[The Cottage]
Plot:A relentless dark comedy with an extreme twist. Set in a remote part of the countryside, a bungled kidnapping turns into a living nightmare for four kidnappers when they cross paths with a psychopathic farmer and all hell breaks loose.

Cast:Jennifer Ellison, Doug Bradley, Reece Shearsmith, Steve O'Donnell, Dave Legeno, Katy Murphy, Johnny Harris, Georgia Groome, Simon Schatzberger, Eden Groome, Andy Serkis.

My Thoughts:Unique in it's own way but lacking real terror.

Review:Foreign horror is really the only well to get good, unique ideas from when it comes to new horror movies. Case in point, Paul Andrew Williams "The Cottage". The film follows a group of lame-brained kidnappers who aren't really good at what they do. On top of their major issues, such as their current kidnapping ploy, being a moonlighting gig...they've also made the mistake of kidnapping the daughter of a powerful businessman, as well as Tracy...the kidnappee being a handful which doesn't bode well for the two.

To make matters worse, two Korean hardmen are tailing the third member of the kidnappers group, planning to break up their little scheme. But between all of these criminal elements in play, there's something far more deadly which lurks deep in the woods in a nearby cottage. Something none of them are prepared for. "The Cottage" is another horror/comedy deal from Europe, one of those films that mixes black humor with horror elements. While it works on some levels, the film fails in some very important areas as well.

When the horror elements step to the forefront, they really don't come off as scary, but then again this movie doesn't really throw itself into a situation where it needs to rely on real scares to be effective. Instead, it pours on the blood, grissly demises, and tosses in one hell of a grotesque looking farmer, who's ugly exterior is only surpassed by his even uglier violent streak. The deaths in the film aren't too unique or different, but certainly are gory enough to satisfy hardcore genre fans.

There's also alot of limb cutting, stabbing, and slicing in the film, but these instances come at certain points where they mostly fail to look sensible. There are moments where the psycho mutant farmer has someone right where he wants them, and instead...decides to just stab them instead of finishing them off like a Jason or Michael Myers would. This gives us some insight into the villains psyche, and makes him come off to the viewer as more of a mentally screwed up mutant with somewhat a level of humanity, instead of a cold, calculating killer.

I am not sure if this was purposely done or not, but it was done...and it somewhat works within the frame of the movie, and then on some levels it doesn't. While one will certainly find the kidnappers to be an annoying bunch, Jennifer Ellison who plays Tracy, the hostage...is one of the bright spots of the movie when it comes to it's characters. She is indeed an intriguing character, and despite her profanity-laced protests, she is really the only likeable character in the movie.

Which is actually a sad thing considering she's also the most confrontational. I feel this movie would've worked out alot better if the male leads were in their early 20's, instead of their late 30's. And it would've also presented a more intriguing dynamic amongst the characters. "The Cottage" wraps up nicely enough, with a few surprises along the way, but ultimately the ending even has it's problems...with too many unanswered questions remaining about the killer and his background, and an abrupt final scene which leaves a few unanswered questions itself. "The Cottage" is a welcome break from the monotony of the usual genre repetitiveness...but it's certainly not a film without issues.

Positives:Unique story, likeable female lead, one great death.

Negatives:A few too many plotholes, lack of background on the killer, terrible male leads.

Overall:Decent UK horror.





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