Film 28
Livid (DVD)
Do not confuse the day with the night.
I get that this is a movie, and events have to be set in motion, but there should be a law that stops characters in films doing things in normal, ordinary situations that they wouldnt do in normal, ordinary real life. Livid starts with a young woman on the first day of a job helping a nurse visiting elderly patients who need care in their homes. When they reach the third house, a large, isolated property behind some big iron gates, the young woman is told to wait in the car because she isnt ready for this patient yet. She does as shes told, for about 30 seconds, before deciding she doesnt want to wait, and gets out, goes through the gates, along the path through the large front garden, up to the house, where she opens the front door without knocking or ringing a bell, and goes straight upstairs without calling out or making her presence known in any way. Maybe Im unusual, but I dont know anyone who would ever do this is real life unless it was an emergency, no matter how curious or impatient they might be. Yet people in films, and in horror films particularly, do shit like this all the bloody time. This is the second film Ive watched this month where the protagonist just wanders into a house in a completely unrealistic way. The fact that in this case the young woman ends up being congratulated by the nurse for doing exactly what she was told not to doesnt make it any more realistic, it just makes it seem even more ridiculous. Its such unimaginative writing. There are other ways you can get her in the house if thats where you need her to be, you lazy bastards, ways that dont make me think your main character is a weird idiot! /rant
Anyway, this isnt the only ridiculous thing that occurs in Livid, but the films an entertainingly blood-splattered fairytale nonetheless. It tells the story of what happens to three young people who go looking for legendary treasure in a spooky old house on Halloween. The treasure is not what they were expecting, surprise surprise, and soon theyre in all sorts of trouble. Theres an interesting backstory to the whole thing and plenty of gory fun, not to mention a chilling cameo from Beatrice Dalle. Plus it stars Chloe Coulloud, an actress I must admit I could watch all day. I'm hoping they keep her on board for the English language remake that is apparently in development.
Verdict: While not a patch on Inside, the directors previous and much more intense effort, any film which features a pub called LAgneau Abattu is never going to be all bad. Livid is not a classic like An American Werewolf in London by any means, but its still pretty good, in its own daft and creepy way.
