Rabid Hits Superstar Territory
You ever watch a movie that just gives you the heebie jeebies? Where something so messed up happens that it makes you wonder why this even exists in the first place? That’s how I felt after watching the Rabid remake…cause yeesh…
Rabid was directed by the amazing filmmaking sister-duo of Jen and Sylvia Soska and stars Laura Vandervoort as quiet Rose, a young woman who is trying to make it in the fashion industry. After a gruesome accident that leaves her horribly disfigured, she undergoes experimental treatment that leaves her physically more beautiful and stronger than ever, but there are some seriously messed up side-effects that come with it.
I’m going to admit something, I’m not too familiar with the Soska’s body of work (aside from Dead Hooker In A Trunk which I own on Blu-Ray thanks to HorrorPack) so this was a learning experience for me, seeing their creativity and style with fresh eyes. I have to admit, I was a little thrown off because I went in with low expectations and let me tell you…I will never make that mistake again. Let’s get right to the technical stuff…for starters, the things I disliked, let’s just get that out of the way.At
times I felt the editing had some weird cuts that made me feel a bit disjointed. I also couldn’t tell how long between each major plot point had transpired. Like, was it months? Days? I couldn’t tell. Another thing that kind of bugged me, especially visually, was that every character had a fake tan or something on their skin. It looked weird and out of place, but I am also not in the fashion industry…who knows? Maybe everyone in the fashion industry has a fake tan! I also felt like it could’ve been a little longer, and I thought the role of Doctor William Burroughs (played by a very good Ted Atherton) probably should’ve gone to the director of the original film, David Cronenberg, but alas…a boy can dream.
Now for the good…the pace was brisk, the scares and gore were great but not overwhelming. There is definitely some love in this movie for conventional effects and FX lovers will appreciate that! The acting was fantastic, this group definitely gave it their all and took their roles seriously, without removing any of the fun. There were also some brief moments where the use of colors was very…how can I put it…arthouse…and just took my breath away (you’ll see what I mean when you see it). It felt like I was watching something very emotional and scary unfold on screen, and I was in a different world altogether. I sort of wish we could’ve had more of that visual style throughout, but this was a very nice scene that helped launch the film into superstar territory for me. The directing and cinematography throughout are solid, each scene filmed with love and care that is uncommon in the low budget indie genre these days.
In the end, how does this remake hold up against the original? It stands on its own. It has some moments that lack the Cronenberg touch, but it also adds something special to the story that was not in the original (I won’t ruin it, you gotta see it for yourself). I’m a huge fan of the sisters after this film, and I cannot wait to see the next movie they release. Please…PLEASE let them remake Ginger Snaps! Check it out now, it’s on VOD.
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