All right horror fans here’s the low down on The Hoarder a thriller being released on DVD and Digital Video this week. Up front the film’s got a very good monster in the vein of a Gollum looking character and even brought to the screen without CGI. The cinematography makes the film dark and sinister with some good scary moments, even though the sets are barren and boxy. Sadly beyond that however, the acting looks amateurish, the direction messy and the story very disjointed, especially in the finale.
Ella (Mischa Barton) has been suspicious of her finance Brad (Ed Cooper Clarke) finding out that he’s moved many of their things including his diary to a storage locker. Using the excuse that she wants to look through the diary to check on him, she asks her best friend Molly (Emily Atack) to go along to help her locate the locker that’s in a sketchy part of town. Molly tells her she’s not doing the right thing, but Ella counters with “because she’s marrying him” she needs to know so her mind will be at ease. So along with Brad’s card that she somehow found in her possession, the two show up at Eezzee Storage.
After a quick explanation to Stephan (Andrew Buckley) the manager, the two head down to floor number four in the basement of the old warehouse converted to storage rooms. Finding some difficulty with the elevator they finally arrive at locker 4059. What they find their however, sets off a series of violent murders by an ugly out of control mouth stapled killer (Philip Philmar).
The horror begins and movies along at a fast pace introducing additional characters as Ella tries to escape the nightmare. Director and co-writer Matt Winn starts the suspense going from the moment Ella and Molly arrive at the storage locker business. He unleashes his primal character providing a gory scene for an introduction then proceeds with non-stop slicing and dicing. The “fear-provoking” story doesn’t last long and turns into more of an informational about hoarding and the evil it attracts.
Mischa Barton takes on the lead role in this half-baked thriller that just doesn’t make the grade of terrifying. It’s a shame because most horror films do find their audience, but The Hoarder’s not one of them. Mischa found her best character from 2003 to 2006 playing Marissa Cooper in TV’s “The O.C.” Since then most of her roles have not been worth seeing from Assassination of a High School President 2008 to Operator 2015. Although sparks of energy in Operator showed more of her ability to act than with her performance as Ella in The Hoarder.
The DVD and the Digital Video have a special bonus seven minute feature on the making of The Hoarder. It’s more of interviews with the cast and crew on why they made it and about their characters.
The Hoarder has not been rated by the MPAA, but contains violence, disturbing images, drug use, gore, suggestive sex and profanity. Be cautious when deciding to allow immature children see the film as it does have some very gory scenes that are inappropriate for adolescents.
FINAL ANALYSIS: The story’s routine and never reaches terror level. (D)
Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Mischa Barton, Robert Knepper, Andrew Buckley, Charlotte Salt, Emily Atack, John Sackville, Valene Kane
Directed by: Matt Winn
MPAA Rating: Not Rated, Contains, Violence, Disturbing Images, Language, Drug Use, and Gore
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Running Time: 1 hr. 24 min.
Video Release Date: April 5, 2016
Language: English
Reviewed Format: DVD (also available on Digital Video)
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Video: 2.40:1
Subtitles: CC
Number of Discs: 1 Disc
Distributed by: RLJ Entertainment
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
