Review: Don't Knock Twice



(imdb.com)

I keep referencing 2016 as an amazing year for horror. My hopes are high for 2017, but it’s quickly looking like my expectations will not be reached. From The Bye Bye Man to Rings the theatrical release section of horror movies is doing pretty terribly. Sure, Split is great, but can it save 2017 alone? Probably not. Our hope it seems, is for smaller releases by production companies like IFC Midnight to carry some of the dead weight in cinemas across the country. The Axes Murders of Villisca left a lot to be desired but the year is still young, and when I found out about the release of Don't Knock Twice, I prayed. While I'm unsure if my prayers were exactly met, I will say that Don't Knock Twice is certainly a step up from the other horror movies released this year.


The movie follows an artist who's now-grown reenters her life after she gave her up years ago because of addiction. Then, when a childhood game of knocking on a condemned home takes a turn for the spooky, things get even more complicated for the already tense relationship. Don't Knock Twice stars Katee Sackhoff (Longmire) as Jess, the recovered mother to daughter Chloe, played by Lucy Boynton (Sing Street). It also features Nick Moran as a Detective (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), Jordan Bolger (iBoy) as Chloe's friend at the home, Javier Botet (Mama) as Jess' new husband and Pooneh Hajimohammadi (The Machine) as a spiritual mother who commissions Jess to sculpt her.

The biggest issue with Don't Knock Twice is its storytelling. Disjointed and at times confusing, Don't Knock Twice feels ADD. It's got all of the makings of a good plot and mythology but unfolds less like a napkin at a dinner party and more like a towel thrown out a window. Attempts to be "twisty and turny" aren't solid enough to withhold criticism. The mythology behind the witch's story is murky at best, even when it's suggested that it's clearly written out, it's obvious it needed more concrete effort. Don't Knock Twice feels like a good story, but then ruins it by dropping everything they build on to go in different directions, mostly at a loss to the viewer. It's like that company struggling to make a name for itself, but never sticks too hard into a new idea out of its lack of immediate success. It's a choppy movie that needs longer scenes and more flow, not random insertions like the one where Chloe levitates and almost gets sucked through some sort of door portal.

Don't Knock Twice does offer a few moments of fear, but these are spread thin and weakened by poorly timed scares and diffused tension. Scenes - like those in Chloe's friend Danny's apartment or the scene where Jess following the sound of cries through her house - begin terrifying but offer little to capture that fear once she stumbles on the witch. This seems to be a reoccurring and preluding theme throughout the whole movie in every aspect. A lot of Don't Knock Twice is spent building to a "moment" only for that moment to be nonexistent or tossed to the side of the road.

The acting is the best part of the Don't Knock Twice. Both Sackhoff and Boynton meet above level expectations for this indie horror movie. Sackoff's strong features lend a hand to her determined and headstrong attitude and extrapolate her expressions well. Boynton also does a good job as the struggling daughter coping with a lot of trauma and difficulties.

Don't Knock Twice isn't great. If I was 12 and this was the late 90s, maybe the jutted plot and broken CGI would be more acceptable, but in 2017 and at the age of 22, these inefficiencies are hard to ignore. Don't Knock Twice is fine if all you're doing is casually watching it on a Tuesday afternoon with nothing else to do. It's spooky, but never scary; it's got above average acting that never reaches too high; and its plot is interesting, but never compelling. The fact of the matter is, Don't Knock Twice is like that first car you buy on Craigslist; you'll get where you wanted to go but the ride won't be comfortable and also the radio doesn't work. I give the movie 5 knocks out of 10.

 

Review: Split

(impawards.com)

Rest my troubled heart. After the release of The Bye Bye Man last week, I was slightly worried about the state of horror in 2017. As the first major horror release of the year, it definitely did not set things off on the right foot. From its shaky storyline to a bountiful supply of disappointing "scares," The Bye Bye Man made an early bid for the worst theatrical-release horror movie of the year and possibly set the tone, however with the release of Split, the board may be reset yet. 

Split gives horror veteran, M. Night Shamaylan, a strong, star-studded follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2015 film, The Visit. Split stars James McAvoy (X Men: First Class) as Kevin, a man diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID) coping with 23 identities and a possibly dangerous 24th; an omnipresent monster-human named "the Beast." Starring alongside him is

newly annointed scream queen, Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch) as Casey and Betty Buckley (Cats) as DID psychiatrist, Dr. Karen Fletcher. The film also features Haley Lu Richardson (The Bronze) as Claire and Jessica Sula (Skins) as Marcia.

Split opens its world at the birthday party of Claire, where Marcia, Claire's best friend and Casey, an outsider welcomed as a "pity invite," later need a ride home. When Kevin as one of his more dangerous personalities named Dennis hijacks their car and knocks the women out, we quickly come to realize that the women are in very real danger. The rest of the film plays out with the three attempting escapes and Dr. Fletcher's consultations with Kevin's Dennis masquerading as fashion designer identity, Barry; all while "the Beast" creeps closer and is later revealed.

 

As good as its plot sounds, Split is a constant and unrelenting gesture of proper suspense and for McAvoy; it is one of his most prominent turns to date. In fact, acting on all corners of the board are stunning. Taylor-Joy is terrific as a broken down possible final girl, and Buckley, Richardson and Sula do amazing in their supporting roles. This group, if assembled again could make any horror movie worthwhile. Whether it’s the strong-headed, but quickly destitute, Claire, the more subtle follower Marcia or Casey speaking, each of the three women seems far more established than any young actress should be. And for veteran Buckley, this film only adds to her extensive repertoire. All of that, piled alongside McAvoy's innate ability to move through different mannerisms and "identities," make every scene great.

 

Split is scary. Shyamalan’s ability to create a film that is terrifying through its sense of overhanging fears, rather than relying on jump scares, is undeniable. While every moment seems to exist only to act as a bridge to the final climax and reveal of "the Beast," Split never halts intrigue. Sure there are multiple attempted escape sequences, but McAvoy's command over the different characters is captivating enough for audiences.

 

Overall, Split deserves every laurel it gets. From each actor to the plot, to the continual train of thrills, Split is indestructible. It's renewed by hope for this year in horror and in this new, revitalized M. Night Shyamalan world, it's a welcome addition. I give it 98 personalities out of 100 and 9 out of 10.