ARE YOU SCARED?

ARE YOU SCARED

Director: Andy Hurst

Starring: Carlee Avers, Brad Ashten, Soren Bowie

The movie world has, over the last few years attempted to play on our fears of reality shows with mixed success. Well this year someone has attempted it and done a damn fine job.

ANDY HURST may have worked his way slowly up the ladder, working as writer on direct to DVD sequels such as SINGLE WHITE FEMALE 2, but that work has finally paid off big time and sees him now in the director’s chair of this little corker of a movie.

HURST has taken a variety of elements from the likes of MY LITTLE EYE, THE CUBE and mixed them with a hint of SAW. The result is a satisfying, hour and a half of blood stained fun. And, in my opinion, this is what elevates ARE YOU SCARED above the rest. One word…FUN!!!

ARE YOU SCARED is bound to be compared to the SAW films and this is just unfair. The two films may have a thin common thread, but AYS is clearly the more enjoyable of the two. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the SAW films, but they lacked one important ingredient. They just weren’t fun to watch.

AYS has the blood, it also has the tension and the terror, but it’s done in such a way that, as a viewer, it’s not a harrowing experience. It does have its toe curling moments and some of the ‘games’ the contestants have to play are down right nasty. The scene with the twins is a truly emotional thrill ride as they play to save each other from the spinning tip of the electric drill (a true high point of 2007 horror).

What also helps this idea work is the killer and his reasons for doing so. The JIGSAW character just wasn’t scary and his motive is so weak it beggars belief. With AYS we are given a killer who has a justified motive and conveys menace when seen in the shadowy confines of the game zone.

On first viewing I found the police subplot slightly unneeded, but when the punch line to ‘Police, you’re safe now,” hit it was well worth the build up. It’s an expertly set up, gory joke that made me jump and laugh at the same time.

So, in conclusion, what can I say?

ARE YOU SCARED is the film SAW III should have been…’nuff said.

ARE YOU READY TO BE SCARED?