Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
An insult to horror fans., 11 Jul 2007
The makers of The Hamilton's must be good friends with a number of people in the written media. It's the only way I can explain some of the rave reviews about this film. One paper (admittedly it was The Sun!) gave it a 5 star rating. Also, Empire magazine, which is usually fairly reliable, gave it a good write up which I was surprised at.
I first saw this film a few months ago as part of the "after dark horror festival" which was a showcase of eight horror films made by independents rather than big studios. The films are of varying quality and are gradually being released over here straight to DVD. This film was by far the worst of the eight. The story is so utterly ridiculous I am still not sure if it is a joke or not. There is not one member of the cast who appears to have done any acting before. There is no atmosphere to the film. Some scenes which are meant to be shocking come so far out of the blue that you end up scratching your head wondering what's going on. I managed to keep watching to the end so I could see the final so called twist but it is so pathetic I wish I had never bothered.
To say this film is rubbish doesn't even begin to describe how bad it is. Some people obviously like it but my advice would be to steer clear. Even hardcore horror fans will find this film to be utter drivel.
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13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
NOW YOU SEE IT NOW YOU DON'T , 4 Jul 2007
It's one of the those straight to DVD jobs again when you watch it you can see why. This is one of the worse so called horror films I have ever sat down to watch this was really poor.I gave up with this about 1 hour into the film it was that bad blood on the victims face kept disappearing then reappearing.There is no point going on with this review please avoid this film at all costs.
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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Horror via Peculiarity. Yawn., 30 Jun 2007
"The Hamiltons" is a horror movie with potential, of that there is no doubt. After all, the seemingly similar "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" remake showed that such a premise as a murderous family capturing and killing strangers can work in the modern day. So did the more recent "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning". All that being said, the end result in this straight-to-DVD horror isn't anywhere near as good as it could have been. Laboured with abysmal acting, uninteresting plotting, half-baked character motivations and poor scripting, "The Hamiltons" is a poor horror movie that, much like the recent "Sublime", attempts to be something of worth simply by being a little odd. Obviously, that just doesn't cut it.
The Hamilton family are an odd lot. There are the incest committing twins after all, their creepy posessive brother who lures strangers to the house and kills them, and there's the camera-obsessed teenager also. The family have been constantly moving since their parents both died, occupying six houses within a two-year timespan. Why do they move, you ask? Either because they're, as our teenage narrator would have you believe, running away from their problems or because they're constantly killing strangers to 'keep food on the table'. That is except for said teenager, who apparently doesn't enjoy his siblings' sadistic tendencies but meanwhile seems unwilling to do anything to stop it. Naturally, "The Hamiltons" focuses upon one specific kidnapping committed by the family, this time of two unfortunate girls.
The acting talent aren't anything to brag about, with blank facial expressions and stilted line deliveries all around. Not a single performer escapes unscathed. As uncomfortable teenager Francis, the only member of the family seemingly against what's happening, Cory Knauf is a bland, uninteresting protagonist that the audience consequently cares nothing about. As head of the household David, Samuel Child is perhaps the worst actor involved. Not once does his facial expression change throughout, rendering his character the most bland of the whole bunch. As freaky twins Wendell and Darlene, Joseph McKelheer and Mackenzie Firgens are only slightly better, over-acting their bizarre characters to the point of annoyance. Playing the Hamiltons' latest victims, Rebekah Hoyle and Brittany Daniel aren't likeable enough to give a damn about.
Straight-to-DVD horror movies are not difficult to find and by no means is "The Hamiltons" among the poorer efforts in the genre.Still, the movie is pretty bad. Resorting to cheap jump scares sooner rather than later, believing bizareness to create palpable tension, failing to construct characters that are anywher near believable and directed uninterestingly by the Butcher Brothers, these are but a few of "The Hamiltons" multiple flaws. Watching this movie, in fact, is the cinematic equivalent of bashing your head against a brick wall, the whole thing is completely vacant, wholly stupid rubbish,
Occasionally "The Hamiltons" is enjoyable enough to watch, with the opening scenes constructed well, fare more tense than anything that is to follow. Unfortunately, though, the movie totally collapses from that point onwards. Blood disappears and then reappears on the lead victim towards the end, with a lack of blood uncanny for someone who wasn't long since being drained of blood by the family of the title. No, "The Hamiltons" isn't as categorically flawed as the recent "Rest Stop", but a whole emphasis upon vampires ultimately makes this movie all the more silly, however dumb the rest of it is. Best to avoid this one, another straight-to-DVD horror is never far ahead.
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