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'STAND BY ME crossed with LORD OF THE FLIES'
A gang of delinquents ditch school to hang out in the woods where some hot rodding on a stolen moped changes the fate of their day. They crash into Peter, a dishevelled drifter, who is delighted to have a group of teens to hang out with. First he gains their trust by joining in their games, but then his behaviour begins to change. Peter uses what he has learned about the kids against them, bullying the alpha boys, belittling the weaker ones and saving his worst for the only girl of the group. Realising too late that they are being held hostage the kids have to resort to dirtier games to survive the ordeal.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A gang of potential ASBOs, led by bully boy Paul and rival Bingo, go to their hangout in the woods.
While riding a moped nicked by the gang's only girl, Leanne, Paul and his crippled brother Ben knock down Peter, a one-time soldier who ingratiates himself into the group.
But, Peter's mood-shifts and insistence that the kids play a series of increasingly violent "games" soon reveal the grown-up is not wired quite right.
This stripped to the bone reworking of The Last House on the Left and Deliverance uses its woodland setting to surprisingly claustrophobic effect.
After the hoodie horror of Eden Lake and The Children's demon brood, this is a nice change of pace that puts kids in peril from adults.
Shifting tone with real skill and riding a high level of unease, the script keeps it real, the kids' tough talking and gangsta posturing quickly wilting under the hot lamp of Peter's madness.
Slyly suggesting this devil is summoned when one of the gang makes an impromptu ouija board out of a pop bottle, the fall from grace undertones are rife in the religious names (Peter, Paul, a lost dog named Jesus) and idyllic setting.
Climaxing with a real heart stopper and a sobering epilogue, Summer Scars packs more suspensethan most big budget thrillers.
Stand By Me done as Deliverance? Even better - think Dead Man's Shoes meets This Is England.
While riding a moped nicked by the gang's only girl, Leanne, Paul and his crippled brother Ben knock down Peter, a one-time soldier who ingratiates himself into the group.
But, Peter's mood-shifts and insistence that the kids play a series of increasingly violent "games" soon reveal the grown-up is not wired quite right.
This stripped to the bone reworking of The Last House on the Left and Deliverance uses its woodland setting to surprisingly claustrophobic effect.
After the hoodie horror of Eden Lake and The Children's demon brood, this is a nice change of pace that puts kids in peril from adults.
Shifting tone with real skill and riding a high level of unease, the script keeps it real, the kids' tough talking and gangsta posturing quickly wilting under the hot lamp of Peter's madness.
Slyly suggesting this devil is summoned when one of the gang makes an impromptu ouija board out of a pop bottle, the fall from grace undertones are rife in the religious names (Peter, Paul, a lost dog named Jesus) and idyllic setting.
Climaxing with a real heart stopper and a sobering epilogue, Summer Scars packs more suspensethan most big budget thrillers.
Stand By Me done as Deliverance? Even better - think Dead Man's Shoes meets This Is England.
Format:DVD
Yes that is the basic synopsis of this independent Welsh Film. It is directed by Julian Richard and stars his friend Kevin Howarth as Peter an ex soldier who has `life coping' issues and appears to be living rough in the woods.
Our ne'er do well kids are all bunking off school and have agreed to meet up for a wasted day of `hanging' in the aforementioned woods. On the way the only member of the group who is female Leanne steals a scooter. On arrival it is taken for a `joyride' by would be alpha male Paul. He has a disabled brother who he is carrying everywhere and decides to take him for a ride too. On the way they hit Peter and bravely run off.
Peter awakens and tracks them down, he then decides that he quite likes the company and from that moment on he sort of takes control.
This is really not a horror film but more a psychological thriller or study into mental illness. The children all do quite brilliant jobs of acting and come across as surprisingly believable for such a small budget effort. There is no real gore, but despite that the threat of violence or worse is an ever constant presence and that has to be attributable to the performance of Kevin Howarth.
The music is ok with quite a bit of (c)rap music at the beginning. The ending may not be totally satisfying, but this is more about the journey than the destination as all good films should be. It is also not long with a run time just under seventy minutes. All in all a very good effort, but it is still just 4 stars and is one of those films where nothing more will be garnered from subsequent viewings, but worth giving a go once any way if only for supporting indie Welsh cinema.
Our ne'er do well kids are all bunking off school and have agreed to meet up for a wasted day of `hanging' in the aforementioned woods. On the way the only member of the group who is female Leanne steals a scooter. On arrival it is taken for a `joyride' by would be alpha male Paul. He has a disabled brother who he is carrying everywhere and decides to take him for a ride too. On the way they hit Peter and bravely run off.
Peter awakens and tracks them down, he then decides that he quite likes the company and from that moment on he sort of takes control.
This is really not a horror film but more a psychological thriller or study into mental illness. The children all do quite brilliant jobs of acting and come across as surprisingly believable for such a small budget effort. There is no real gore, but despite that the threat of violence or worse is an ever constant presence and that has to be attributable to the performance of Kevin Howarth.
The music is ok with quite a bit of (c)rap music at the beginning. The ending may not be totally satisfying, but this is more about the journey than the destination as all good films should be. It is also not long with a run time just under seventy minutes. All in all a very good effort, but it is still just 4 stars and is one of those films where nothing more will be garnered from subsequent viewings, but worth giving a go once any way if only for supporting indie Welsh cinema.
Format:DVD
Bought this based on the good reviews but thought it was dire. I gave it 2 stars for effort. Had the premise to be like Eden Lake but was far from it. Now I don't want to reveal too much about the faults with the film for those who haven't seen it but an unhinged guy against several delinquent teenagers, eh couldn't they suddenly ambush him and disarm him of his "gun"?? He then posts two of them beside one another to watch out for anyone passing and then promptly disappears, wouldn't your instinct then be to just run!! One of them does escape and manages to get home and arms himself with a gun and then returns but oddly doesn't phone the police or inform anyone else about what's happening. Apart from one of the boys, none of them looked remotedly terrified by their ordeal especially the boy who couldn't walk who just sat there with a completely placid expression on his face the whole time. As for the ending, well let's just say, you should rent the film if you want to see it rather than buy!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Teenage Kicks
A group of five teenage boys, and one girl, head for their usual den in the woods. Two of them bring along a stolen motorbike. Read more
Published on 14 Oct 2009 by Mr. Jonathon T. Beckett
Buy it!!!
What an excellent piece of direction from Julian Richards, and some fantastic performances from the young actors. Read more
Published on 8 Oct 2009 by G. J. Lewis
Unsettling and real
This has an almost documentary feeling, the performances from the kids are that natural. Coupled with the mundane setting of some Welsh woods it all seems so plausible. Read more
Published on 8 Nov 2008 by I Am Tyler Durden
Lean, mean and disturbing...
British director Julian Richards teams up with his Last Horror Movie cohort actor Kevin Howarth for another go at the reality-thriller-horror genre with Summer Scars. Read more
Published on 26 Oct 2008 by Dag Ross
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