MOVIE REVIEW – BACKMASK

WTF IS “BACKMASK”?

Back in November I attended an AFM screening of Marcus Nispel’s new horror film, “Backmask”. Going in, I was not enthusiastic about seeing another film by the purveyor of rebooted movies that had nothing new to add but bigger splatter effects. Let me inform you, I am a horror purist. I love the old (i.e. Max Schreck’s, “Nosferatu”), the new (“The Conjuring”) and even appreciate the daring too (Lucky Mckee’s, “The Woman”). As a kid I collected “Famous Monsters of Filmland” and later as an adult moved onto Fangoria. Hell, I own over 400 horror movies and that’s being selective.

My reservations regarding Nispel are; this is the director that dared to bring Leatherface and Jason back to the screen with bigger budgets and little improvement on what had already been done before. But the damn films made money and that led to an even worse “Conan,” the barbarically bad flick. Also, I’d heard little advanced word on this new film, which left me wondering was this just another turd waiting to be dropped on us horror fans. Surprisingly, no.

The theater was packed, and I have not experienced such an interaction with the audience since the original “Evil Dead” ripped into the screens. It was like; for your safety you will not only need to fasten your seat belts, but make sure your roll bars are in place. Yes, Marcus Nispel’s, “Backmask” is a virtual roller coaster that races its audience through a wave of emotions, and never lets up leaving us breathless. The man finally did something other than a rehash and has demonstrated that he has a lot more than just a bucket of blood to offer. The big mystery; why hasn’t this new horror classic been unveiled? What on earth is holding it back?

There is a wonderful air of mystery with the title and the director plays with it beautifully. He also takes full advantage of one of the creepier locations that plays a vital part in the film. “Backmask” is Nispel’s new opus of visceral horror that proves he has his finger on the pulse of the genre and has something fresh for its ravenous fans.

The film begins with a literal bang that jars the senses and makes one wonder if they are willing to take this trip. It’s a very harsh opening and what comes after the next few minutes or so appears lighter. A raucous sex, drugs, rock and roll party is held at an abandoned mental asylum and our cast of characters are introduced. This takes us off our guard until the party ends, and it does not end well. The toying of rituals including playing a satanic laced song backwards, back masking, sends us on an unsettling journey with our young friends.

People are possessed, disposed of in horrifying ways, and the creep factor quotient shoots off the scale in the nightmare asylum. But it is not as simple as that. This film has layers, like a rotting onion. With each peel that is pulled back the horror grows and so does the mystery as to why everything is happening. This is what makes Nispel’s film so unique; it defies to be categorized as just another horror film. It is a horror thriller that is a mystery with uneasy humor.

He has real kids in a messed up situation who are flying by the seats of their pants and grasping at anything to bring a calm to this nasty storm of evil. Their desperation even takes them as far as attempting an exorcism made easy from the internet. This delivers unexpected, but welcome laughs and it all works beautifully. This is not to be taken the wrong way. At no time is the tone of the film ever flippant. The kids remain true to their characters and the film as a whole is a perfect blend of humor and horror.

I try not to compare films, but it cannot be helped with this one. Everyone that shouted foul with the “Evil Dead” remake and its deadly serious tone can rejoice, because finally someone has the balls to deliver everything we love about the horror genre. Big scares, big laughs, and even a gasp or two that has some leaving the theater due to the intensity. And, for every person who runs out, 10 will run back in to catch what all the buzz is about.

There are so many things that are right with “Backmask” that many other films go wrong with. There is sheer terror, classic funny dialogue, some of the most outrageous make-up effects I have seen in years, and an unnerving soundtrack. My only qualm is that the sound (sound effects and such) did not have the punch that is expected in this kind of film. This might have been the fault of the theater or perhaps I saw a print that did not have a final mix.

Also, the ensemble cast is very likable and we care about the majority of them. We are not waiting for them to die. We are shocked when something does happen to them. We feel their frustration, their pain and the sense of futility over a situation so insane. And, much to director Nispel’s vision and Eric Treml’s cinematography, the film as a whole has a glossy look of dread. A very cool combination that keeps your eye on every detail.

With all the new horror films lined up for this year, along with the usual sequels and reboots, what sets “Backmask” aside from the others is the connection it has with its audience. For every dozen films that are just out to scare us, once in awhile we get a gem that really taps into the reason we go to the movies; to be entertained and feel that it was worth the price of admission and repeat viewings. It’s what makes us run out and buy the Blu-ray and want to show it to our friends.

That careful blend of humor and horror is what made the “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Scream” franchises so successful, and “Backmask” has captured that lightning in a bottle. That “W” in “WTF” of the title of this article does not stand for What. The “W” stands for Where. That’s right. Where is this movie? Who and what is keeping it from being released? All it needs to do is grace the screens and make way for the screams.

Directed by: Marcus Nispel
Release Date: ???