[Hell's Ground]
Plot:On their way to a concert, a group of teens are diverted by a political protest, only to encounter a family of flesh-hungry psychopaths.

Cast:Ashfaq Bhatti, Sultan Billa, Osman Khalid Butt, Rubya Chaudhry, Rooshanie Ejaz, Najma Malik, Salim Meraj, Haider Raza, Rehan, Kunwar Ali Roshan.

My Thoughts:Great initial effort from Pakistan.

Review::"Zibahkhana" is the first ever horror effort from the arab country of Pakistan. Which means that horror has truly become universal as a genre. With Europe and Asia having already gotten into the act, now countries like Pakistan whom for religious reasons, you wouldn't expect to be interested in the horror genre at all...have now decided to make their mark on the genre with "Hell's Ground". The film follows a group of teens on their way to a concert. Of course like in most horror films, american or otherwise....trips to concerts always end up in disaster. When something or someone evil ends up diverting the concertgoers. Proving that this film does indeed have some american influences, because this is a plotline that has been used in countless american horror films.

But "Hell's Ground", which was directed by Omar Kahn...uses Pakistani protestors as the culprit which causes the group of teens to have to take a detour off of their planned route to the concert, and take a backroad instead. On their new route, here is where the terror begins...as the kids are acosted by the walking-flesh-eating dead, and then afterwards....run into sometihng much more worse! Kahn does an excellent job with "Hell's Ground" for a number of reasons, the biggest one being he lengthily introduces us to the characters but keeps them from being over the top and annoying.

I don't mind lengthy intros, and lengthy dialogue between characters in horror films. In fact, I think it strengthens the movie for what's to come. But Kahn makes sure his characters come off as a group of friends who have their differing opinions...instead of a group of intolerable brats who you just can't freaking stand. Which is how the characters in most american horror films come off. It was refreshing to see a film where I could root for everyone to live, instead of just 1 or 2 out of a group of six or seven. Kahn's strong characters and building of suspense make the scare scenes alot more effective, and fun to watch as well.

Kahn plants many different threats and enemies within the script of the movie for his main characters to have to face down if they want to survive. For example, during the walking-dead attack scene, one of their group is bitten. And of course when that happens, the usual scenario comes into play. He begins to become more and more undead and less and less human, and it's only a matter of time before he changes completely. Then that threat is followed up by the fact that they cannot find any help for their friend, seeing as how they are in a Pakistani version of "the sticks", where human life is few and far between the long rows of weeds, trees, and bushes.

Once nightfall comes, they run out of gas...and this leads to a horrifying discovery later on which ends up putting a new enemy in play...an enemy which shares a connection we learn later on, with other enemies. Kahn certainly does not make this situation an easy one for his characters, and while the movie starts off a tad bit slow...it picks up more and more as it moves along. Act three is full of suspense, excitement, and a high entertainment value.

It's also where the blood, gore, and violence is kicked into hgih gear. Kahn has a very good feel for this genre of film, and while his movie is obviously american influenced with some of the characters mannerisms...the movie also keeps a strong Pakistani cultural feel and look to it, which keeps the viewer interested and intrigued for the full duration which is about an hour and 20 minutes. It's certainly refreshing to see a group of different looking people in a slasher movie, rather than the same old same old.

That's one of the strongest points of "Hell's Ground"....it's cast is very diverse, as are it's villains. Kahn also kepes his villains fresh with a supernatural edge to them, and some unique weaponry and garb which we don't see very often in msot of today's slasher movies. The nighttime scenes are also very effective with Kahn's unique yet satisfactory directing style, and the creepy tone and look of the Pakistani backwoods.

In some ways, the backwoods of Pakistan resemble the backwoods of americas rural south...while at the same time, being just different enough to add a whole new dimension to the films overall look. "Hells Ground" is a slasher movie which takes no prisoners, and stays away from the mainstream and it's stale and annoying cliches. It is the modern-day slasher movie, with many new tweaks, twists, and wrinkles in the overlal design...which keep it fresh enough to be a whole new experience to american horror-film-viewers and I'm sure, horror-film-viewers abroad.

Positives:Cool villains, great blood and gore scenes, awesome deaths, diverse cast, strong characters, and a saitsfactory script.

Negatives:A slow start in act 1. Not a major negative, but a negative nonetheless.

Overall:Three out of 4 stars.





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