The Fiend

Some of the most uneven, downright strange pacing you'll find in a film. Begins a slasher, spends most of its time an anti-anti-vaxx parable, ends as a cautionary tale of religious abuse, but it's mostly way more boring than any of that would infer. A wannabe Hitch without his suspense. At the least, made me realize I have a beef with films that clothe nutjob cults as mainstream faiths - it does no one, especially the writers, any favors.

This may be a horror film on paper, but on screen the events are as crisp, clean, colourful and daylit as an episode of The Avengers. The oedipal serial killer theme pays tribute to Psycho, but the suspense is more mundane than menacing. The main draw of the film is therefore the series of attractive young women whom the killer laughably manages to seduce, disrobe and slaughter. So, more softcore than scary. It's also quite funny in parts - not always intentionally. Entertaining in its own way.

Terrible.

This was an oddly diverting curiosity that seemed to have something to say about religion and medicine and personal choice and women, but whatever it was trying to say wasn't particularly clear. Same from a film-making point of view - was this meant to be a drama, a slasher, or something more seedy? It is strangely enjoyable, though. Patrick Magee is always good value for money, and the rest of the cast were committed at least. Kudos for going all-out with a couple of musical numbers...