This one really is scary!

Rating: 7/10 (29 December 2013)

To me, there are 2 kinds of horror films. One type we watch because it's fun. Another type that we watch actually is scary...and I don't mean the Freddie-type films with blood spattering all over, but rather the type of film that really is a bit disturbing. This is one of those films. So, it gets high marks for that.
I'm also going to give it high marks for the performance of its lead actor -- Ethan Hawke. It was 14 years ago I first really noticed Hawke, when I was sincerely impressed with his performance in "Snow Falling On Cedars". But then, over 14 years I was not impressed again. Not that he was a bad actor...just run of the mill. But here he carries the entire film, and does so brilliantly.
The rest of the cast is fine...nothing great, nothing poor. They do their jobs.
So what is it that's disturbing here? Something you don't see in a lot of horror or murder movies -- the slaughter of children. In this case, it's far more graphic than what you would see in most horror/murder films. Almost a snuff film, although that is overstating it a bit. But no doubt that a nebulous line was crossed in this film.
For horror fans, recommended. But be clear, in this film good does not triumph over evil.