
There is something particularly charming in an old-fashioned horror movie. When we say “old-fashioned,” are we talking about the bourbon cocktail? No! We mean one of the classifications of newer horror films which are simple plotwise and focus on action instead of being ambiguous. These are the types that are straightforward, such as storytelling where the plot is not a complicated web of themes and concepts that require an explanation, but rather a fun-filled story more like or even told around a campfire. While this understanding is ours, we feel the same that these types of films have been hard to come by in the contemporary age. This should not suggest that the majority of films in this genre have no substance, however, because there is quite a lot, wherein, the idea of blending the supernatural with the mundane simply for the sake of horror can sometimes get old. And that is what excited us about DREAD PRESENTS‘s upcoming release, “Beezel”. Is this blinding witch’s brew an old-fashioned recipe or a new-age approach that is heavily laced with social commentary?
Through overzealous and busy six decades, three unsuspecting residents of a cursed house in New England discover a dreadful secret lurking within its floorboards – a witch whose only aim is to feast upon the souls of the living.
To begin this review, I would refer to the sentiments expressed earlier “old-fashioned” horror movies that have always been more about entertainment in the first place than a deeper meaning in them. These are the films that pull the most enjoyable bits of the genre and combine them into a movie that is focused more on oddities than logic. It follows that Beezel is that kind of a film. A film that succeeds in what a movie is all about thrills and scares without too many attempts at metaphors or messages. This is not to criticize other horror movies that choose to say something more intelligently but rather to admire the basic concept of a great story, great practical effects, and great pacing that gets down to the gory action quickly.
The opening of Beezel is preceded by a child abducted to the basement of a mother who looks like the pre-transformation of Henrietta from Evil Died 2 in a manner that is similar to how it has been ending. The context here is that this house unlike many others has a, let’s say, blind witch-cursed cabin in Evil Dead 2, through 4 different timelines we learn how Beezel’s hatred evolves throughout 4 different timelines. You have these moves like Barbarian which should give you some idea of what this movie is about because Beezel uses these narratives to work not in terms of character structure but in terms of the plot itself as to why living in that house is basically death waiting for you. There is no absence of energy in the narrative and each era comes alive; Lejon Woods who was seen recently in The Hangman uses details from the second story wherein he confronts a widower possessed by the witch. The third event features a caregiver and the woman she is tasked with looking after who is bedridden and their relationship never actually pans out. The last event involves a couple moving into a house bequeathed to the son by his mother who is dead but is the same woman from the third event.
It is easy to connect the dots as the relationship between the different events is so generically crafted that the viewer does not feel overwhelmed. That these stories are connected but can also be enjoyed individually speaks to the excellent scripting done by co-writers Victoria Fratz, and Aaron Fradkin.
The blind witch from the movie “Beezel” for instance has received a lot of attention and approbation. Just like Diablo the fate of our interview earlier this week with Fratz and Fradkin, it is not difficult to understand the design as the tree trunks’ theme comes through and although here it looks like a witch, there is nothing nice about this woman who delivers death quite well. The importance of practical effects is also present throughout the film as characters encounter it in audience violence. There is plenty of blood and gore here but it is done and expressed in an appropriate manner. In addition to graphics, which deserve praise, there are also pretty good shots from Keelan Carothers that stand out, such as the one with the trap door in the basement now that’s a scene! By the way, “Beezel” has a duration of 82 minutes and you would be amazed how quickly the film runs. It seems that the story is made for people who share my perspectives, especially those who love straightforward in the most decisive way and do not like idle talk.
The common criticism for shorter movies is that they lack character growth. However, “Beezel” shows that if you give the audience proper actors, there are better ways of developing the characters than declaring them in the script, which is exactly the case with “Beezel”. Fratz and Fradkin are a talented pair with great potential; their production company is called Social House Films (check out their YouTube channel), and if “Beezel” is a marker for what is to come, we are looking forward to their new projects!
“Beezel” is a straightforward, uncomplicated, and productive horror film that manages to stick deep when it comes to the necessary horror action for use, and even more importantly, it offers viewers something extraordinary, allowing them to skip over the long stretches of time most movies tend to fall into. “Beezel” has great actors backed up with superb practical effects and effective and short narration, hence we can easily say that “Beezel” is going to be one of the top horror films of the year.
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