September 15, 2008

Treevenge (2008)


A short movie playing at 2008 Fantastic Fest Online is this Canadian, what I can only call, Treesploitation splatter flick. I shit you not.


Opening to the beautiful strains of the Cannibal Holocaust theme, Treevenge follows the life, and death possibly, of the good old fashioned Christmas tree. From its chopping down out in the wilds, to its new home, wherever that may be. And i'll tell you what, it's a fucking funny journey if I do say so myself. It's told from the perspective of the trees themselves, and yes the trees do talk in their own funny kind of way, and is a laugh a minute funride.


Of course, towards the end it all gets very, very bloody as the trees take their...well, just look at the bloody title and I think you'll get the picture!


Treevenge nods its head to the odd splatter flick here and there, the aforementioned Cannibal Holocaust being one, as well as The Burning being a more blatant one. At the end of the day though this is a movie that will make you laugh, even during its nastier moments, and there are a couple here that is for sure. The language is fruity, the blood is freeflowing and the laughs keep coming.


It is well made, well acted, with some wonderfully over-the-top performances, and running at around 16 minutes will leave you wanting more. Bloody good fun indeed. Now, where did I leave that chainsaw?

Kingz (2007)


Screening as part of 2008's Fantastic Fest Online, Kingz is a 20 minute short movie from Germany that follows in the vein of movies such as From Dusk Til Dawn and Botched, and does it quite well I must say.

The story itself follows two young thugs, Olli and Mathis, as they go to a nightclub to close out a drug deal. Once there they slowly realize that something isn't quite right about some of the patrons. We then get treated to a madcap and frenetic slice of onscreen mayhem, as the blood and guts are unleashed, the guns start-a-blazin' and for some reason we get some martial arts swordplay thrown in.

As I mentioned Kingz is only 20 minutes, or about 17 if you cut off the credits, but it does manage to pack one Hell of a punch in that time. It's well shot, with some excellent camera, and is very slick looking throughout. Maybe a little too slick if anything. That being said, the cast do a decent job even if the characters are on the cliched side.

What really holds it all together though is the choreography of the action scenes, which for a movie this size are nothing short of excellent. Cool fights, decent gore and some computer work that for once i'm not going to bitch about.

In terms of the plot it isn't something that is particularly mindblowing in its originality, it's in the execution though that makes it work. I definitely recommend giving this a viewing as it is a blast. Worse case scenario? You waste 20 minutes.

Rating 3 stars

Review by Jude Felton

Fantastic Fest Online Kingz Link