Shiver (2012)
Starring: Danielle Harris, John Jarratt, Casper Van Dien
Writers: Brian Harper, Robert D. Weinbach
Director: Julian Richards
Synopsis (From RLJ/Image):
The Gryphon is a serial killer with a
flair for the dramatic – and a grisly trophy case of victims. But
when he sets out to add shy, young secretary Wendy Alden to his
macabre collection, he gets more than he bargained for. Always one
step ahead of the pursuing Detective Delgado, the brilliant
psychopath penetrates police lines at will, circling ever closer to
the target of his deranged fantasies. Until, finally, the only thing
standing between Wendy and the Gryphon's unthinkable desires is her
own desperate, indomitable will to survive. Based on a novel by Brian
Harper.
Review:
I was initially intrigued by the cast of Shiver. They aren't A-list actors, by any means, but having such an
assortment of B-stars is something I
could not miss. For real- Danielle Harris, Casper Van Dien, John
Jarratt, Rae Dawn Chong.... wait, what!? Rae Dawn Chong!? She's honestly been in a lot, but I'm not sure I've watched any of it other than Commando. So, anyway,
they're all here together in Shiver. Is that a positive? Depends on
how you look at it. I can't really classify the movie as being top notch,
but it's fun, for sure.
The story contains some interesting
ideas, but how good it could be and how good it actually is are
two very different things. Let me go ahead and say that if you want
to enjoy Shiver as much as possible, do yourself a favor and leave
your brain at the door. If you can do that, you're in for a few neat
surprises. Camera work is actually pretty sound, and there's plenty
of neat color lighting schemes. I feel like many segments are shot
way too dark, though. Chases are staged well with a good bit
of intensity, particularly a car chase about midway into the film.
There's definitely a couple of good jump scenes, too.
Onto acting/characters. Without John
Jarratt, Shiver would just simply not be as enjoyable as it is. He's
absolutely great as the Gryphon, a character that makes Jarratt's whacked
out role in Wolf Creek seem almost tame in comparison. By the end of
the film, he kicks the lunacy level into high gear, and adds a
strong hint of perversion. The character is both a dirty bastard and
a charming man. He has a way with words. You won't get a better
performance from anyone else in Shiver. Jarratt is on his game!
Danielle Harris plays our leading lady,
Wendy. Let me just say that I love the girl to death, no matter what.
I grew up on Halloween 4, Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, and
The Last Boy Scout. A few years ago she really impressed me in Stake
Land. But I gotta be honest- when she's in a film where the writing
isn't all that up to par, neither is she. There's a moment in Shiver
where Harris' character is fighting with her mother over the phone, and it's just.. bad. Some actors/actresses can make mediocrity seem better
than it actually is. That's unfortunately not the case here. Same
goes for Casper Van Dien. I've dug the guy ever since Starship
Troopers. He has the look, but not the chops to be outstanding. He
always comes off hammy. The issue with that in Shiver is the movie
isn't supposed to be hammy. Dien plays Detective Delgado, a man
hellbent on capturing the killer. He just looks kind of tired. An
argument between Delgado and his superior early on in the film is great
comic relief. And when you put Danielle Harris and Casper Van Dien in
the same scene together, it's almost like they don't even know how to
act around one another. Again, let me stress that this is never NOT entertaining. Lastly, Rae Dawn Chong plays Van Dien's partner,
Detective Burdine. How's her performance? Well, she's in the movie; I'll give her that.
We get a mixed bag in the Special
Effects department. There's a good share of gore and lots of cool
blood-spray sequences. Unfortunately, for every positive, it seems like there's double negatives. Too much overly shoddy CGI blood and it takes you completely out of the experience. The
Gryphon's weapon of choice is a Garrote, and damn, he means business
with it. The trophies he keeps of his victims are by far the most
outstanding use of practical effects in the film. So, it's not bad in
terms of gore, but the digital stuff is really off-putting.
Richard Band's score is probably the
best element in the film. Love the opening theme.
Final Word:
Ultimately, there's better movies to
spend the night with, but there's damn sure worse ones, as well. You
may enjoy it on a more serious level than I did. If you're a Danielle Harris
fan, definitely give it a shot... but John Jarratt is the real star
in Shiver. That much was obvious right from the start.
Available now from Image Entertainment/RLJ Entertainment.
Order HERE
- Eric (Brobocop)
