Beckoning the Butcher (UK DVD)
Gareth Jones
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Starring Damien E. Lipp, Stephanie Mauro, Sophie Wright, Tristan Barr, Tilly Legge
Directed by Dale Trott
Distributed by Monster Pictures UK
A group of young friends mess with dark forces, with predictably deadly results, in Australian found footage flick Beckoning the Butcher. Damien E. Lipp plays Chris, a guy who runs a website on which he uploads videos of himself performing various black magic rituals in the search for something that actually works. Looking to increase his audience, Chris decides that his latest ritual will be one known as ‘Beckoning the Butcher’, the instructions for which he is provided by his brother, who sought them out via a contact on the mysterious realm of the ‘deep web.’
And so Chris takes four of his friends and a couple of trusty video cameras off to an old secluded house, wherein they perform the ritual. When one of their number, Lorraine (Legge), begins to feel unwell, the group call it a night and head to bed – only to be awoken by the sound of her taking off from the house. Tracking her down proves the beginning of a night of terror for the group, as the malevolent spirit that they have conjured sets about terrorising, abducting and mutilating them one by one.
At its core, Beckoning the Butcher is the same kind of found footage flick that we’ve all seen time and time again over recent years, sticking determinedly to the formula already laid down. We have the quieter build up, night-vision sequences, static cameras overseeing creepy happenings that our would-be victims are blissfully unaware of, and the requisite ton of shaky-cam running and screaming in the later stages. Still, despite the familiarity of it all, Beckoning the Butcher is by no means a poor example of the genre. The cast of unknowns are solid across the board and, more importantly, actually believable as an everyday bunch of friends. Dialogue and behaviour feels natural and credible, with Trott’s cast wisely avoiding descending into the kind of ear-piercing cacophony of wails and screams that so often turns a found footage experience into a headache-inducing annoyance.
Lending an extra layer to the film is a surrounding documentary approach, which brings in a local police officer, a professional psychic, and Chris’s brother, all of whom appear occasionally between various scenes in a ‘talking head’ capacity as they dissect the footage and the ongoing investigation into it. It’s a wise move that helps to add some welcome variety and a level of gravitas that otherwise would have been missing. The sadness of Chris’s brother, for example, is weighty and palpable as he continues to blame himself for what has happened.
It isn’t as successful as the similarly-constructed Australian effort, 2011’s The Tunnel, which managed to blend the elements more confidently and presented some truly unsettling sequences amidst the main footage, but Beckoning the Butcher does manage to dish up a few startling moments. At just under 70 minutes, it’s also a quick watch that doesn’t hang around too long at all. If you have an active dislike for the genre, this certainly won’t change your mind – but for what it is, Beckoning the Butcher feels made with solid intentions and effort; certainly not one of the many quickly produced, worthless cash-grabs that have given the ‘found footage’ style such a dull reputation.
Monster Pictures’ UK DVD of Beckoning the Butcher sports a few deleted scenes (two of which are alternate character deaths that were wisely changed – the ones in the film itself are much better), a selection of trailers, and a director/cast commentary that seemed like a worthy listen, but is plagued with audio level problems that see the cast members barely audible, while director Trott (who seems to be right next to the mic) booms whenever he speaks. The resultant RSI-inducing up and down dance with the volume button throughout made it an unpleasant experience.
Special Features
- Commentary with director and cast
- Deleted Scenes
- Trailer selection
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Film
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Special Features
Categorized:Reviews
