for me, and how Dragon Ball Super: Broly was able to fulfill a life long dream for fans like myself. Obviously none of the things I spoke about would mean much if there wasn't a coherent story to frame this audio and visual masterpiece of anime, and I can assure you, it is probably the most cohesive addition to the DB Universe outside of the core series itself. It fleshes out fan favorites like Bardock, giving him one of the most powerful moments in the series, while canonizing characters like Broly and Gogeta into epic forces that will become true staples in the franchise. Being restricted to feature film length has forced the writing to be more concise and creative, as they no longer have the luxury to draw out a narrative over the course of several episodes, but must instead communicate their theme with more consideration. Due to the time contraint, DBS: Broly is probably the best paced entry since the original Dragon Ball, or maybe the Goku Black Saga, and never feels bloated or overwhelming.
Support anime in theaters.
I was fortunate enough to catch it in a large format theater, and that really was something I wanted to express; If you plan to see this, try to do so on the big screen. This is not only so that you can support the industry and encourage more releases like it, but to also enjoy it the way it was meant to be seen. It is such a multi-sensory spectacle, it would be a shame to miss out on all the fantastic details, and epic nature of this Shonen. DBS:B has seen massive critical and financial success, and will no doubt spawn sequels, but movies like this can't flourish without support from their fans. Thankfully, wider distribution, and mainstream attention is helping to boost their roles in the media.
If you aren't able to see it in theaters, don't worry, it more than delivers on everything you would want from a Dragon Ball film, even if you end up watching it at home with a living room of screaming children trying to become Super Saiyans!
With wonderful pacing, jaw dropping action, and moments of honest emotional gravity, DBS: Broly is a re-imagining of the previously non-canon origin movies, done in a fashion that is a return to form of Toriyama's masterful story telling. I was captivated from start to finish, and at times literally moved to tears by the tale of family, friendship, abuse, and redemption. In classic DB fashion, moments of drama are broken up by frenetic combat, or well timed humor, and when taken as a whole, it is truly a worthy continuation of the Dragon Ball story.
Independent films are a dime a dozen, and while they usually reflect the inspiration of their creators, limitations such as budget or experience often hinder the concept from being fully realized. However, on a rare occasion, the talents of the people behind the camera, and their ingenuity, can overcome these obstacles to create a genuinely fun experience.
In steps Hotel Inferno; a brutal mess of a film that plays out more like a first person shooter video game than an actual cinematic experience. It's this unique style, and commitment to concept that allows Hotel Inferno to succeed. What has been tried in the past by other films in the action and horror genre has always felt like a gimmick, but in this series, it's creators have made it clear that this is more than just an aesthetic choice, this is their vessel for story telling.
With Hotel Inferno, director Giulio De Santi tells the story of assassin Frank Zimosa, who is hired by a mysterious group to knock off a few targets in a European Hotel. What seems like just another day in the field, quickly devolves into chaos, as he is caught in a HELLacious mouse trap meant to feed the dark desires of an ancient evil. Splattering and battering his way through the various halls of the hotel, Frank is faced with ever increasing levels of horror, as his enemies turn from humans, to the undead and finally, even the damned!
Poor Frank can't catch a break; following the events of the first film, we see that Frank is no longer amongst the living, but instead has awoken in Hell itself?! Presumed to be dead, Frank sets out to find an escape to recover his earthly body, hoping, that through the help of another tortured soul, they can navigate this realm of Hell, where cultists endure endless torment in exchange for forbidden knowledge. The Cathedral of pain is the canvas by which Frank will paint his bloody masterpiece, as he quests to find the 5 elements that compose the human soul...all before his physical form rots away.
Review
Hotel Inferno is the film made for those horror fans brave enough to step off the beaten path, and follow the blood drenched footprints of independent genre pioneers. Relying on the contributions of it's fans, Hotel Inferno is a crowd funded effort by it's creators and Necrostorm. It is a surprisingly adept film series with great (if not limited) set pieces, and interesting characters. The plot can be thin at times, and feel like it was only there as a framework to support all the gore, but at it's best, it hearkens back to the beloved days of splatterfest video games like Pain Killer, or DOOM. Abash with awesome creature designs, and some great practical effects, (along with the nastiest of sound work), it can be a little rough for the squeamish, and while Hotel Inferno may not be for everyone, it was probably never meant to be.
