"Snapshot" follows a young woman in suburban Melbourne who dreams of escaping the clutches of her overbearing mother. She finds work as a print model, but it soon leads her into a world where she is subject to predatory behavior, mirroring the relationship she has with her ex-boyfriend, whom she comes to believe is stalking her.
Marketed as a horror film under its misleading North American alternate title "The Day After Halloween," "Snapshot" is really not that in any sense of the word; those expecting an Aussie Laurie Strode under siege will be disappointed. If anything, it is a fairly humdrum thriller that has its lead character preyed upon, sure--but not by a maniac wielding a knife like you may assume.
The protagonist, Angela, is aptly portrayed by Sigrid Thornton, and is a sympathetic character whose naiveté ultimately gets the best of her. She is surrounded by loathsome people, from her abusive mother to her obsessive ex-boyfriend. The film has a cynical attitude in that its character finds herself just as debased in her modeling career as she is in her daily life; her intended escape valve proves to put her in just as (or perhaps more) dire of straits.
While it lacks any conventional horror elements, the film is moody and the photography quite dark and gritty looking. This dour disposition comes through strongly in much of the interior sequences, particularly in the nighttime finale sequence that takes place in a dark photography studio, and ends in a horrific blaze. Despite its downbeat visuals, the film does possess something of a sense of humor, and concludes in an appropriately cynical manner.
All in all, "Snapshot" is a curious, low-key thriller that benefits from a solid lead performance from Thornton, as well as its chilly cinematography and wry sense of humor. Even as a thriller, it is not particularly thrilling, but it does function as a mild, quirky odyssey of a character hoping to find liberation from her circumstances, only to be met by something ostensibly worse. It is certainly an offbeat effort from down under, but those anticipating a slasher will be taken by surprise, and not for the better. 6/10.
Marketed as a horror film under its misleading North American alternate title "The Day After Halloween," "Snapshot" is really not that in any sense of the word; those expecting an Aussie Laurie Strode under siege will be disappointed. If anything, it is a fairly humdrum thriller that has its lead character preyed upon, sure--but not by a maniac wielding a knife like you may assume.
The protagonist, Angela, is aptly portrayed by Sigrid Thornton, and is a sympathetic character whose naiveté ultimately gets the best of her. She is surrounded by loathsome people, from her abusive mother to her obsessive ex-boyfriend. The film has a cynical attitude in that its character finds herself just as debased in her modeling career as she is in her daily life; her intended escape valve proves to put her in just as (or perhaps more) dire of straits.
While it lacks any conventional horror elements, the film is moody and the photography quite dark and gritty looking. This dour disposition comes through strongly in much of the interior sequences, particularly in the nighttime finale sequence that takes place in a dark photography studio, and ends in a horrific blaze. Despite its downbeat visuals, the film does possess something of a sense of humor, and concludes in an appropriately cynical manner.
All in all, "Snapshot" is a curious, low-key thriller that benefits from a solid lead performance from Thornton, as well as its chilly cinematography and wry sense of humor. Even as a thriller, it is not particularly thrilling, but it does function as a mild, quirky odyssey of a character hoping to find liberation from her circumstances, only to be met by something ostensibly worse. It is certainly an offbeat effort from down under, but those anticipating a slasher will be taken by surprise, and not for the better. 6/10.