LogFAQs > #979995234

Bitto - Rating: C+

The three main characters: Henry, Otis, and Becky are interesting to watch. Good, because we spend a lot of time with them. Henry and Otis in particular make a captivating pairing and it makes you think about who is the worse of the two. To me, it's generally Otis because adding sexuality and perversion just makes all the killings feel more grotesque, but I can see an argument for Henry. Becky is really interesting; though, I really cannot believe she has no idea about any of the murders going on. I honestly thought Becky and Henry might actually become a couple at the end, which does a great job of selling their relationship. Of course, once the radio plays, it becomes clear that, no, Henry never had any feelings towards Becky and wanted to kill her too. The ending is haunting, too.

Fortybelowsummer - A lot of movies are described as gritty but watching Henry is about as comfortable as rolling around naked in a burlap sack filled with sand. Theres no artsy polish here, everything from the settings to the performances are stripped down to the bare bones, creating, unquestionably, one of the most disturbing viewing experiences that there is. This isnt your Freddy, or your Chucky where you can watch the carnage yet still feel a certain sense of glee. Its just a grainy, nasty time spent with a character based on a real-life serial killer whos a bona fide dead-behind- the-eyes psychopath. Part of what makes it so effective is that we generally see just the aftermath of Henrys work, and he does treat murderin like its his job. The exception of course is the home invasion scene which is probably the most shocking moment in all of our movies. One of the best, no frills viewing experiences Ive had.

Seginustemple - I love how different this is stylistically than most of the other seletions - slow, serious, and deliberate. Long takes, lots of space in the dialogue, measured pacing with a painful build of tension. There's a lo-fi, gritty aesthetic to all it that feels more like a 70's film. The tableaux of victims with synth swells are chilling, I would say some of the few truly successful uses of electronic music on the list. Michael Rooker is totally unnerving in the lead role, and the final on-screen kill is one of the most gut-wrenching I've seen. There's a true crime backing to it that adds a lot of weight, although I would note that most of the Henry Lee Lucas murders were later deemed to be false confessions. This is one of those movies that's really well-made but one watch is about all you can stomach.

Snake - An unflinching portrayal of violence, the film doesn't shy away from the brutality of Henry's crimes, but also avoids reveling in it. The violence serves a purpose, further amplified by the film's documentary-style cinematography, which lends a sense of authenticity and immediacy to the horrific events unfolding. Rooker's performance is a masterclass in understated menace. He portrays Henry not as a monster, but as a deeply disturbed individual devoid of empathy or remorse. His flat affect and casual brutality are far more unsettling than any over-the-top theatrics. It is not an easy watch to say the least, but as a raw, unflinching portrayal of evil, its one of the most effective in the genre.

Jcgamer107 - 6/10

Rockus - What sets this apart from a lot of other films on this list is the straight forward matter-of-fact depiction of the violence, making it obviously seem more realistic than a heightened 80s slasher and thus making it all the more frightening because it could happen right down the street. The fact that its inspired by real events and a real serial killer is no surprise. The writing is kind of thin though but its carried by Michael Rookers undeniable great performance. Its almost unbelievable that this is his feature film debut because its like the work you would expect from a seasoned veteran performer.

Inviso - Apparently this was semi-based on a real guy? I guess that makes sense, because I feel like if you were creating a fictional serial killer in a movie, you would at least try to give them some sort of compelling personality, or maybe make them do things that induced excitement. Instead, this is just a really dull movie about a bunch of dull, white trash characters doing very stereotypical white trash things (see: incest with a guy who winds up hitting on and trying to rape his sister). Otis is loud and obnoxious, which makes him more INTERESTING than Harry, but hes also aggressively scummy, and every moment hes on-screen is him being the biggest asshole imaginable. Henry seems disarming by comparison, despite murdering his way throughout the movie in a way that never shows any consequences (which almost makes the killing feel pointless, rather than frightening). I dont knowthere were just no stakes to this movie, and no one was charming or likeable or anything like that to warrant praise.