The Horror Show
Resolution
Directed by Justin Benson
and Aaron Moorhead
I watched a trailer for Resolution over a year ago and walked away a bit confused. Then, I promptly forgot about the film. That was until it appeared on Netflix several months ago. One night I had nothing better to do and gave it a shot. I had no idea what to expect and I was completely blown away.
Michael Danube receives an email from his old friend Chris Daniels. Chris is a crack addict and his addiction has spiraled out of control. Mike makes one last attempt to get his best friend into rehab, offering Chris his help but is turned down. With no other options, Michael tases his friend and handcuffs him to an exposed pipe. If one week goes by and Chris doesn’t change his mind about rehab, Mike will leave in peace. Mike starts finding weird stories in the forms of books, films, and even cave paintings. The one thing they all have in common: tragic endings. Mike believes someone is leaving these for him to find. Chris is reluctant indulge in this theory but eventually, the two start finding footage depicting things that have happened, things that are happening, and things they can expect will happen next. They come to a conclusion, this “something” is looking for an ending from them too.
Now, I don’t want to delve any deeper into the plot, I really don’t want to ruin this for anyone who has yet to see it. Okay so, this film subtly meta. The self-aware horror film is nothing new. It’s been done in Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, Scream, and more recently, Cabin in the Woods. We all know the rules horror films follow, those films do too. They constantly reference this fact. On the other hand, Resolution is a metafilm that doesn’t know its status. There are moments when the fourth wall is broken. The film will glitch and make a noise. The characters will hear it but immediately dismiss the noise. Ironically, they even mention that people all over the world are probably watching them. The characters are completely oblivious of their existence in a movie. It’s quite a brilliant approach to this particular subgenre.
My problem with most horror films is the characters. Too often, they are cardboard cut outs of people. They serve no purpose other than cannon fodder. Some movies you’re there for the killer. You want to see them tear apart their victims. It’s not just slashers. It can be applied to any subgenre. When you care about the characters it enhances the viewing experience. Resolution nailed this. Chris and Mike grow and change over the course of the film. Chris is suffering from withdrawals. He’s on a self-destructive path because he’s miserable and drugs make him happy. For a brief moment Chris starts feeling good but the events in the movie immediately knocks him down again. What’s more human than defeat? When you think about the fate of the character after the movie ends, that’s a believable character.
The theme of this movie is endings. So I can relate to this film. They can make or break any movie. A disappointing end is the worst thing a movie can do to an audience. I’ve walked away from movies enjoying the ride, but hating the end; feeling like the rest of the movie was just a waste. Resolution tackles this with a good question, “What’s more important: an entertaining ending or good ending?” Somehow this movie did both. I don’t want to go into too many details to avoid spoilers. If you’re a fan of cryptic and weird endings, like Lovely Molly, you won’t be let down.
Once every few months I’ll discover a movie that blows my mind. This is that movie. It’s an enjoyable ride and a commentary on the genre. I rarely walk away from anything without negative criticisms. This is an exception. Well, there are a couple of jump scares. It’s not really my thing but it’s a staple in horror films now. That’s just me being nitpicky. Other than that, I absolutely loved this film. Everything was beyond par. Peter Cilella and Vinny Curran’s performances were spectacular. They were actually Mike Danube and Chris Daniel to me and not just playing them in a film. Justin Beson and Aaron Moorehead directed this fantastic film. I’m not too familiar with any of their other works but I’ll be keeping an eye out now. They’ve also been announced as directors who will be appearing in V/H/S Viral. This is exciting news. I loved how they handled this meta film. I am looking forward to seeing how they will handle found footage. Now, if you haven’t seen Resolution yet, start up Netflix and watch it now.
Billy Wayne Martin, HMS
The Horror Show Menu.