February 27, 2007
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The crunchy part of your burger bites back.The next time you decide to sink your crusty yellow teeth into one of those moist, juicy, fast food hamburgers, ask yourself the following questions: Was this meat carved from the belly of a genetically-engineered cow? Was this unfortunate creature born with over 80% more beef than your average American bovine? Was it conceived in a madman's dream as opposed to a farm teeming with beautiful green grass and mountains of financial debt? The answer may surprise you. Shock you, even. I'll spare you the gruesome details of the white stringy things I picked out of the last burger I ate, but let it be known that I believe them to be remnants of some poor scientist's threadbare sweater.
If you're the type of basement-dwelling psychopath who thrives on such macabre ponderings, perhaps a viewing of Billy O'Brien's frightening Irish horror flick Isolation is in order. After all, it gives you a glimpse of the seedy side of rogue genetic fiddling, right down to the mutant offspring and multiple gnawed corpses. It'll make you question the ethics of that brilliant scientist sitting beside you at your mother's next high-profile dinner party. Be as friendly as you like, but do NOT their hand. You never know what kind of gooey infected cow opening they've had that thing in. Better to be safe than sorry, you know.
It appears that a down-on-his-luck farmer, a small town animal doctor, and a shady scientist are hatching a nefarious scientific scheme using some admittedly backyard techniques. Instead of doing their shifty work in some shiny office park in upstate New York, they seem content with the putrid surroundings of the farmer's muddy land, where animal crap flows like majestic chocolate rivers. What a glorious mental image.
Unfortunately for the rest of us, their lack of proper funding has caused quite a few freakish hiccups in their overall game plan. The end result, of course, is nothing short of horrifying. With the help of a young runaway couple, our heroes must contain these deadly genetic abominations before they contaminate the world.
I'll stop there, seeing as how Isolation works best when you have no idea what's lurking just around the corner. O'Brien's deliberate pacing keeps the plot moving without showing its hand too soon. Though there's a part of me that wants to say the film is perhaps a bit too slow, I do think the decision to keep things nice and steady works in the film's favor overall. Not a whole lot happens over the course of the picture, mind you, but what does take place will surely etch itself into your horror-starved little mind. Assuming, of course, you're not one of those genre fanboys (or girls) who has the attention pan of a meth-addicted gnat. In this case, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.
What an incredibly nice guy I am. Wow.
Story-wise, the film keeps things simple and uncomplicated. We're basically thrust into the middle of this situation just as it's starting to turn sour, leaving little more for things like pointless conversations and needless flashbacks. The characters' occupations are quickly explained, their histories are briefly touched upon, and then we're left to draw our own conclusions. Alternatively, their actions play a huge role in helping you get a feel for what they're all about. O'Brien doesn't spoon feed you anything whatsoever, even when you're starting to beg for an explanation. Smart move, you sly dog.
The performances are strong across the board, which is great considering they're essentially the backbone of the film. Some might say its Cronenberg-style gross-outs are what keeps the flick afloat, but I'll have to disagree completely with that statement. John Lynch, Sean Harris, and Ruth Negga are superb, captivating you completely without resorting to overblown performances. These talented individuals keep you glued to the screen, not the special effects. Kudos to all involved.
However, the film does boast an array of disgusting moments, but they're certainly not going to please those looking for a full-on gore film. Isolation has more in common with Ridley Scott's Alien as opposed to anything directed by Olaf Ittenbach. That said, O'Brien's use of murky visuals combined with his ability to generate palpable suspense ultimately give the film's shocking scenes an added boost. It's not gore for the sake of gore. Sorry if that upsets you.
Isolation proves yet again why America is quickly falling behind in the world of horror. Enjoyable straight-forward genre films are hard to find these days, so it's nice to see that Billy O'Brien has decided to toss his hat in the ring. And while there are certain aspects of Isolation that seem vaguely familiar, O'Brien's apt direction and the strength of his cast will quickly make you forget about the underlying framework's moldy aroma. If only we could get scientists to genetically alter the vast majority of American horror filmmakers for the greater good.
Knowing my luck, they'd just clone Eli Roth.
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