Film Review
It is somewhat disappointing that, having earned his spurs with his
short films, up-and-coming director Abel Ferry should choose as his
first feature a genre as limiting and well-worn as the survival
thriller. Historically, French cinema has tended to stayed shy of horror
films of any kind but over the past decade several rookie French
filmmakers have tried their hand at the familiar slasher format, in
most cases achieving little more than a bland imitation of their
American counterparts. Abel Ferry is the latest director to
participate in this worrying trend, and his first feature
Vertige
is a virtual rip-off of Rob Schmidt's
Wrong Turn (2003),
a kind of
Friday the 13th set in the Croatian
mountains. Although the film is impressively directed and makes
excellent use of its picturesque location, it does little if anything
to extend the frontiers of a pretty tired and uninspiring genre.
The film begins promisingly enough by introducing a set of interesting
characters who, whilst slightly caricatured, are convincingly played by
a batch of talented young actors that includes up-and-coming stars
Fanny Valette and Johan Libéreau. The location is beautifully shot and
serves as much more than a static backdrop - it actually becomes
another character in the drama, cruel and forbidding. Some highly
inventive camerawork helps to build the tension and prepare us for what
is to come. Unfortunately, when the horror element suddenly enters the
picture at around the mid-point the film ends up rolling down a
predictable path, and the only satisfaction the spectator derives is
guessing who will be the next victim to meet a grisly end at the hands
of yet another crazed psychopathic killer.
Vertige
is sufficiently well-crafted to hold our attention and will
doubtless be enjoyed by aficionados of the slasher movie genre.
Unfortunately, it offers few surprises and makes tedious viewing
if you have already subjected yourself to other films of this ilk.
Abel Ferry does a respectable job but this is really a wasted opportunity for a director of
such evident talent.
© James Travers 2010
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Film Synopsis
With a thirst for adventure, a group of friends decide to go on a
rock climbing expedition in Croatia. What begins as a carefree
outing in the countryside soon turns into something darker as old
feelings resurface and a fear of heights grips some members of the
party. Then they realise that they are not alone. Their
dream holiday is about to become a nightmare...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.