The Horror Show
Wer
by William Brent Bell
Is it a bear? A wolf ? A man? What did actually slaughter the Porter family and terrorize the entire French community and then eventually all of Europe? The strange title might actually give you a clue as to who’s hiding behind the ferocious killer in Wer.
Wer is a modern tale of a monster lurking in the woods at the outskirts of the French town Lyon, spreading horror and absolute disgust to those who witness its animosities. After the grotesque killing of a father and his 7-year-old son, the sole survivor of the deadly attack, the tragic and disfigured mother, speaks of an animal-like man who ripped the bodies of her beloveds into pieces.
The authorities start an intense manhunt to track down the killer and all eyes turn to Talan Gwynek, a 7-foot-tall, hairy man who conveniently fits the suspect’s description.
The story, then, revolves around Katherine Moore, the killer’s attorney and passionate advocate of human rights. Kate is convinced that Talan is not the murderer and does her best to prove his innocence by trying to expose a conspiracy set up against the Gwynek family.
Meanwhile, it’s been a month after the violent and shocking death of the Porter family and the killer strikes again, leaving Kate and the entire police squad at his mercy. The bloodbath will be repeated, only this time the beast will meet his match; an equally strong and yet a bit more humane opponent.
Wer starts off as an intense splatter movie with gruesome killings and gore sights. The mutilated bodies of the victims and the threatening figure of the gigantic suspect form a blood-stained and ominous atmosphere. After Talan’s arrest, the movie turns into a law battle against the possibility of a dirty conspiracy, but soon the splatter comes back; more entertaining and bloodier than ever.
Director William Brent Bell manages to hide the identity of the killer well and chooses a quite surprising way to reveal who he is. After the beast becomes known, the full moon approaches and this lunar phenomenon will stir things up. That’s another clue.
Suspenseful and intense, Wer offers moments of enjoyable twists that guarantee the viewers’ attention. It successfully changes the feelings towards the main characters to completely opposite directions; from sympathy to antipathy and from annoyance to liking. The good performances by the lead characters mark another positive aspect and the hunt inside the dark, unsafe caves of the outback of Lyon creates a dangerous and macabre setting.
By watching Wer, you are signing up for a climactic horror movie, with lots of action and surprising moments. All these, accompanied by some charming French.
Maria Kriva, HMS
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