Director: Jim Hickcox
Writer: Jim Hickcox (Screenplay)
Starring: Ruby Lee Dove II, Hal Schneider, Mary Anzalone, Devyn Placide, Mark Blumberg, Catherine Grady
Plot: Two trespassing graffiti artists, two immortality-obsessed scientists, and one furious sea-god.
Runtime: 1 Hour 12 Minutes
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: The Shape of Water Meets Turbo Kid
Story: Soft Matter starts as we enter the secret laboratory where Kriegspiel (Anzalone) and Grist (Schneider) are researching in search if immortality with the lab filled with genetically altered human fish hybrids. When a Sea-God arrives claiming to have the ability to grant immortality it pushes Kriegspiel to the edge.
When two graffiti artist Haircut (Placide) is set to show off his new work with his partner Kish (Dove II) they use the laboratory believing it is abandoned. Soon the two sides must team up to escape the wrath of the Sea-God.
Thoughts on Soft Matter
Characters – Kish is the streetwise young woman trying to get her graffiti artist friend over to the art world, she makes the plan to use the lab and when things turn bad, she sets up the fight back to survive. Grist is one of the scientists working in the lab, he comes off as the good one of the two that won’t push the subject further than need be, Kriegspiel on the other hand is the one desperate for the answer of immortality.
Performances – Ruby Lee Dove II is the highlight of the film, we have an interesting character created that can handle herself and wants you to see more for her. Hal and Mary are both good in their roles even if the characters are the ones you are not as interested in.
Story – The story follows a couple of street graffiti artists that end up battle a Sea-God in a laboratory, that is something I have never written, read or said before. The idea of Sea-Gods is the in thing right now follow the award success of Shape of Water and this brings us this creature in a full horror sense, told in a style which feels like it could easily be another chapter of the Turbo Kid universe too. While I do think the opening 15 minutes are slow, the rest of the film because an entertaining time.
Comedy/Horror/Sci-Fi – The film is toned in horror comedy, poking fun at moments in horror which does put a fine line between the two, never become to heavy in either side though.
Settings – The film takes place inside the lab for the most part, which keeps the story contained for the battles which are coming.
Special Effects – The effects work for a low budget movie, the final battle brings us a look which I haven’t seen before and easily becomes the highlight of the film.
Scene of the Movie – Neon Battle.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not enough of Kish in the first part.
Final Thoughts – This is a fun horror comedy that finds it tone nicely the further we get into the movie, the last 15 minutes are a must watch for anyone that wants to see something different.
Overall: My voyage into the strange continued here.
Rating
