UHM - Review - The Toolbox Murders (Remake)

I saw the original film some time ago and really thought it was a horrible movie. I knew that the remake really wouldn't have much in common with the original, which was a very good thing. I wasn't into this flick at first, but it got interesting a little passed half-way when the lead heroine (Angela Bettis) does her own investigating into the hotel. One thing the original had going for it was the cool and fast, back-to-back deaths in the beginning. In this movie there's nothing like that, except for maybe one death. Actually the deaths in this film are pretty spread out until it begins nearing the end.

The story follows a young couple (Angela Bettis, Brent Roam) moving into an old hotel that has renovations underway. Moving in goes off to a shaky start when the couple (mainly Angela's character) feels uneasy with the weird neighbors. What's worse is a death occurred recently which stirred things up. Our heroine, Nell, befriends a nice young lady (Juliet Landau), who ends up missing (could she have been killed?) and realizing the cops aren't going to help her, Nell decides to take it upon herself to unsolve the mystery of the hotel and hopefully find her missing friend.

The movie starts out interesting, but it slows down a great deal until the next 20 minutes when another death occurs. Most of the first half consisted of the young couple trying to cope with their new surroundings, so I wasn't into the first part much. I felt the pacing was too slow and became bored quite a few times. If it weren't for Angela Bettis's performance I probably wouldn't have liked the movie much. I personally think she's a very underrated actress. Well anyway, the movie really picks up a little after the second half, when the heroine Nell discovers old blue prints to the hotel, which reveal a secret staircase that goes through the floors of the hotel. Cool stuff.

The deaths were nice and gory (when there were deaths) and the killer himself wasn't too bad looking. Speaking of the killer, Lucky McKee (Director of May) was originally set to play the role of the killer, but apparently dropped out to work on his own film, The Woods. In the end I thought the flick was a pretty decent slasher with a nice young cast. You can even spot Sheri Moon's cameo role in the flick. You may remember her as "Baby" from House of 1000 Corpses. This time she plays a chick named "Daisy".

OVERALL

A decent slasher; deaths were nice and gory, but too far apart. Slow in the first half, but begins to pick up in the second. Worth a check, but don't expect much.

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john :

Posted 109 days ago

david lynch populates his films with mysterious characters that have knowledge that the main character(s) do not have, much like the rance howard character here. turning on the switch resulting in the bulb shooting appears in much of lynch's work such as eraserhead and blue velvet (among his other works); the same thing happens when sheri moon zombie switches on the light here. not being able to tell what is and what is not reality happens in this film and in lynch's work. actors are invovled here and in lynch's mulholland drive and inland empire.

john :

Posted 110 days ago

i really liked this film. it held my attention all the way through. it reminded me of elements from david lynch. lynch did a series called hotel room about a hotel with a strange past. strange happenings also transpire at the great northern hotel on twin peaks. in blue velvet and on twin peaks there are long lingering shots of room numbers on doors. electricity is (perhaps) a method of teleportation on twin peaks and in fire walk with me. the symbols in tobe's toolbox recall the cave drawings on twin peaks. the remake of toolbox was like a nancy drew/hardy boys mystery with lots of gore. the tooth in the wall was right out of the tenent. i thought this film was great!

Phil :

Posted 166 days ago

I actually enjoyed this film :)

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