The Task (2011)

   

Directed by: Alex Orwell

Written by: Kenny Yakkel

Starring:

Alexandra Staden .... Connie
Victor McGuire .... Big Daddy
Adam Rayner .... Taylor
Antonia Campbell-Hughes .... Angel
Ashley Mulheron .... Shoe
Amara Karan .... Toni
Tom Payne .... Stanton
Marc Pickering .... Randall
Texas Battle .... Dixon
Sam Stockmen .... Scelzi

Release Date: Limited Theatrical: January 28, 2011

*Images courtesy at: www.obzorkino.tv

 

 

 

 

Rating:

 

A group of people are on a reality TV show and have to survive a night at an abandoned jail which is clamied to be haunted only to have phony hauntings happening while they have to follow instructions on conquering their biggest fears in life.
While they do all of this it seems that a ghostly figure who served time at the cell and is now dead seems to be doing them all in which wasn't part of the plan to the makers of this show and that things are turning deadly for everyone.

 

The film starts off with a strange beginning with what looks like people speaking foreign language and then someone kidnapping them as well as neat different camera shots on different takes of different people being kidnapped which is a nice start making you wonder why this is happening. Plus the kidnappers wore pig faced and clown masks as this seems to pay a tribute to other horror films that we all know off too. Good touch here.
Also there was an impressive moment when they're let out only as a joke that they were kidnapped introduced by the host of a relaity show named Taylor as this seemed pretty impressive on him describing on what they have to do by staying in a haunted jail as the shot on the jail looked good and creepy by what we spot here as well as the odd humoress moments on one of them peeing their pants being too scared and deciding to bail out in which this is a real teaser later on realising that he was an actor hired to do this proving on how scripted reality shows are.
Also many good takes on the characters describing themselves and their worst fears in which this adds another good moment in the story since reality shows have this topic introducing the people here.
There's also many good camera takes on the contestants walking through the corridors of the abandoned cell in which looked dark and creepy as well as some odd corny moments on them running when they hear a dog barking and so fourth.
A perfect moment on a screen being exposed showing something peaceful and then bang! There's flames and other things being exposed exposing a possessed clown instructing them on what to do which was a perfect touch to watch in this film making this more and more fun while the story carries on.
Also great dark moments surrounding Randall reading a chant out of a satanic book in which you wonder if something is going to come out of it leaving a chilling impression here.
There's also a moment on another fellow named Dixon who has to go into some sort of a crapper area in which this totally looked truly gross to watch him having to go in there and then we spot some hulking figure locking him in there which seemed shocking and was also effective when the people behind the filming of all this wonder who this person is as well as having a creepy moment on this figure staring into the camera and scaring these people which truly looks frightening while watching this too.
There's even some humorous moments with a one of the crew members from the reality show smoking dope and later on in a distance we spot a darklike figure watching him and he tries to talk to this person in which leaves an impression that something here is going to happen and it's not good at all.
What's amusing is that another contestant named Shoe is a vegetarian and has to eat a piece of meat which is definetely a fear and gross out moment for anyone who is against eating a dead animal for sure in which you wonder what she will do after she eats it.
There's also a nice moment with Shoe and Randall trying to find a way on entering a doorway with this hulking figure standing in front of them as they seem to find some way on passing him in which looked pressuring for sure having a deadly feeling about this which is of course these two making an unwise decision without a doubt.
Nice scenery in a room with gas spreading around for a timid contestant Toni wearing a gas mask with the hulking figure coming in to do a deadly deed which was probably one of the most memorable moments to watch in this stoary and to what he does with her.
We spot a moment with Angel thinking that this figure is a set up and carries a fake knife stabbing this person but yet we see him bleed and fall which can confuse you viewers but it does explain itself later into the story. Yet watching this at first can boggle you big time.
The adventure starts up big time when we spot the head producer Connie trying to help Angel out of the prison when discovering that the terrors aren't an act in which alot of this looked great to watch on how they will survivie the madness that's happening here. All of this looked totally watchable. Then later on the formula here seems to borrow heavily from the flick April Fools Day but yet with a shocking twist here making this one a much better one to watch indeed.
Bottom line is that this film is overly mysterious and entertaining proving that most reality shows are a joke. The story is good and dark with some humor in it to lighten things up in which the chemistry works in superbly for both of these to go hand in hand. A film worth watching and if a sequel was made it would be worth it for sure.

The acting is not too badly done. Lead actress Alexandra Staden (Connie) certainly knew her stuff inside out by portraying a strict businesswoman who likes to have a laugh or two into what she does for her show. She had a good sharp behavior when she speaks sternly as well as sharply and shows off great energy into all that she does here. She does a good job with her energetic and calm speaking towards one of the actors trying to talk to her in which this looked powerfully done. She comes across strongly onto the camera whenever she makes her appearance into the film.
Victor McGuire (Big Daddy) is quite a ham in his role as he shows off a nice sarcastic type of behavior into what he does and seems believeable as to someone who likes to enjoy himself doing what he does for working behind the scene's on a reality show. He was truly a good character actor into what he does here. I was really fond on watching him and his personality.
Adam Rayner (Taylor) shows off a ton of spunk as the host of the show in which he definetely makes his part come to life with his humor and lifelike attitude here. He also knew on how to act like not taking stuff seriously along with having a witty myseterious type too. He comes across like a total ball of energy in whatever he does into his performance.
Antonia Campbell-Hughes (Angel) certainly grabbed attention with her strange looks and appeal to her character in which she shows a nice tense and calm type of behavior as well as showing a joking type of attitude too. Plus she knew on how to act as tough as nails too whenever she needed to be drawing all of this in together. There's an okay reaction by her when she puts her hand in an object and reacts scared as well as doing a nice laughing reaction afterwards showing some decent energy here. Also a nice sarcastic attitude on her with good aggressions too while trying to figure stuff out. The during the ending of her performance looked impressive with her sobbing as well as throwing a nice punching reaction. She was one of the best performers in this flick and deserves very good credit into what she does here.
Ashley Mulheron (Shoe) had this calm and sensitive ditsy blonde type of appeal into her perfomance as she does come across as one of those types in a reality show that we often spot. She seems to do her speaking and everything else not too shabbily in which I will take a nod to for doing her best with everything that she had to do here.
Tom Payne (Stanton) certainly shows alot of great outgoing behavior into his role and knowing on how to make his voice change whenever he wanted to get into what he was doing by trying to be funny here. He does a good job acting uplifting with his voice while reading an instruction and really getting into this. He was another good energetic one in his performance here. He was very strong in his personality.
Marc Pickering (Randall) was the most effective supporting actor in this flick playing a homosexual in which he certainly knew all the moves and motivation in order to portray this type of role. He does a good job choking out his words and having a nice quiverring reaction to reading something as well as showing nice nervous expressions too. Also he brought some good humor and a tense behavior. Plus he shows alot of good wit into all of this by showing a nice hyperactive energy into his personality too.
Texas Battle (Dixon) showed a nice smooth type of behavior as well as showing an easy going type of character for his role. He shows a nice tense moment into his performance into his role in which comes across very believeable. He also shows a nice gross reaction to what he encounters and does well with his blocking while slowly getting into an object as well as reacting uncomfortable in which this looked believeable. He draws into his role very well here. He certainly left a good effect on what he did and can be fondly remembered too.

Lots of bloody stabbings here and there. Some look pretty graphic.

There's alot of great booming and rattling type sounds. Plus there's numerous screeching, scraping and hissing noises too in which alot of this sounds incredibly powerful for the darkness of the plot here. A ton of great touches for the sounds indeed in which was well focused and worked on composed by Ernst Meinrath