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The Tattooist [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
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Our Price: £11.57 (subject to change)
Suspense rather than splatter: a taut little thriller
Review date: 2008-09-02 Rating: 8 out of 10
The Tattooist blends staple themes from horror films (a curse from beyond the grave, dark things lurking in the shadows, a young hero whose miscalculation involves him in a gruesome series of deaths) with an interesting New Zealand twist, examining the coming-of-age rituals of the Samoan people.
Yet while The Tattooist is undoubtedly dark, it avoids many horror cliches -- the boo! scares and buckets of blood are mercifully kept under control. Instead it unwraps the mystery of what's happening to the hero in a pacy yet thoughtful manner with plenty of suspense. There were a few scenes which made us wince, but in the main we were wrapped up in the plot. I enjoyed it far more than The Mist which came out this summer, for instance.
For me, The Tattooist is a good example of how a tight script and decent direction can make the most out of a small budget. It's not overlong, either. Really, if you're after a horror movie then this probably isn't what you'd want to watch: it's more like a supernatural thriller.
If this were a big budget film with huge names in it then it would only rate three stars, but it's a very good example of how a simple film can be made to be intriguing and stylish without being smothered by mumbled dialogue or overblown direction. So it's a 4-star B-movie, if that makes sense!
7/10
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Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Robbie Magasiva
Caroline Cheong
Mia Blake
David Fane
Jason Behr
Creators:
Jason Behr (Primary Contributor)
Mia Blake (Primary Contributor)
Daniel Yun (Producer)
James Dean (Producer)
Julie Christie (Producer)
Ng San San (Producer)
Paul Davis (Producer)
Jonathan King (Writer)
Matthew Grainger (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: Sony Pictures
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
EAN: 0043396254572
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: AC-3, Colour, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC,
Release date: 2008-06-24
Universal product code (UPC): 043396254572
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Region code: 1
Running time: 92 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2007
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)
Language: French (Dubbed)