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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated 12 Hour Shift (2020) in Movies
Mar 28, 2021
As the night shift starts at the hospital, a drug-addicted nurse finds herself in hot water. A simple black market organ exchange goes awry and she finds herself having to attempt to acquire new organs to save her cousin from the traffickers' wrath.
Almost immediately I was concerned with the pace of the film, it seemed to drag, which didn't really fit with what I'd envisioned from the synopsis and the trailer. I needn't have worried though as everything picked up quite quickly. The hospital makes for a great centrepiece once the action settles there, the cutting between rooms and characters kept it all moving and leaves the viewer with little time to lose interest in what's happening.
Angela Betis was a fun lead. Overworked and underpaid, Mandy is dealing with her problems the only way she knows how. Her attitude about things is all over the place and she sways wildly between what is right and wrong. Bettis manages to make Mandy relatable, particularly that look that says "people are idiots", I felt her pain. It's a great portrayal and she plays off well against all the other characters.
Mandy's ditzy cousin Regine (who inspires a lot of those aforementioned looks) is such a funny addition, she adds something light-hearted to the proceedings and I'm honestly not sure how she ever got a job trafficking organs. Having her in the film did make me think that there could have been some more humour in the mix, but the balance as it was did suit the film.
The rest of that cast were good but it might have been nice to see more of some of them. David Arquette felt underused considering the promo shots I kept seeing for it had him front and centre, and one of the original blurbs even had him as part of the main plot when that absolutely isn't the case.
12 Hour Shift is an entertaining romp and I love the way it's brought full circle. As it is it's a great thriller with some comedy thrown in. It definitely could have taken a lot more obvious humour on-board but that probably would have turned it into a very different film, and whilst almost certainly entertaining I think I would have missed not seeing this version.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/03/12-hour-shift-movie-review.html
Almost immediately I was concerned with the pace of the film, it seemed to drag, which didn't really fit with what I'd envisioned from the synopsis and the trailer. I needn't have worried though as everything picked up quite quickly. The hospital makes for a great centrepiece once the action settles there, the cutting between rooms and characters kept it all moving and leaves the viewer with little time to lose interest in what's happening.
Angela Betis was a fun lead. Overworked and underpaid, Mandy is dealing with her problems the only way she knows how. Her attitude about things is all over the place and she sways wildly between what is right and wrong. Bettis manages to make Mandy relatable, particularly that look that says "people are idiots", I felt her pain. It's a great portrayal and she plays off well against all the other characters.
Mandy's ditzy cousin Regine (who inspires a lot of those aforementioned looks) is such a funny addition, she adds something light-hearted to the proceedings and I'm honestly not sure how she ever got a job trafficking organs. Having her in the film did make me think that there could have been some more humour in the mix, but the balance as it was did suit the film.
The rest of that cast were good but it might have been nice to see more of some of them. David Arquette felt underused considering the promo shots I kept seeing for it had him front and centre, and one of the original blurbs even had him as part of the main plot when that absolutely isn't the case.
12 Hour Shift is an entertaining romp and I love the way it's brought full circle. As it is it's a great thriller with some comedy thrown in. It definitely could have taken a lot more obvious humour on-board but that probably would have turned it into a very different film, and whilst almost certainly entertaining I think I would have missed not seeing this version.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2021/03/12-hour-shift-movie-review.html
Darren (1599 KP) rated Scar (2007) in Movies
Sep 26, 2019
Characters – Joan is a character we meet at two different ages and flashback between through the film, the teenage version of her gets tortured by the serial killer leaving her with the scar on her face. The adult one heads back to her hometown for the first time since to see her niece graduate. When the killings start again she becomes the prime suspect though she believes she killed the killer all those years ago. She must learn who the killer is before her niece goes through the same ordeal she does. Olympia is the niece that is living the normal teenage life graduating only to become the latest target by the killer who has already taken her friends. Bishop is the serial killer that targeted Joan and her friend all those years ago, forcing the through a torturous ordeal, has he return? He enjoys making the victims suffer as he cuts them. We do get to meet other characters who mostly become victims of the killer, each one interacts in their own way.
Performances – Angela Bettis is strong in the leading role of this film, she often took chances on horror and this is one where she can lead the film and deal with the horrors involved. Kirby Bliss Blanton is solid in her role though she doesn’t get as much to do other than be generic teenager. Ben Cotton does make for a good villain that showed just how twisted his character it. The supporting cast are all solid enough without being challenged to do anything to make them standout.
Story – The story follows a victim returning home for the first time only to face a serial killer she believed she had killed to protect her niece. The story does a good job balance the two timelines as we see how Joan is reacting to the ordeal from her first encounter to the new encounter, playing along the lines that she might not be as clean as she thought she was. We also get to deal with how people can become interested in killings over the stories about the killer over the victim. The strangest twist in the film is the fact that another bigger film seemed to use the exact same twist and motives behind the killings, I won’t mention the film because it will ruin the end of the film.
Crime/Horror – The crime side of the film follows the action of the serial killer which plays into the horror because of the torturous nature that they follow through the film, the wounds feel real, look real and brutal with just how they are made to look.
Settings – The film takes place in a small town, which has a reputation, we see the normal locations, but it is in the shadows where we see the killer conduct their actions.
Special Effects – The effects come from the graphic body horror we are put through by the killer, the wounds being enough to make the blood appear over causing fatal wounds.
Scene of the Movie – The killer’s identity.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The killer’s motivation.
Final Thoughts – When it comes to late night horrors sometimes we can just enjoy the events for what they are, this is one of the perfect examples of this giving us horror when we need it and a simple horror to watch.
Overall: Midnight horror treat.
Performances – Angela Bettis is strong in the leading role of this film, she often took chances on horror and this is one where she can lead the film and deal with the horrors involved. Kirby Bliss Blanton is solid in her role though she doesn’t get as much to do other than be generic teenager. Ben Cotton does make for a good villain that showed just how twisted his character it. The supporting cast are all solid enough without being challenged to do anything to make them standout.
Story – The story follows a victim returning home for the first time only to face a serial killer she believed she had killed to protect her niece. The story does a good job balance the two timelines as we see how Joan is reacting to the ordeal from her first encounter to the new encounter, playing along the lines that she might not be as clean as she thought she was. We also get to deal with how people can become interested in killings over the stories about the killer over the victim. The strangest twist in the film is the fact that another bigger film seemed to use the exact same twist and motives behind the killings, I won’t mention the film because it will ruin the end of the film.
Crime/Horror – The crime side of the film follows the action of the serial killer which plays into the horror because of the torturous nature that they follow through the film, the wounds feel real, look real and brutal with just how they are made to look.
Settings – The film takes place in a small town, which has a reputation, we see the normal locations, but it is in the shadows where we see the killer conduct their actions.
Special Effects – The effects come from the graphic body horror we are put through by the killer, the wounds being enough to make the blood appear over causing fatal wounds.
Scene of the Movie – The killer’s identity.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The killer’s motivation.
Final Thoughts – When it comes to late night horrors sometimes we can just enjoy the events for what they are, this is one of the perfect examples of this giving us horror when we need it and a simple horror to watch.
Overall: Midnight horror treat.