[Cruel World]
Plot:A scorned reality TV show runnerup traps nine college students on his own fictitious show in which getting voted off costs them their lives.

Cast: Edward Furlong, Jamie Pressley, Susan Ward, Laura Ramsey, Andrew Keegan.

My Thoughts:A fun film despite a few plotholes.

Review:I wasn't sure what to expect from "Cruel World". It is after all a horror film which intergrates a reality show into it's overall story. But this film was twisted, gory, and fun. And while it had some plot issues and a few plot holes here and there, overall it was a good flick. The film intros in a huge mansion, with Catherine (Jaime Pressley) and Daniel (Samuel Page), a young couple who met on a reality show, and who are planning on going to Tahiti. Unfortunately for them, someone else has other ideas. This is where Edward Furlong shows up as Philip, a deranged reality show cast off who was rejected by Catherine on a show similar to "The Bachelorette". After a nicely done, and quite lengthy chase sequence, Philip disposes of Catherine and Daniel, and thus our story begins. Just as this happens, a new group of kids are on their way to the mansion to participate in a new reality show set up by Furlong's character. The thing to like about "Cruel World" right off the bat is Edward Furlong's character. This guy is really good at playing psychotic and deranged characters. And Philip is a step up in the villain department from the character he played in "The Visitation", who was a psychotic cult leader. The new reality show contestants are made up of some familiar faces when it comes to young Hollywood. We have Laura Ramsey (Venom), Brian Geraghty (When a stranger Calls), Susan Ward (Wild Things 3), and Andrew Keegan (10 Things I hate about You). These familiar faces are mixed with a few newcomers to form quite an interesting and likeable cast. Although their characters are quite stereotypical, but it works in this movie since it's a dark satire poking fun at reality tv....which in itself casts stereotypically. In this film, the participants are the token asian girl (who shows off some kung-fu skills later in the film as she's being chased by one of the movies two villains), the smooth talking black guy, the spicy latina, the slut, the back-stabbing gay guy..etc.....you see where I'm going with this. Furlong's character Philip has the kids participate in challenges to win immunity, ala "Survivor". But as the games continue, they get more and more twisted and sadistic. It isn't long before the contestants start asking questions and having second thoughts about participating in these games. And ironically enough, those who refuse to participate or begin asking too many questions, Philip disqualifies them and sends them home! Of course, they never make it home, and it's soon revealed that Philip's assistant/younger brother in the challenges named Claude, is also doubling as a killer of those who Philip disqualifies from the competition. Things get complicated however when Claude develops a crush on one of the contestants which poses a problem for Philip when he attempts to kill said contestant later on. The challenges themselves are pretty sick, we get the contestants lying in wooden boxes full of goop, slicing up a dead cow for food, and things only get worse from there. Also there's a nice subplot with the gay guy, who it's revealed in one scene isn't as "gay" as at first thought, and that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this guy. There are plenty more hijinks involving him which I won't spill here, but trust me he's definitely the character who you'll love to hate. "Cruel World" is really like "Survivor" on crack, and as annoying as most reality tv show people are, it basically plays out every sick fantasy one could have about putting these people through really fucked up trials, only to just dispose of them in a grissly fashion later on. As the film goes on, it becomes pretty clear as to who the ultimate survivor will be, despite the films numerous attempts to swerve the viewer. "Cruel World" does have a few problems though. For one, we never really find out why Furlong's character is doing what he's doing. Even though it is partially revealed why he has some of the contestants killed, you have to wonder why dispose of the others? Also there's one character who is locked in a poolhouse early on and never heard from again??! It's as if Eugene Hess and Paul Lawrence, the films writers just forgot about her. That along with the really stupid ending, are about as problematic as "Cruel World" gets, and if you're a gorehound, you'll get your appetite satisfied with this film. It's all here, blood, guts, rolling heads, decapitations, stabbings, etc. "Cruel World" will probably end up being a cult movie, mostly because of the great performances by Eddie Furlong as the deranged Philip Markham, and Laura Ramsey as Jenny who eventually emerges as one of the films heroes. It's really a movie that can be labeled as "enjoyable horror", meaning that it brings horror back to it's roots of being not just bloody and really fucked up...but overall fun to watch as well.

Positives:Decent performances by most of the cast, great performances by Furlong and Ramsey. Decent story, great blood, gore, and violence. A very high entertainment value.

Negatives:A few plotholes and that very dumb ending.

Overall:If you're looking for good horror, with blood, & gore, and that takes a huge swipe at the cesspool of low lying fruit known as reality tv, then you'll enjoy "Cruel World".





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