منشار العظام

After a band of inbred cannibals abducts his wife from a sleepy town on the Wild West frontier, an injured man joins a rag tag posse as it mounts a rescue mission in the wilderness. Hmmm. Very watchable, but so confused. Opening scene has a vicious slaughter that promises extreme horror. Then we're introduced to the townsfolk, but the dialogue is self-consciously formal - although without pompous speeches to slow the pace - and yet the characters are endearing and well played by the actors. But still there's an overall feel of prejudice and that what we're seeing is a cartoon story that doesn't bother with credible motivations. I dunno - guess I'll have to watch it again and see if it settles in for me. Huge run time, and it's obvious that although nobody talks at length many scenes could have been tightened up without losing the charm of the dialogue. Many implausibilities - why was the wife abducted, why is the journey five days, why is the hero carrying such a serious injury so impossibly, why is the cannibal chewing on an uncooked leg like a chicken drumstick? The big problem is there's hardly any myth created for the baddies, and when we get to them they're almost as simplistic as those mud people who used to emerge from the walls in the old Flash Gordon TV episodes. There's an interesting plot point to do with two pregnant women, but it passes by almost without comment. At that point the dialogue has lost its charm and the actors are having trouble finishing the story with conviction. Another oddity is the music. It plays over the intro credits, then ... nothing until a short burst of sorrowful violin at 45 mins, then ... nothing until the end credits. And what we get is a strange song written/performed by the director/writer that plainly presents a bit of propaganda for pre-enlightenment virtue v savagery. Add in the earnest nod to Christianity and the animal portrayal of the baddies (including the ancient slur about troglodytes), and it leaves a bad taste. At least the disembowelling is good, but that and the opening slaughter were the only bits of horror for me. Overall, interesting characters well performed, but needed to be clear about the threat.

When you dislike all of the movie appointed protagonists, it becomes difficult to like a movie. Every character in the movie was worthy of being hated or disliked. Yes .. Even Chicory. The stupid premise that some cliff dwelling supernatural beings were so upset with a robber that desecrated their burial ground that they traveled 3 to 4 days .. probably 75 miles .. to kill the guy and abduct the female doctor that treated him for a gunshot wound is laughable. I was hoping like many other bad horror movies that every character would be killed. Yes .. it was that bad .. the good reviews must have been from people from the studio.

This is basically The Hills Have Eyes meeting a very boring western. The trailer had such promise and I'm a huge Kurt Russel fan, but what a drag. Aside from the opening scene and the last part of the movie, nothing happens. They just talk a lot. In the town, around campfires. And then they talk some more. Nice cinematography and professionally directed and well acted. And the gore is pretty gross and convincing if you're into that stuff. Funny about the gore, how it's completely bloodless whenever someone is shot. Weird contrast. Other than that, it's pretty pointless and way too long for its own good. Don't bother with this.