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Director Mark Tapio Kines does more than simply bring back a genre prodigal child, as he also manages to bring us a taught story about claustrophobia (the original title no less!), helplessness and the uncaring callousness of modern mankind. Being able to tackle this much? Talent. Being able to do so and toss in a serial killing madman who wields a hand-crossbow? Genius! Pay no heed to budget and don't waste time searching IMDB for the "big name" talent who appear...instead, just sit back, pop in this DVD and remember that good filmmaking sometimes takes you by surprise and doesn't always show up in the local 20 screen megaplex!
As of yet, all the victims have been found in or around the outside yards of their homes with deadly strikes from the crossbow. Ballistics shows that the killer strikes mainly from the rooftops of the victims' homes, moving to the ground only to finish off a wounded target if at all. Needless to say, this has entire cities held in the grip of fear. People call in sick from work, take vacations early, jump at every noise, sit transfixed to footage of the crimes on their televisions, or try any other ways of escaping the reality that there is a killer amongst them. For Lauren, Gina and Grace this escape comes in the form of a workplace slumber party.
While every girl in their office was invited, only the three of them manage to show up; the rest either "too busy" or possibly too afraid. Regardless, they are going to make a go of it; try to make the best of the night ahead and have a little fun in the midst of all the horror. Besides a rough start getting to know each other, it seems that they just might be successful in their attempt...that is, until they hear the footsteps on the roof...
The next hour or so of Serial Slayer is a very deftly worked tale of claustrophobia (I am really starting to like that title for this movie better...wonder why it was changed...any reasons Lions Gate cause Claustrophobia is a whole lot better?), in which the three twenty-somethings are forced to deal with the reality of the situation. Every aspect of the scenario is looked into starting with denial, doubt, reasoning, hope and moving swiftly through panic, planning, acceptance, anger, defiance and determination.
From the moment that the girls first hear footsteps on the roof, to the point when the power goes out, to the point where their Chinese food delivery man (?) knocks on the door, these girls make it very clear to the audience what exactly they are feeling and how their thought process is progressing...and even though we don't always agree with their choices (there are more than a few moments where you want to scream at these girls to do something different), we at least understand why they have made them. I think in today's horror films, this understanding of character motivation is a lacking element, and it is a pleasant surprise to find it in abundance here.
But making films that attached themselves to viewers is not a new thing to Mark, even if filmmaking still is. His previous work, Foreign Correspondents tells two separate tales of two separate people who are handling the reality of being alone only to have their tales touch tenderly in the end. Full of soft spoken realities and well cared for characters, it has been said that this film can be emotionally impactful simply for the fact that everyone finds a part of themselves displayed on screen. While Claustrophobia may not have a character that each of us will identify with, many of us will and even those who don't will at least find themselves rooting for these young ladies.
But even well written characters are nothing without the right actors to fill the roles, and for the most part these three young talents are perfect fits. The bookish, mousy "nerd" role played by Mary Lynn Rajskub is especially effective and she does just as much to surprise the viewers late in the film as she does to bring them comfortably into the action. Sheeri Rappaport is the hardest character to accept as the rough-around-the-edges hard nose, but it wasn't until after I have finished watching the film that I realized this aversion to her character was what the character was all about, and that it was her talent as an actress which made me irritated with her and not her lack of it.
The finest performance of the film comes from Melanie Lynskey, of Heavenly Creatures fame. This first-break by director Peter Jackson gave Melanie an early start in her film career and this has obviously done her a great service as she now appears to be the most comfortable in front of the camera out of our three leads. And while the characters are written in such a way as to be equals, it is Melanie who stands apart and seems to command every scene. Regardless of the size of its audience, it is a relief to see this fine actress in a more deserving role than say her appearance in Coyote Ugly...uggh.
Certainly a fine cast, and most assuredly a fine talent helming the whole project! Claustrophobia, or Serial Slayer is a damn fine movie regardless of what you want to call it. This is one to seek out for all potential filmmakers as well, as this is where you will be starting...digital video, small ensemble cast, and limited locations. Mark Tapio Kines has assembled a very fine example of what talent can throw in the face of budget, and any and all future successes will be well deserved indeed.
-aaron-
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But
even more gratifying to us horror hounds than the fact that she returns
to us now, in a genre picture no less, is the way in which she returns
to the screen! Judith plays the first victim of the titles "slayer"
and takes a couple of arrows in the back and another point blank in
the head. Bravo! This is the kind of return to cinema
that I would expect from a long remembered scream-queen (a distinction
worth noting for the fact that she appeared only once). It's
good to see you back, Judith, and good to see that you have a few
more projects on the horizon!
The
San Francisco Bay area is under siege from a madman, who has been
systematically killing its inhabitants in the safety of their own
neighborhoods and yards. There does not seem to be a pattern
to the killers choice of victims or to the locations of his previous
attacks, and only one fact binds them all together; the method by
which this serial killer dispatches his victims. A readily available
hand crossbow, which can be found at nearly every flea market and
sporting good store for an affordable price, is seemingly the source
of the small bolts which are found in each victims body.
There
really is no greater challenge for a filmmaker than to place a film
in one setting and then keep in interesting for an hour and a half.
Some have tried it and succeeded, such as Alfred Hitchcock's Rope,
but most have failed miserably or at least been forced to deviate
from the original intent. Serial Slayer...ah screw it,
that title is so stupid I am just going to call this film Claustrophobia
from now on out of respect for the writer/director. Claustrophobia
manages to take this scenario and twist it into something, if not
entirely realistic, at least very engaging and entertaining. 
If
this were, of itself, enough reason to watch Claustrophobia,
there is more to come. There is plenty of social commentary
to go along with your horror here, much as in the last horror flick
that Claustrophobia actress Judith O'dea appeared in...Night
Of The Living Dead. In fact, many of the same themes are
explored here...the distrust of strangers, the apathy of those who
are "safe" to those who aren't, the feelings of isolation
even when surrounded by our fellow man. Writer/director Mark
Tapio Kines must have paid close attention to the goings on in the
media during the East Coast's sniper attacks as much of those reports
has found its way into the television and radio broadcasts in his
film, there-by adding to the familiarity of this scenario to us, the
viewers.