You could really call me a Lucio Fulci fan-boy but that doesn't mean that I'm in love with all of his movies as well. I love his style, I love his innovative and gory mind but I'm not always taken by the stories, or just overall executions, of all of his movies.
This is one of those Fulci movies that really sounds awesome and perfect for a gore and horror fan on paper but the overall execution of it is still mostly lacking unfortunately.
Problem is obviously its story and the approach to it. You can't really call this movie a typical horror, because it actually focuses more on its mystery elements instead. Problem with that is, is that the mystery just never becomes interesting enough. It's because the movie isn't really ever dropping you any hints, which can get you more involved with its story and mystery. Things just happen but without ever becoming all that interesting or involving to watch. As a matter of fact, the movie gets even quite confusing and you simply have to take a lot for granted.
Then how about the gore? Well, that's definitely still present in the movie! The movie really features a couple of classic and very gory deaths in it. I won't say any more than that but let me assure you that this movie at least has two killings in it that will stick to your mind, for a long time afterward.
The gore is pretty good looking and more than enough to please the fans but other than that, this really isn't a all that well made movie. It's cheap, with bad actors, which already will make this movie a bit hard to watch, for the more casual viewer. It's true that horror/gore lovers and especially Fulci lovers will still get plenty out of this movie but that unfortunately doesn't mean that this is a great or classic Fulci movie as well.
The movie is also really far too slow for my taste. Nothing wrong with a slower paced horror movie, as long if there is happening something good or interesting, every now and then. This movie unfortunately has too few moments to make this movie worthwhile, though it still isn't a complete waste of time. There are definitely worse genre examples out there and at least this movie has some decent gore and original killings in it.
Not a great or classic Fulci example but still has some elements in it to please his fans.
5/10
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