Renowned author Stephen King obviously taught his son Joe, now a successful writer on his own, some good lessons. Here Joe came up with an odd but compelling story. It does take some getting used to, because it switches from a darkly comic tone to a dead serious one. As for the comedy, it's not always terribly funny, but it touches upon the intriguing idea of what many of us would do if we were EXTREMELY open and honest about our wildest and darkest desires.
People in this tale are compelled to voice their secret, selfish, crazy thoughts and do whatever the Hell they feel like doing, thanks to Ig Perrish (Daniel Radcliffe, doing a solid if not flawless American accent). Merrin (Juno Temple), the love of his life, was found murdered some time ago, and most people are convinced that Ig is the culprit. But, one day as he is nursing a hangover, some actual horns have sprouted from his head, and they have a profound influence on many of the people with whom he interacts. They just might come in handy as he attempts to solve the crime and clear his name.
Although it should be clear to most people (even this viewer) who the killer is early on, one shouldn't let that detract too much from the offbeat pleasures of this amusing horror drama. It's gorgeously shot in widescreen, with director Alexandre Aja filling the frame with lots of detail. There is some good gore and makeup effects by the prolific Gregory Nicotero and Howard Berger, as well as a plethora of snake imagery and a genuinely memorable finale. Just like his dad has done often, Joe spins a yarn that includes some effective childhood vignettes.
Radcliffe heads a solid cast - Max Minghella as his childhood friend turned lawyer, Joe Anderson as his pathetic brother, James Remar and Kathleen Quinlan as his parents, Heather Graham in a small but funny turn as a vain, self serving waitress, and David Morse as Merrins' angry, grief-stricken father.
While far from perfect, "Horns" is just interesting enough to make it a welcome deviation from blander contemporary genre fare.
Seven out of 10.
People in this tale are compelled to voice their secret, selfish, crazy thoughts and do whatever the Hell they feel like doing, thanks to Ig Perrish (Daniel Radcliffe, doing a solid if not flawless American accent). Merrin (Juno Temple), the love of his life, was found murdered some time ago, and most people are convinced that Ig is the culprit. But, one day as he is nursing a hangover, some actual horns have sprouted from his head, and they have a profound influence on many of the people with whom he interacts. They just might come in handy as he attempts to solve the crime and clear his name.
Although it should be clear to most people (even this viewer) who the killer is early on, one shouldn't let that detract too much from the offbeat pleasures of this amusing horror drama. It's gorgeously shot in widescreen, with director Alexandre Aja filling the frame with lots of detail. There is some good gore and makeup effects by the prolific Gregory Nicotero and Howard Berger, as well as a plethora of snake imagery and a genuinely memorable finale. Just like his dad has done often, Joe spins a yarn that includes some effective childhood vignettes.
Radcliffe heads a solid cast - Max Minghella as his childhood friend turned lawyer, Joe Anderson as his pathetic brother, James Remar and Kathleen Quinlan as his parents, Heather Graham in a small but funny turn as a vain, self serving waitress, and David Morse as Merrins' angry, grief-stricken father.
While far from perfect, "Horns" is just interesting enough to make it a welcome deviation from blander contemporary genre fare.
Seven out of 10.