Mom and Dad. Rage on. Director Brian Taylor’s hip new horror hybrid is a tailor made jab at a current society hellbent on materialism and familial dysfunction. And it’s oh so good. Never holding back in the least, this new release is a visceral experience that feels like an amalgamated cinematic experience that blends numerous themes and genres. It may not by perfect by any means, but it's a calculated film high on dark fun and straight mayhem.
In what is perhaps one of the most insane films of the decade, the world goes mad bringing about a modern apocalypse that’s soaked in the blood of youth. Giving Mr. Cage a perfect stage to do what he does best, the man distastefully revels in the confines of his worst character choices, finally making a cinematic comeback that returns him to his formative years. With some smart scripting, Cage shifts his own reality into a personal monologue that’s ripe with his real life struggle. Then, the shit hits the fan. The idea of parental units craving the death of their own children is deeply disturbing but highly original. Blending what could have been a typical zombie trope-fest into a movie about midlife crises is both reverent and cynically vibrant. I enjoyed myself from front to back.
When violent hysteria hits the suburbs, Nicolas Cage pairs with Selma Blair for a dark comedy that mixes off beat laughs with sheer violence and head smashing brutality. Like a kick in the teeth that could very well revitalize Cage’s strange career, this pulsating assault on the senses is an early start to a 2018 that might see smaller indie fare once again light up the realm of horror. With steady pacing that never lets up, the hits come strong and fast as parents the world over begin to victimize and destroy their own children. No offspring is safe.
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| Yes! My career was behind this stove! |
Taking bits of survival horror and crossing them with elements of American Beauty and Home Alone works astonishingly well in this day and age. Even more brilliant is the casting choice of Lance Henriksen as Cage’s father. The man fits seamlessly into this flick that exists in a strange grey area that goes for the gusto with laughs at the cost of young lives.
Most of the movie hinges on near perfection but is mildly stifled by a few unneeded scenes and some minor script issues. Also, the conclusion leaves much to the imagination. Instead of a prim and proper ending, audiences are given another in a long line of movies that don’t give any solid answers. Considering the fare, a more concise finale would have been the way to go. Many viewers will be annoyed with the way they chose to edit the concluding moments.
If you're looking for a mainlined dose of fierce destruction that's a frenzy of humor and pain, hang out with Mom and Dad this weekend. I think you'll dig. And if you don't, someone has a Sawzall for you.
Score
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