OK, OK Everybody hates Uwe Boll & his movies. That much has been established. Before I continue with this quick review I must confess I met Uwe at a screening for "Postal" last year & found him to be quite intelligent & engaging even though "Postal" wasn't. But that has nothing to do with the rating I gave "Seed".
The plot is pretty standard. Serial killer gets captured, Electrocuted (3 times)& doesn't die. At this point he is buried alive to insure his death & rid the world of his menace. He (Of course) digs himself up & proceeds to go after the people responsible for his "Execution".
Nothing special script-wise right?? But Boll wasn't interested in writing a good script (Is he ever)? What he was interested in was making a disturbing film that will stick with the few of you who will watch it for a long time.
The opening credits alone made me want to turn off the TV. It features video of animal cruelty (Thats real) & extremely disturbing. Apparently this is what the character gets off on. That & kidnapping people & locking them in a dungeon like cell & watch them via closed circuit camera slowly starve to death. Among them is a baby no older than 9-12 months old.
Is this entertainment? Nope...not at all. As a matter of fact it's appalling. But I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. It is probably the most disturbing film I've ever seen & I've seen more than a few of those. I say there is a skill in having the balls to make a film that no one can possibly enjoy & still have people watch it thru to the end.
There is another murder scene that involves a woman tied to a chair in her kitchen & Seed slowly, Calculatingly, almost curiously bludgeoning her to death with a claw hammer. The scene is excruciating not only for it's violence but it's length. It seems to go on for 5 minutes at least (I didn't time it though). The effects in this scene are also most unsettling & the sound effects only add to the horror of what's transpiring in front of you.
All of the performers turn in a workman's job. No one really stands out in that sense. But I don't think they're supposed to. "Seed" is all foreboding & dread. The cinematography is muted & dull. There aren't many daylight scenes & the ones that exist are also kind of...Not bright. The movie is designed to put you in a state of tension & nervousness from the beginning & (For me) it succeeded. It's just an ugly film all the way around. But one that's meant to be ugly, It didn't just end up this way. There is a skill at work here like it or not.
So I'm going on record as giving the film a 6 overall. This due to a pretty average script & adequate acting. But If I was rating it for it's effect on my psyche...I'd give it a 10 (Honestly). I was that disturbed by it. It even has one of the grimmest endings I've seen in a long while. Mr. Boll does have something in him...somewhere that will give us a great film one day I think. This just isn't it. This is a exercise in discomfort. A very good one, But It's just too much of a downer......
By the way, I didn't check but I think the film runs less than 80 min or so. To disturb me so much in so little time (& I am a VETERAN horror film fan) is impressive.
The plot is pretty standard. Serial killer gets captured, Electrocuted (3 times)& doesn't die. At this point he is buried alive to insure his death & rid the world of his menace. He (Of course) digs himself up & proceeds to go after the people responsible for his "Execution".
Nothing special script-wise right?? But Boll wasn't interested in writing a good script (Is he ever)? What he was interested in was making a disturbing film that will stick with the few of you who will watch it for a long time.
The opening credits alone made me want to turn off the TV. It features video of animal cruelty (Thats real) & extremely disturbing. Apparently this is what the character gets off on. That & kidnapping people & locking them in a dungeon like cell & watch them via closed circuit camera slowly starve to death. Among them is a baby no older than 9-12 months old.
Is this entertainment? Nope...not at all. As a matter of fact it's appalling. But I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. It is probably the most disturbing film I've ever seen & I've seen more than a few of those. I say there is a skill in having the balls to make a film that no one can possibly enjoy & still have people watch it thru to the end.
There is another murder scene that involves a woman tied to a chair in her kitchen & Seed slowly, Calculatingly, almost curiously bludgeoning her to death with a claw hammer. The scene is excruciating not only for it's violence but it's length. It seems to go on for 5 minutes at least (I didn't time it though). The effects in this scene are also most unsettling & the sound effects only add to the horror of what's transpiring in front of you.
All of the performers turn in a workman's job. No one really stands out in that sense. But I don't think they're supposed to. "Seed" is all foreboding & dread. The cinematography is muted & dull. There aren't many daylight scenes & the ones that exist are also kind of...Not bright. The movie is designed to put you in a state of tension & nervousness from the beginning & (For me) it succeeded. It's just an ugly film all the way around. But one that's meant to be ugly, It didn't just end up this way. There is a skill at work here like it or not.
So I'm going on record as giving the film a 6 overall. This due to a pretty average script & adequate acting. But If I was rating it for it's effect on my psyche...I'd give it a 10 (Honestly). I was that disturbed by it. It even has one of the grimmest endings I've seen in a long while. Mr. Boll does have something in him...somewhere that will give us a great film one day I think. This just isn't it. This is a exercise in discomfort. A very good one, But It's just too much of a downer......
By the way, I didn't check but I think the film runs less than 80 min or so. To disturb me so much in so little time (& I am a VETERAN horror film fan) is impressive.