Rawhead Rex Reviews

"Rawhead Rex" is the rare film with absolutely no redeeming factors. Based on the short story of the same name by legendary horror fantasist Clive Barker, it manages to be loyal to the superficial aspects of the material while completely missing the entire point of the story. There is no themes or subtext to be read into this film, it's literally a big, dumb monster movie and not even an enjoyably stupid one at that. Yes, this movie is neither a good adaptation or one that earns respect on any unique merits. It's literally just wasted time and effort.

The story centers around a small Irish berg where a neolithic creature is accidentally unearthed and awakened after being cast into years of slumber by the growing Christian cult. Immediately his rampage begins and the town soon succumbs to its terror. Simple enough, except that the source material had much to say about religion and belief while being cleverly (and almost blasphemously) subversive, despite being a grossly explicit story.

As aforementioned, the film lacks any grasp of the material other than the most blatantly obvious things and effectively turns itself into a stagnant body count film within moments of its beginning. Worse than that, it's also ineptly directed, framed, and blocked to the point of being enraging. Somehow even worse than that, is its unenviable photography that renders everything plainly visible (warts and all) by leaving nary a corner in darkness. This does much to rob scenes and moments of tension and completely destroys any credibility the monster had which, let's be honest, it had none to begin with.

Ah yes, the monster. Quite possibly one of the worst effects in horror movie history. This hunk of junk looks like a deformed horse head was slapped onto the body of a really large 80's hair metal rocker (complete with poofy hair). There is nothing remotely realistic about it. The actor in the suit has no idea how to move in any form of fashion that evokes menace or fearsome yet brutal regality. Instead he kinda just stands or shakes around with seeming impotent rage. In short, the effect is horrible and so prominently featured (and lit) that you wonder how any suspense, mystery, or awe was supposed to be expected.

All the other actors are either depicting the characters in the most annoying possible fashion or are downright dreadful, most times both. Special tip of the hat to David Dukes as the total weiner of a protagonist. Never had I wanted to punch someone so badly for wearing a sweater and not fucking his obviously horny wife. The score is abhorrently bad, the "sets" are just repurposed homes and hotels that somehow end up looking more fake than an actual backlot set, and the horror set pieces are stale and perplexingly executed.

Something went horribly wrong with this production. It never becomes so bad it's good, it just descends deeper and deeper into a pool of ineptitude that renders the movie downright confusing because it fails to portray anything in a fashion that serves the material. That's coming from someone who's read the book!

"Rawhead Rex" is a cautionary tale for those that want debilitatingly direct adaptations of a story. It gives you that much but never with an iota of understanding of the material. I will say it wasn't boring because i spent most of the time appalled at how absolutely amateurish it was, so I guess that's one positive thing I can say about it.

Clive Barker denounces this movie and rightfully so. It's a travesty and a disservice to his work. This director should be the one entombed for centuries under a rock like Rawhead was. Uber-lame. Avoid at all costs. 1/10