Over the weekend I spent most of my time on the couch watching films in an attempt to avoid leaving the house, and one of the films I was fortunate to watch was SCAR 3D. Though to be honest, I did spend most of this movie with my eyes shut. The tongue amputation, amateur dentistry and close up fingernail removal is forever burned onto my retina. Afterwards I had to spend 10 minutes on YouTube looking at videos of bunnies and kittens just to get back to feeling normal.
The Independent’s review of the film said that SCAR 3D is “just the same old torture porn tarted up”, and that about sums it up, though sadly, even with the awesomeness that is 3D film, the effect can’t be created as well at home as it is in the theatre. If you missed the 3D release in cinema, then you missed it for good. About 10 minutes into the film I abandoned the 3D glasses that turned everything into monotone grey and went to the old-fashioned way of watching a film. To be fair, I was watching it on a projector and not the recommended HDTV/plasma screen, and so I wasn’t expecting greatness, but I also wasn’t expecting to be reminded so much of watching JAWS 3D in the 80’s. Sadly, home 3D film hasn’’t moved on much since then.
The premise of SCAR is nothing terribly new – The plot focuses on Joan (Angela Bettis), who returns to her home town 10 years after she and her best friend were held captive by an insane undertaker and tortured in his basement. It is not that far from the 1982 classic film SOPHIE’S CHOICE, but in this film instead of picking a favourite child Joan is made to choose between self-preservation and the life of her best friend, and having made that choice, Joan is the only one who leaves the room alive.
10 years on Joan is still haunted by the memory of having her friend killed to save her own skin (as you might expect) and the town has little trust for her. When the bodies of murdered teens start showing up, she is the first suspect. When her own niece goes missing, Joan is forced to confront the past.
The thing that is engaging about the film is the torture scenes – the emotional response the characters have to seeing their friends being mutilated is engrossing. However, the twist (if you can call it that) is lack-lustre and the end a let down.
However, if you liked HOSTEL and SAW you will probably like this film (mainly because you probably like films that are gory rather than clever, and where the budget was mostly spent on fake blood and props rather than on script writing).
SCAR 3D on is out now DVD and is available from major retailers including Amazon
Review: Sara Passmore