Review: Trick 'r Treat
November 15th 2009 22:56
Trick ‘r Treat (2008, Dougherty)
Written November 15, 2009
Trick ‘r Treat has been in the bag (no pun intended) since late 2007. For reasons unknown to man, the film’s release was repeatedly delayed before gracing the shelves of video stores in October 2009. Don’t let the ‘straight-to-DVD’ stigma’ scare you. This is a rare case of unjust treatment by the film studios and distributors. Trick 'r Treat has wide market appeal for fans of the horror genre and, moreover, is actually a very impressive film. It’s ironic that the film was completed before True Blood even aired and yet when you see Anna Paquin get bitten by a “vampire” in the film the comparisons cannot be avoided.
Trick ‘r Treat is a series of interconnected vignettes which take place on Halloween in the town of Warren Valley, Ohio. The structure of the film is non-linear; it also utilizes comic book illustrations during the title card sequence as well as throughout the film when we are informed the order in which the events take place. Anyone who reads comics understands the visuals in the title card sequence are perfection (a comic book adaptation was subsequently released by DC/Wildstorm). The vignettes are seamlessly tied together through carefully crafted character crossovers and the presence of a tiny trick ‘r treater named Sam. Like many horror film conventions warn, if you break certain rules you are most certainly doomed. Sam lives by a list of Halloween traditions that are key in order to surviving the evening. Some innocents break these and pay the price, others die as a result of non-human life forms; others via revenge.
Trick ‘r Treat is thoroughly entertaining and does not rely on repeated shock and gore to hold the audiences attention. It is visually gorgeous at times, particularly due to certain set pieces such as broken fog filled rock quarry and a leaves lined woodland area lit by glowing jack-o-lanterns. These scenes especially, along with a luminous flashback sequence, are breathtaking and appear to be shot digitally, yet this is not the case (although perhaps the film underwent the digital intermediate process).
The ensemble cast is good but the film relies more on ominous events and misdirection rather than development of characters. It’s always wonderful to see Dylan Baker playing a creepy, sick human being. Few do it better. Beneath make-up and long scraggly hair, Brian Cox is nearly unrecognizable as an old, grumpy alcoholic with a dark past.
It’s rather frustrating the film failed to gain a big screen release. On the other hand it has already become a cult classic amongst fans of the genre and was highly regarded by critics. Recently, writer and director Michael Dougherty announced plans for a sequel. Here’s hoping it can secure a theatrical run.
Written November 15, 2009
Trick ‘r Treat has been in the bag (no pun intended) since late 2007. For reasons unknown to man, the film’s release was repeatedly delayed before gracing the shelves of video stores in October 2009. Don’t let the ‘straight-to-DVD’ stigma’ scare you. This is a rare case of unjust treatment by the film studios and distributors. Trick 'r Treat has wide market appeal for fans of the horror genre and, moreover, is actually a very impressive film. It’s ironic that the film was completed before True Blood even aired and yet when you see Anna Paquin get bitten by a “vampire” in the film the comparisons cannot be avoided.
Trick ‘r Treat is a series of interconnected vignettes which take place on Halloween in the town of Warren Valley, Ohio. The structure of the film is non-linear; it also utilizes comic book illustrations during the title card sequence as well as throughout the film when we are informed the order in which the events take place. Anyone who reads comics understands the visuals in the title card sequence are perfection (a comic book adaptation was subsequently released by DC/Wildstorm). The vignettes are seamlessly tied together through carefully crafted character crossovers and the presence of a tiny trick ‘r treater named Sam. Like many horror film conventions warn, if you break certain rules you are most certainly doomed. Sam lives by a list of Halloween traditions that are key in order to surviving the evening. Some innocents break these and pay the price, others die as a result of non-human life forms; others via revenge.
Trick ‘r Treat is thoroughly entertaining and does not rely on repeated shock and gore to hold the audiences attention. It is visually gorgeous at times, particularly due to certain set pieces such as broken fog filled rock quarry and a leaves lined woodland area lit by glowing jack-o-lanterns. These scenes especially, along with a luminous flashback sequence, are breathtaking and appear to be shot digitally, yet this is not the case (although perhaps the film underwent the digital intermediate process).
The ensemble cast is good but the film relies more on ominous events and misdirection rather than development of characters. It’s always wonderful to see Dylan Baker playing a creepy, sick human being. Few do it better. Beneath make-up and long scraggly hair, Brian Cox is nearly unrecognizable as an old, grumpy alcoholic with a dark past.
It’s rather frustrating the film failed to gain a big screen release. On the other hand it has already become a cult classic amongst fans of the genre and was highly regarded by critics. Recently, writer and director Michael Dougherty announced plans for a sequel. Here’s hoping it can secure a theatrical run.
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