A bachelor party becomes a savage fight for survival when the groomsmen unwittingly unleash a fabled predator upon the festivities. A feature adaptation of the segment “Amateur Night” from the 2012 horror anthology “V/H/S.”
Amateur Night was probably my favourite segment from the original V/H/S, probably because I have a thing for sexy succubi. It was easily the most popular as well, so popular in fact that it has spawned its own spin-off film – SiREN.
“My eyes are up here”
Directed by Gregg Bishop, “SiREN— stars Hannah Fierman, Chase Williamson, Justin Welborn and Michael Aaron Milligan. It follows the basic premise of the original short, a group of guys out on the town looking to get liquored up and laid. One of our friends gets a little more than he bargained for when his catch for the evening turns out instead to be the one doing the hunting. This time around, we are obviously getting a fleshed out backstory and a lot more Lily.
I really miss those good old varsity parties.
Now, we're not idiots. We are all fully aware that this is cash grab flick, right? We also know that this fact doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be a bad film. If the script is solid enough, the casting passable, and the special effects better than what SyFy generally throws out, we may have a sweet little monster flick to feast upon, right?
Absofuckinglutely.
I had prepared myself for disappointment but was instead absolutely enthralled. Rich, fleshed out characters and a pretty developed backstory/script made for a really entertaining film. It's a dark, gritty horror that isn't afraid to push the envelope. There are also a good handful of nods to the original short that really tied it all together nicely.
Aleister Crowlboy was definitely an interesting addition to the plot
There were some really clever concepts used in the film, like the drinks, but I really don't want to give too much away. I did have some issues, like how in the original we're led to see her as a succubus, then the title calls her a siren, but in the actual film she's considered a “Lilith.— I understand this is somewhat pedantic, but that's what happens when you are both horror geek and learned nerd.
“I like you”
The score is a beautiful mix of sexy and scary, much better than I was expecting. The acting was pretty much as good as it gets for a film of this genre. The cinematography and editing are on point, but what's more impressive is that there is a genuine, believable, esoteric plot that plays out near flawlessly…and it ends well. I mean, it's not exactly a Disney ending, but I really enjoyed the entire experience, start to finish. Yes, there were plot holes…but they were minor and forgivable considering the pretty enormous backstory the film only really gets a chance to hint at. This is pretty much everything I want and expect in an A-grade horror film and it is totally worth both your time and cash. Catch the trailer below, or don’t. It gives a little too much away.
