Okay, it's as simple as this. No comparisons, don't know the original. It had some truly disturbing sequences - two in particular, which I'm sure anyone who's seen the film will know. The amusement park ride in the opening is worth the price of admission all on it's own.
Mostly, it was fun, horror cheese. The people in the film are aware they're making horror cheese. They don't aspire to make anything else. The performances are universally appropriate and usually campy as all get out.
The last 10 minutes detract from the film. I did appreciate the CGI effects mimicking ink blots, a nice touch in a film set in a mental institution.
The directing was bang-on. He generated fear. The two sequences mentioned above are, to me, only rivaled by sequences in _Jacob's Ladder_ and _The Exorcist_. He didn't ask too much out of his actors - you could tell he let them run with it and have fun, especially Rush and Kattan. It was gruesome enough for horror fans to appreciate it, without being so gruesome it was unpleasant to watch. I hate unjustified gore, and this film, while quite gory, has an appropriate level.
You're a horror fan, you'll probably enjoy it. You're not, you'll most likely hate it. I really enjoyed it on a late night viewing with a few beers in my belly. Would've got a slightly better rating from me if it weren't for the ending. 7/10.
Mostly, it was fun, horror cheese. The people in the film are aware they're making horror cheese. They don't aspire to make anything else. The performances are universally appropriate and usually campy as all get out.
The last 10 minutes detract from the film. I did appreciate the CGI effects mimicking ink blots, a nice touch in a film set in a mental institution.
The directing was bang-on. He generated fear. The two sequences mentioned above are, to me, only rivaled by sequences in _Jacob's Ladder_ and _The Exorcist_. He didn't ask too much out of his actors - you could tell he let them run with it and have fun, especially Rush and Kattan. It was gruesome enough for horror fans to appreciate it, without being so gruesome it was unpleasant to watch. I hate unjustified gore, and this film, while quite gory, has an appropriate level.
You're a horror fan, you'll probably enjoy it. You're not, you'll most likely hate it. I really enjoyed it on a late night viewing with a few beers in my belly. Would've got a slightly better rating from me if it weren't for the ending. 7/10.