INSANE LIKE ME? - Review
DISTRIBUTOR: DeskPop Entertainment
SYNOPSIS: After completing his tour of duty overseas, combat veteran Jake Morgan returns home to celebrate with his friends and girlfriend, Samantha. However, the celebration turns deadly when Samantha disappears and Jake becomes the prime suspect. Despite his claims of vampire involvement, he is wrongly convicted and incarcerated in a local mental asylum by Sheriff Davis, Samantha's father. Nine years later, Jake is released and returns home to settle his father's affairs. Still determined to find the truth and clear his name, Jake returns to the scene of the crime to settle the score with Samantha's younger sister, Crystal.
REVIEW: A captivating formula of veterans, vampires, weapons, muscle cars, and babes comes together in this interesting concept, enhanced by a captivating cast of characters, but does it gel?
The screenplay has a weak execution despite its foolproof concept. The dialogues are questionable and inconsistent, leading to moments of disbelief while listening to the character's interactions. The performances are not at fault, but the lines themselves seem poorly written, with some sounding improvised. The party takes place in an "old hotel" with a disturbing history of murders and missing persons, and it occurs on Halloween. There are plenty of victims at the party, but no halloween decorations or costumes. While I can comprehend Jake's motivations throughout the film, there are elements that contribute to the flawed logic of the narrative. There are irrelevant ghost hunters introduced at the beginning of the story, who serve no purpose in the evolving plot. Other plot points are predictable, making it easy for viewers to guess what will happen. A significant unresolved plot point involves Jake and Samantha. Moreover, while Jake and the primary female characters are well-developed, the rest lack intelligence and are portrayed as flawed vampire bait.
The film has visually appealing locations, including the vampire hotel. Despite its supposed abandonment, the hotel appears rather clean and well-maintained, lacking a creepy atmosphere. The costumes are functional, with many female actors sporting plunging necklines. The editing could have been improved to enhance the action sequences. The blood splatter effects seem computer-generated, and the stage blood looks off. The dialogue of the vampires undergoes an effect when transformed, which muddles the vocals and hampers comprehension. Edward Antonio's score is satisfactory but often overshadowed by the macho rockabilly numbers that accentuate Jake's character and party atmospheres
The cast members give impressive performances despite the limited material they have to work with. Britt Bankhead's acting is reminiscent of Frank Grillo's early film roles, and with the right project and director, his career could potentially soar. Samantha Reddy and Grace Patterson deliver memorable performances, bringing depth and emotion to their respective roles. At certain points, their facial expressions after delivering their lines hint at inner turmoil, perhaps related to their project choices. Veteran actor Eric Roberts attempts a Texan accent combined with his New York speech patterns, resulting in a hybrid that veers towards cliché and almost comical. The rest of the cast, both human and vampire, portray stereotypical, clichéd characters who seem to exist primarily as fodder for the body count.
INSANE LIKE ME?, directed by Chip Joslin and Britt Bankhead, has an intriguing premise that, unfortunately, is let down by weaknesses in the writing. These shortcomings impact the performances, and some of the production values fail to contribute meaningfully to the film's atmosphere or energy. While I acknowledge the talent involved and appreciate the solid premise, I found the film somewhat tedious to sit through. Despite being an above-average independent B-movie, the elements of blood, babes, and violence may not be sufficient to maintain audience interest throughout the film's runtime.
CAST: Britt Bankhead, Grace Patterson, Eric Roberts, Samantha Reddy, Jack Maxwell, Paul Kolker and Meg Hobgood. CREW: Director/Screenplay - Chip Joslin; Screenplay/Producer - Britt Bankhead; Cinematographer - Francois Frizat; Score - Edward Antonio;Editor - Jon Blaze; Special Effects Makeup Artist - Anne Martinez; Visual Effects - Jeff Hamm. OFFICIAL: www.instagram.com/bankheadproductions FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/100069995974325 TWITTER: N.A. TRAILER: https://youtu.be/HDoQIuXhIY0?si=pAOjGooYwOxj1cPO RELEASE DATE: Cable and Digital VOD June 4, 2024
**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay), or 👎 (Dislike)
Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri
