Husk (2011)

   

Written & Directed by: Brett Simmons

Starring:

Devon Graye .... Scott
Wes Chatham .... Brian
CJ Thomason .... Chris
Tammin Sursok .... Natalie
Ben Easter .... Johnny

Release Date: Limited Theatrical: January 28, 2011

 

 

Rating:

 

A group of young adults are on a car ride through a deserted road with a cornfield nearby. Their vehicle falls into a ditch caused by crows flying into their windshield and are stranded there while a couple of the friends named Scott (Devon Graye) and Brian (Wes Chatham) travel through a cornfield to look for help and find an old run down house in which they spot one of their friends named Johnny (Ben Easter) on a sewing machine but doesn't seem to be the same anymore.
The terror piles up even more as some of the scarecrows out in the field seems to attack the friends and they end up not being the same like they used to anymore in which this gives Scott some creepy flashback memories on his past family life in which he never revelaed to anyone before until now.

 

While watching the beginning of this movie it looked very stale with young adults driving on a deserted road with nothing but cornfields in which this seems way too familiar to a film based on one of Stephen King's short stories that any horror fan would know of. But yet there seems to be some interesting close to jumping sequences when crows fly into the windshield of their car adding an average suspense to all of this as well as the vehicle swerving and driving into a ditch. You kinda gasp since not many people would want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere as well as their vehicle damaged which costs hundreds of dollars. Also not many of them seem to worry too much being stranded out there in which I thought this was partially a case of bad writing.
Then I was hoping that more exciting moments will beging in which it seems to drag with two of the main characters Scott and Brian are travelling through a cornfield to look for help and then they climb up a scarecrow which seemed exciting to watch as well as this scarecrow looking creepy and not your everyday one either.
Yet they spot a house which looked creepy looking in the same form as Texas Chainsaw Massacre along with them exploring it which even had the similar creepy tone to the plot and spotting the back of the head on one of their friends using a sewing machine which seemed very strange and while they try to walk up close to him you have a feeling that this dude isn't the same anymore as well the machine is loud while he's working on it and he stops which there is an absolute silence in which this can psych you out wondering what's next.
There's another moment where Natalie wanders near a cornfield and spots a scarecrow lying on the ground and is in for an odd shocking surprise finding out it's not your everyday scarecrow in which this seemed fairly amusing.
Plus we get flashback sequences that involves Scott with a dysfunctional family on his father butchering an upside down pig in his barn and being nasty to his family making you wonder on what's behind all of this and a drawing card to the unsolved mysteries here.
There's some more close to jumping moments when a scarecrow seems to come to life and drags Scott away hanging him upside down on a crucifix which seemed real mind boggling wondering how is this all happening and the cause of it.
The story seemed to unravel with Scott discussing with Chris on why this is all happening while having a chess board in front of them but yet I still had a difficult time understanding it regardless.
There's even a moment when Scott is nearly slayed and he tries to escape and someone is there trying to call out to see who is there and his volcal cords are shut off which can be frusterating when you are in danger and need help. It also looked suspenseful knowing what will happen next.
Bottom line is this story drags alot as it doesn't seem to end and has some leaky holes in it which made me think to myself to get on with it but it did have some adventureous moments which saves it from sinking to below average. It goes to show that Hollywood is for sure running out of ideas to make something original as we have seen stuff like this before. The story seems quite stale and not knowing what to do with itself.

The acting is in fair shape in which lead actor Devon Graye (Scott) seemed to pull off well with his dweeby type looks and personality along with knowing on how to act paranoid and disturbed about his past life. He also draws a good seriousness to his role as well as being energetic all the way through with the terror surrounding him in which you can tell that he put alot into his role and studied it in a fair taste. A good reaction on him while climbing up a scarecrow to discover a house. He does a good job by really losing it in a certain scene. Also offered good lung power while screaming for help when being hung upside down in another scenario. Does well struggling on the ground trying to cry out but straining as this looked good and convincing showing a good straining type of reaction.
Wes Chatham (Brian) brought out a great seriousness and aggressions to his role and also knew on how to act obnoxious in his role whenever it came to that. He had the prefect rough looks to his character which is another nice bonus to his part in which I found that he stood out the most of the whole cast. He can go far playing these types of roles in other shows.
Tammin Sursok
(Natalie) came across not too badly in which she does well with acting freaked out by what is happening. She also knew on how to really lose it with her aggressions as well as acting versatile later on when she becomes somewhat a zombielike by acting expressionless. She really worked hard to what she did which it shows. Does a good job acting anxious and calling towards someone she spots. She does a good job looking over a scarecrow type object as well as having a good jumping scream after what she spots. She also does a great job showing alot of intense energy by screaming at someone after what she saw as well as having a nice anxiety attack by getting her stuff and running into the cornfield. showing a high paced energy with this too. There's great freaked out reactions and screams with her in a cornfield.
Most of the other acting didn't stand out too well although none of it was terrible at all.

Crows are slaughtered while slamming into a windshield
Bodies are sliced with a violent bloodshed
Two people hammer nails into their hands
A pig is cut open hung upside down
Numerous bloody stabbings in various scene's

Bobby Tahouri certainly gives a good horror feel to the film with good metal banging effects and slamming sounds too for the jumping moments. Plus there's good adventureous classical violin music and some nice hissing sounds to top it off.