My interest of cryptozoology finally made me see Darren Lynn Bousman’s The Barrens, also known as The Jersey Devil in certain parts of the world. Based on a real-life legend of a mysterious creature, part bear...part horse-ish/bull-ish...part bat.. and part demon. At least that what it looks like. The story tells it’s the 13th child of of wicked woman, who made a pact with the devil...or something like that. Somehow I can believe there’s ape creatures or unknown sea “monster” living out there in the unknown wilderness, but a creature like the Jersey Devil is of course too bizarre to ever be true or have something to do with reality. There’s no other creature like it, and in the end it just sounds like something some old fart made up to scare the kids with.
Thankfully The Barrens is so much more than this monster, it’s a damn fine thriller of it’s own. Richard Vineyard (Stephen Moyer) and his wife Cynthia (Mia Kirshner) is out hiking with the kids, teenage daughter Sadie and boy Danny. Richard have one goal, to go to the Barrens, a forest area, to spread the ashes of his father - which use to take him there when he was a little boy. Something happened in that forest and now Richard starts to see stuff, gets hallucinations...and everything is connect to the myth of the Jersey Devil. But is there any truth in what he’s seeing, or is something else happening to him?
The Barrens is a great, great movie. It was shot in 18 days (two days was lost because of rain, from the beginning the schedule was 20 days) and is one damn effective drama-thriller-monster-horror-thingie. It just feels very real. The fine chemistry in the family is the highlight of the show. You feel for them and with them and the story is unfolded in an intelligent and logical way. Even if it has monster sequences I would rather see it as a drama-thriller with the Jersey Devil as the MacGuffin, there’s so many layers of story here: a lost dog which makes the little son extra sensitive, an interesting side story of jealousy, a teenage daughter who wants to find herself, the loss of a father, even a campfire scene right out from an eighties slasher movie and a lot more. Yeah, including the damn monster.
I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t write that much more about the story or other details. But I’ve always liked the laid-back style of Bousman’s directing. Maybe I’m totally wrong, but a lot feels like the first takes - not only in this film - and the visuals is often very relaxed, very simple - but still impressive in form of intimacy. I know the guy have directed a bunch of the Saw movies, but at least part 2 and 3 is - to me - two of the best sequels in the franchise. Part 4 not so much, to be honest. But that’s more because of a weaker script than the director.
The Barrens is one of those few serious, adult, horror-thrillers out there. It’s as far from a teen horror as you can get, it’s not hip and trendy, it’s based on “reality” and has a nice cast of really competent actors. Either you see it as The Barrens, The Jersey Devil or Devil in the Woods, it’s worth giving it a chance.
"My interest of cryptozoology"
I love cryptids....they are fun.
"Even if it has monster sequences I would rather see it as a drama-thriller with the Jersey Devil as the MacGuffin,"
Sometimes that trick works....
"I know the guy have directed a bunch of the Saw movies, but at least part 2 and 3 is - to me - two of the best sequels in the franchise. Part 4 not so much, to be honest. But that’s more because of a weaker script than the director."
I think I´ve seen part2 or something....I don´t remember now.
But Darren Lynn Bousman did Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008), very uneven I thought but it has it´s moments.
"The Barrens is one of those few serious, adult, horror-thrillers out there. It’s as far from a teen horror as you can get, it’s not hip and trendy, it’s based on “reality” and has a nice cast of really competent actors. Either you see it as The Barrens, The Jersey Devil or Devil in the Woods, it’s worth giving it a chance."
I guess I might have to do that, good review and thanks.
Posted by: Megatron | April 18, 2014 at 23:41