Following directly on 2019’s Blind, 2021’s Pretty Boy is a step up, even though it starts with a monotonous party populated by irritating characters. Push through, because the pay-off is exquisite.
Unlike its predecessor, Blind, Pretty Boy goes straight for the body count/ slasher approach while retaining the stylistic look and ever-present Christmas lights of the previous film. At first, Pretty Boy comes across as the typical horror indie where a house party full of annoying Hollywood types fall prey to our killer model man. Wearing the face of a beautiful male mannequin, Pretty Boy rips his way through the house for the first half of the film while Faye, the object of his obsession, is tied up in one of the rooms. Here it feels more rushed and mediocre than Blind.
This is tedious and absurdly predictable, offering little in the way of originality. Again, we don’t know the modus operandi of Pretty Boy or his fixation on colorful lights, almost as if he decorates his killing sprees. The acting is average and uninteresting, along with pointless dialogue that lends nothing to the story apart from showing us how deluded Hollywood’s brats can be.
Director Walz again uses the same color theme of Blind. Not only does it visually pair Pretty Boy with Blind, but it also serves as a mood enhancer for every scene, reminding us of Argento’sSuspiria in places.
If, like me, you roll your eyes and bemoan the lack of purpose by the halfway mark, Pretty Boy suddenly forces you to reassess. Writer Joe Knetter and director Marcel Walz kick you in the proverbial nuts and make you swallow your words when we meet Pretty Boy’s parents through Faye’s attempted escape. On that note, Sarah French brings more emotion and vulnerability to her character in Pretty Boy, which is a welcome change from Blind.
The film takes a distinct turn here, suddenly immersing us in a much darker, raw scenario. It becomes a more intimately twisted experience where we finally learn why Pretty Boy is the charming character that he is.
Using two of horror’s most disturbingly brilliant actors to deliver some expert theatrical sodomy, Walz displays his undeniable ability to create tension on a psychological level and give it a pinch of revulsion.
Pretty Boy’s mother, Edna, is played diabolically well by the inimitable Maria Olsen. Her repulsion for her son clashes well with her initial motherly manner, proving why she is one of the most respected horror icons of recent years. Her husband is played Robert Rusler, who whips out that sultry intimidation that reminds us quickly why he was the devil’s favorite ducktail in Sometimes They Come Back. Rusler has lost none of his wicked ways in portraying villains, as Pretty Boy’s father does not reveal his ice against his wife’s fire – at first.
A special mention has to be made of actor Jed Rowen (Pretty Boy). Unlike the other masked killers of the horror genre, Rowen has the ability to bring life and emotion to his almost lifelike mask, simply using body language. Coupled with Walz’sclose-ups and lighting, the static, pretty face of the killer becomes disturbingly coherent and alive which is a creep factor not to be sniffed at.
Pretty Boy’s ending could have been much better, so I felt a little disappointed by its sudden exit. Although the film has some empty scenes and unnecessary characters, the second half is riveting and stylish, removing the mask of society’s comforts to introduce us to the ugly truth of self-worth in beauty. It goes from a slasher to an exercise in subliminal evil.
There is much beauty in this monster.
-Tasha Danzig
