Night Of The Tommyknockers (2022)

My quick rating - 4,5/10. The writer/producer of this flick, Sonny Mahal, was kind enough to send me a couple screeners, this one included so I thought I would check one of them out. It starts out with a ridiculous shootout after a robbery where a stand-off between the posse led by Richard Grieco faces off with the local sheriff and a dozen armed men. They are about 15 feet from each other and are able to MISS constantly making the A-Team look like marksmen. Aside from that silliness, at least I spotted Robert LaSardo in there. He does get shot but his characters name is Lucky so you can figure that one out. Also, the marshall just showed up to class this flick up a bit, Tom Sizemore (RIP). I will say this is an ambitious horror film that attempts to blend the Western genre with supernatural creatures. Set in the 1870s during a gold rush, the movie follows a group of miners who unwittingly unleash a horde of ancient creatures known as Tommyknockers. As the small town of Deer Creek, Nevada comes under siege, a handful of survivors take refuge in the local saloon, fighting for their lives against the relentless onslaught. While the concept of this flick is intriguing, the execution falls short of its potential. The movie struggles to strike a cohesive balance between the Western and horror elements, and I felt a bit disconnected from both genres. The juxtaposition of the Old West setting and the supernatural creatures could have been a captivating combination, but unfortunately, it never fully realizes its promise. One of the film's major drawbacks is its lackluster character development. Despite the cast of survivors being the central focus, their individual personalities and backstories are barely explored, resulting in a sense of detachment from their struggles. This diminishes the emotional investment of the audience, as the characters become mere archetypes rather than fully fleshed-out individuals. The visual effects used to bring the Tommyknockers to life are adequate but fail to deliver a truly terrifying experience. The creatures' design is intriguing, with a blend of ancient and otherworldly characteristics, but their presence lacks the necessary impact to induce genuine fear. It seemed sometimes the monsters looked well made while others just thrown together. On a positive note, the performances from the cast are commendable given the limitations of the script. They manage to inject some life into their characters, despite the lack of material to work with. The chemistry among the survivors, particularly in the confined space of the saloon, is one of the movie's redeeming qualities. Overall, I would say it was an entertaining but ultimately disappointing film. It struggles to find a cohesive balance between the Western and horror genres, resulting in a lackluster execution. However, the enthusiastic performances and atmospheric cinematography offer glimpses of potential. With stronger storytelling and more effective scares, this film could have been a memorable fusion of genres.

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