Film Review: Mr. Hush (2010)

SYNOPSIS:

Holland spends ten years searching the country, filled with self-torment and suffering, as he is haunted by his nightmares of that terrible night. He is drawn back to the small town of Layton, PA where he finds work in a restaurant owned by his friend, Mac. There he meets Debbie and begins to regain stability and peace in his life. But once his life adjusts to normal, Mr. Hush and his henchman, Stark, arrive. Driven by a lifetime of hatred toward the Price family, Mr. Hush continues to taunt Holland. But why? Follow our hero on his emotional rollercoaster ride as he descends into a dank and villainous world to see the face of darkness for what it is the face of Mr. Hush.

REVIEW:

Sorry for the pun, but the film “Mr. Hush” has not been quiet about its production in progress. I’ve been in fact receiving notes on this film for quite some time. When I first came upon word of its release, I must say it’s cover art reminded very quickly of the same art from the “Trick or Treat” release. Though out of consideration, I will say I still dig the cover (even though now its going to end up now in many of those “copied” cover art lists) (see list for inclusion).

The movie has a few interesting qualities attached to it. For one it features the return of actor Stephen Geoffreys to the horror realm who has been busy in the last decade with …well let’s just say, films I wouldn’t want to watch. Upon seeing him in his role as “Stark”, it was very clear why this actor stands out SO much. Even 27 years after his appearance in “Fright Night”, his voice tends to still creep the crap out of me. Sure Geoffreys is much older now, but somehow there is a essence of his youth still very apparent.

The film features actor Brad Loree in the role of Holland Price. Brad Loree has impressively been in “alot” of movies, but mostly in the capacity of a stunt man. Though I have to say he is really likeable, much the same way that I’d say about actor Thomas Haden Church. His role of Holland Price is one of a depressing nature as a man who loses his loving wife on Halloween to an intruding violent stranger (aka Edward X. Young as Mr. Hush). The first act does a great job at establishing this family relationship which is tragically interrupted with the appearance of Mr. Hush. Price’s daughter Amy (Megan Heckman) disappears that night sending him on a 10 year search across the country trying to locate his daughter.

Holland now much older is trying to forget the night and piece together his life. He even takes his first steps at dating again upon where he meets Debbie (Connie Giordano) and her daughter.

The film really calls upon the notion of building up this mystery killer to the effect of why, what, and for what purpose. If anything despite its depressing tone, you have to “know” the reason to these questions, to at least make you feel a little better about the situations.

It was almost directly into the 2nd half of the film, I began to get annoyed with a few things with the production. For one, the actors began to lose their believability when they started yelling at each other. Part of this is due to production issues where the speakers sounded like they were blowing out with every yell. In short it gets to this point where each is bellowing at the other in a rather forced tone.

Second, we really never get to know each of Holland’s love interests creating this gap when they are killed. I found myself wondering what I missed when it was announced that each was now deceased. We also get “that” huge gap with Holland’s daughter Amy, who is later found thus completing thru circle for Holland. How is Stephen Geoffreys return to horror? I’d say not bad. It is sort of like the same guy who we left in Fright Night and now returned to 27 years later. Is it me, or maybe did you all think that he should have been the main antagonist in this film? I see Stephen Geoffrey’s finding his perfect role in a nerdy edgy Dexter character that lives a secret life of debauchery.

We do get all the answers in the end, and a added surprise ending which is not “too” surprising when we see Mr. Hush bloodletting his victims and licking his fingers. The relationship between “Mr. Hush” and “Stark” starts to make sense upon this reveal as well. The film succeeds on 2 notes, one being the cool monster teeth and 2 the notion for keeping us misdirected thru the first part of the film. I wouldn’t call this a movie of the year by any means but it has its worth and sometimes” charm” for a low budget film.

Mr. Hush (2010)