Suspension (2015)

This is one of the 8 Films to Die For, and I usually am pretty forgiving of these films. I've liked most of them, and others that I didn't care for I just shrugged and went on my way. This movie, however, really got on my nerves because it doesn't even try to be original. Horror movies are traditionally overrun with clichés and tropes, and we expect that. But when a film flat out steals every scene and idea contained within it from basically every popular movie that has come before it, I get irritated.

Have you ever seen a horror movie before? Like, any horror movie ever? See if you can pick out the stolen plot devices and twists:

Emily is a high school girl with a traumatic past who is picked on by the kids at school, and after the mean girls dunk her in a toilet and video tape it, you kind of hope that they'll be the first victims of the killing spree you expect to start at any moment. But no, that comes later. Much later. But first, let's watch Emily hang out with her little brother (whose mother doesn't even say goodbye to him when she leaves for work; seems cold right?) and draw her gruesome comic book featuring the story of an escaped serial killer who takes out everyone at a house and nearby farm for no apparent reason. The lighting is different during these scenes, so you always know which scenes are her story and which are really happening, but this takes up a good chunk of the movie and is kind of pointless in the end. Anyway, that's all well and good but then the kids from school show up and the killer goes to work in real life... or does he?

I won't spoil the ending, but I literally had it figured out in the first seven minutes. I gave it the benefit of the doubt, hoping I was wrong and there was something, anything, more creative coming. But no, that's it. The main problem I have with this is not just that the ending isn't good; it's that the whole movie is not very interesting and is just a set up for the twist. It's not fun to watch in the meantime, and that makes it a waste. I'm not even going to bother telling you the rest of my complaints about this movie. Just know going in that you have probably seen this ending at least three times this year, if you watch as many horror movies as I do. Don't get me started on how the genre needs to stop doing the same things over and over. You can talk about tropes and homages and nods but for the most part it's just about a lack of creativity. I can't recommend this one, but as always I encourage you to make up your own mind... just don't waste your time hoping for an original outcome.