Denise Crosby ("Pet Sematary"/"Star Trek: The Next Generation") is a research scientist ("leading pioneer in quantum physics" finding an artifact left behind by "The Old Ones") who led a team into the mountains, "opening up a terrestrial wormhole". Zeller (Drew Matthews) was on the base with Mallory (Brooke Butler) and her hothead boyfriend, Carson (Nicholas Logan). Zeller and Mallory were having an affair behind Carson's back. Crosby's Trollenberg, upon finding the artifact and seeing through the wormhole into the future, realizes that the human race has taken the earth for all its resources and riches for too long, so The Old Ones will be breaking through to cleanse the planet of its parasitic human rot. She is cool with it, while Zeller is not. So Mallory is torn apart by the creature that emerges as time seems to bend and warp while the walls do so all around them, but Carson believes Zeller was responsible for her murder since the ax and his person are all bloody. Ax to head and throat by Zeller as an EVAC team reaches them leaves a jury little choice but to agree he's guilty and worthy of execution. However, Zeller's betrayed by Trollenberg, who sees the creature on the security cam footage, deleting it all in order to keep its presence free from public sight. Carson was put down because he threatened Zeller's life while Trollenberg was whistling into the artifact, seemingly encouraging the wormhole to open and whatever lies within it to possibly show itself if he doesn't stop her. Brittany L Smith is a novelist who works with Zeller on a book that presents his story even though she doesn't believe it. What those in attendance can't anticipate is Zeller's final request, the artifact put before him to call upon The Old Ones to do their damage.
I thought this was okay for what it was, but I think I've seen too many science fiction and horror movies do something similarly as this, so there wasn't a real shock value or thrill in what transpires. The Thing is basically a giant Lovecraftian Squid with tentacles that grabs at onlookers in attendance to watch Zeller die. The Arctic facility and discovery of something from another realm are aspects of the story all too familiar. To cut corners on budget, comic book panels with the evac team, Trollenberg's research team, the helicopters moving in, etc, were drawn instead of shown. I do think that is clever and because this is "Creepshow", such a format allows them to save on a lot of money. However, and this is a gripe that comes from just a desire to see cool shit, it can be a drag when you want all the content contained in animated panels onscreen in live-action form. There is some gore with the ax to the head and Mallory's severed head briefly moving while on the floor of a chamber in the facility...lights going on and off provides cover for the director to avoid any props looking too inauthentic. I appreciate doing what they can creatively with the limited budget they have. You just have to do what you can do when there are restraints.
 |
|
5 - Loved
4 - Really liked
3 - Likes
2 - Men
1 - Nah
Comments
Post a Comment