Trick 'r Treat [DVD] [2007]

Pleasant and Enjoyable. Perhaps not words you generally associate with a horror film. But then since when did every horror film have to gross out with gratituitous gore or scare senseless with slashing and stalking?

To be fair calling this film a horror is quite misleading. Really it's a celebration of the various legends and imagery associated with the holiday. Watching the DVD featurette about the making of the film and the lore of Halloween should help people understand how to take this movie (clearly some reviewers didn't get it). Perhaps calling it a fictional documentary that toys with the themes and monsters of horror would be more appropriate? The only reason we have monsters here (and it's nice to be able to talk about monsters without solely referring to just Vampires or Zombies) is because it's All Hallow's Eve.

Personally I liked that a non-linear approach was taken in telling the various tales on offer here as it sets it apart from the anthologies that came before it and which it would inevitably be compared to. The interweaving of the stories is preferable to having them stand alone as it's been done so many times before.

The cinematography is top notch throughout and all those involved in shooting the film deserve hearty pats on the back, as do the actors and actresses. To a man (or woman) they all give good performances with a few excellent ones thrown in.

I only saw one twist coming but then I constantly force myself not to start second guessing a film (What's the point? You're only going to spoil it for yourself if you're right), if you do regularly second guess you might find you're enjoyment of the film somewhat tempered.

As a celebration of Halloween this film excels, as a horror (with all the conotations of what that word has come to mean in the new millenium) it is quite tame. But so what? Easily rewatchable with a great cast and director this should be a staple of Samuin for years to come.

9/10

Horror anthologies are a bit of an 80's thing, and as a result the studio didn't seem to know what to do with this fun little movie, which was produced by X-Men's Bryan Singer and stars a host of familiar faces including Anna Pacquin. The four tales are split into well characteristed punchy little numbers with enthusiastically acted turns and some nice gore and twists. The style is dark, twisted comedy horror, and they've managed to hit the balance bang-on. A nicely handled movie which manages to revolve well around the central theme of Halloween. Enjoyably fun for a night in.

Other reviewers have pointed out that this relatively recent film pays homage to movies like Creep Show and Halloween and to the feel of 80s horror movies. The interwoven stories in the film definitely recall that era and those viewers who have 'grown up' with 'Saw' and 'Hostel' will no doubt be disappointed and sneering.

Personally, torture porn has no appeal to me whatsoever, whereas 'Trick 'r Treat' is an exuberant and rather charming modern take on old-style creepy movies. It embodies what 'horror' films used to be like, i.e. twist-in-the-tail tales with an emphasis on traditional concepts of spookiness and pure entertainment (rather than sadistic violence.)

There is an underlying comic-book quality which makes it the kind of film the family could
watch together. How old-fashioned is that concept! (You wouldn't show it to children below the age of 10 maybe?)

Above all this would be THE ideal movie for the family to sit down and watch on Halloween. Of course you could watch it on any day of the year but if ever a film was made to be seen on Halloween this is it. Wonderful.

(NOTE: If you have a blu-ray player the US import is region-free and will play on any blu-ray player.)