Dvd
The Collector
From the writers of Saw IV through to Saw VII comes this ruthless, torture-porn horror flick with the tagline: "He always takes one".
For handyman and ex-con Arkin (Josh Stewart), a job fixing up a quiet home with it's family occupants on vacation is an 'opportunity'. Inside the house is a safe, and inside the safe is a gem – his only hope for repaying a debt to his ex-wife and keeping what’s left of his family intact. Unfortunately for Arkin, inside the house is also a box containing the latest addition to a collection catalogued in blood, bones and tears. As the seconds tick down to midnight, Arkin becomes a reluctant hero – trying to save the family he came to rob who are trapped by a masked 'Collector' in a maze of lethal invention.
Starring Josh Stewart, Michael Reilly Burke, Andrea Roth, Juan Fernández, Karley Scott Collins, Daniella Alonso
Directed by Marcus Dunstan (feature debut)
Written by Marcus Dunstan, Patrick Melton
Thriller, Horror, Crime | 1hr 30mins | Rated (R18) | contains sadistic violence, sexual themes & offensive language | Origin: USA | Official Site »
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The Talk
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Flicks review
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2
Ah, torture porn. Filling the gap in the horror market since whenever it was that Japanese horror films ceased being relevant. This entry into the sub-genre is a pretty much a textbook example of the style, its perceived strengths and more frequently its glaring flaws.
Before the carnage ensues, a minimal plot is laid down with most characters only getting a solitary scene to win the audience’s sympathy. Unfortunately it’s all very perfunctory and none of them come off as particularly likeable. Maybe that’s because in this type of horror you’re meant to covertly identify with the killer.
Taken in isolation, some of the horror scenes are pretty good but they’re laid out through the running time in haphazard fashion. There doesn’t seem any effort to structure them to build to bigger and bigger moments. Some of the most frightening stuff comes early, meaning later scenes can’t get an effective response. Not helping on this front are unexplained circumstances and plot holes that start cropping up as we get closer to the big finale. The pounding soundtrack isn’t the most appropriate for a film where most of the action involves sneaking around, either.
As is typical with this kind of stuff, the ending the leaves the door open for a sequel. Let’s hope not, as the first installment delivers gruesomeness but not a whole lot else.SHARE:
The people's reviews
25 reviews
Press Reviews
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Christchurch Press (James Croot)
2
Unless you're a big fan of the genre, The Collector is something you endure rather than enjoy.
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Empire (UK)
4
A nerve-fraying new take on the home-invasion horror.
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Hollywood Reporter
In the absence of a sturdy, plausible foundation on which to hook all those grisly bits, the film, originally a Dimension release, tends to play out more like a protracted "Saw" outtake reel.
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Los Angeles Times
Either you go for this sort of extreme, senseless gore or you don't. With its plot and lead performance, The Collector is, at least, an unusual specimen.
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New York Times
Offers agony in a vacuum, a villain without a motive and a hero with more personal problems than lines of dialogue.
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Total Film (UK)
3
A ludicrous, gratuitous torture porn with an idiotic ending. But within those boundaries it’s absolutely at the top of its game.
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Variety (USA)
With both feet planted firmly on the sticky accelerator of the torture-porn vehicle, The Collector is a surprisingly stylish and confident high-concept thriller.
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