Hallows Eve (2016)

What makes it different from others?

Don't listen to the negative reviews

A Major Disappointment

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Hallows eve was a very competently shot film, well lit film. Contrary to many reviews I think the acting was serviceable, nothing great but not bad. I never really felt this was a horror, more of a gangland violent drama. The first half of the film builds toward a gang that is coming Halloween night to 'take over' and the gang that we follow live in an estate called hallows and are hell bent in not letting that happen, so again it doesn't feel at all like a horror.The main characters are a menace to the estate, and we learn that they have committed terrible acts and ultimately they're killed as a means to restore order to the estate. I get the feeling the point was that the audience was supposed to root for the killers. Thats great but the problem is the fact I never really get to see and experience how awful these people are. I hear stories introduced too late, newspaper snippets, brief CCTV footage, an opening scene thats after the fact of their wrong doing, but not a visceral experience of their behavior. Additionally I didn't really experience the fear, pain and suffering of the other residents who ultimately become the killers....so what I'm saying is I wasn't rooting for either of them. To add I never really bought the fact these older residents of the estate would kill this gang because of what I just mentioned among other things.The other thing I felt this film lacked was the establishment of the level of threat/danger early in the film. I think of the recent successful horror 'It Follows", also set mainly in an estate in America, it opens with a haunting scene where a girl is afraid for her life, is running from something we cant see and gets killed in a horrific way, so there is a genuine creepy element, something brutally killed this girl and we don't know what, or how, that misunderstanding puts us on edge. Thats whats needed here, there is a mystery to who is coming but no sense of brutal threat. We learn the gang is coming to take over....take over the estate? take over the residents houses? The film goes over the hour mark and we never see any sign of what this ominous gang that's coming will do that is scary, or horrifying. In fact the first thing they do is tie up the main characters sister....you see my point how this doesn't feel like a horror?, and more like a violent drama. On a side note, when she gets tied up and tries to burn off the plastic binding, why did she burn the binding covering her hand and not the binding covering the pole its attached to???why? When she screamed out in pain why didn't the hooded gang rush in? Why did they have a pumpkin with a burning candle in the room for her to use?As I said, this could an interesting, alternative horror if written well....shame.

I guess on virtually every review page there will be someone who describes the film they are reviewing as the "worst film ever made".....well they are all wrong because this IS the worst and most stupid film ever made.Why is it stupid? The timeline in the narrative makes no sense - the vigilantes start posting their "tags" and planning their revenge BEFORE the most heinous of the acts they seek vengeance for has even occurred. The revenge takes place against some completely innocent people for no reason whatsoever. We are expected to believe that the ordinary working class dad's who are the vigilantes apparently decided it was important to spend around 8 hours huddled together making about 100 pumpkin lanterns - and even the most stupid policeman would then know to arrest the blokes who bought at consignment of 100 pumpkins.The direction is flat and lifeless. The editing is by the numbers. The dialogue is laughable. And the acting.....oh the "acting"....Ethan Taylor and Lenox Kambaba, the toughest, baddest guys in town, are 2 of the biggest mummy's boys you are likely to encounter in any film. I'm afraid to say that Sarah Akokhia, who is supposed to have had some previous romance with Mr Kambaba and is supposedly at University looks old enough to be his mum! Lots of running around, lots of very sub Attack the Block attitude, lots of silly and inconsistent behaviour and not a single brain cell in use.I have honestly seen thousands of films and obviously among that number there have been some truly awful films over the years but none that made me feel as if my intelligence was being insulted quite as badly as this one.There is a great inter generational horror film to be made about the old killing the young with a post Brexit sub text but this isn't it, this is simply STUPID. There are so many great films to watch so I'm just trying to save your precious time by warning you.......please don't waste your time on this utter rubbish.

I've being working in the film industry for several years and this film doesn't look bad at all, especially considering the budget they claim to have spent. When it comes to horror movies, I think the two most crucial elements are the cinematography, the soundtrack. Actually, sometimes I prefer there to be no music at all but in this case it created a good 80's mood and the main theme got stuck in my head for a few days. The storyline is pretty decent. It's not genuinely creepy on it's own but together with the great cinematography and sound design it does a decent enough job to keep your interest and sell what your seeing unfold on screen. And it's safe to say that this is a very different take on your typical low-budget Halloween/horror movie. I'm not a really big fan of that British accent but the acting was more than decent in my opinion. I wouldn't be surprised to see some of those guys on mainstream productions one day.

If you're looking for something which feels like it could happen to you - then this is the horror for you! Set in a shabby estate, where youngsters seem to be creating trouble, lies a group of strangers who are trying to teach a lesson. The story shows a true representation of teenagers in the UK, which for once shows the story through their eyes instead of their parents. Race is finally not a barrier and characters from diverse racial backgrounds interact without having to focus nor mention to race related issues; making it in my eyes a very positive forward thinking representation. Characters are well thought, multiple layered, with intricate relationships, which are brought to life by extremely compelling acting throughout, especially the main characters interpreted by Sarah Akokhia and Ethan Taylor.The story is terrifying and the end twist slightly sickening - definitely got me covering my eyes and gripping the seat numerous times.