The Open Door (2008)

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Directed by:
Written by:
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[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_D4SaDGIlE[/youtube]

The Open Door (2008)

(15) Running time: 94 minutes

Director: Doc Duhame

Writer: Doc Duhame

Starring: Catherine Munden, Sarah Christine Smith, Ryan Doom

Reviewed by: Matt Wavish, official HCF critic

Where do you start with a film like this, a film that has two awards advertised on its DVD sleeve, and upon watching, I don’t feel it’s worthy of any. The Open Door is a bad horror, a poor straight to DVD effort which really wants to be clever, but ends up ridiculous and a bit daft. However, the cast are clearly having fun, so it you get anything out of this tosh it’s the banter between cast members. The sad thing is, all but one are irritating and just not very likeable at all. The only person I connected with here was the main character called Angelica (Munden) for the simple fact that she is hot and I felt sorry for her.

The plot could not be simpler, Angelica fancies some chap at high school, a party is happening but her strict and incredibly annoying Mother won’t let her go to the party because she doesn’t like Angelica’s friends, especially the slut who advertises herself on the Internet. Just looking at the Mother’s face, Hell, even thinking about it sends the rage in me, and bullying old hag. So poor old Angelica is grounded (at her age?) and while her so-called friends and potential boyfriends party, and her parents head off out for the night, she is left home to sulk. Thankfully at one point she gets into her outside Jacuzzi, so at the very least we see her strip off. That is probably the highlight, as she listens to a pirate radio station run by The Oracle. After receiving a photo on her phone of the lad she fancies kissing another girl, Angelica decides to call the radio station to get some sort of revenge.

The Oracle promises all of Angelica’s wishes to come true, but she must let out her emotions in order to do it, and so Angelica bursts into a rage asking for her friends to treat her right, and her parents to keep their noses out of her business. Chaos follows as her friends head back to her house while her parents are out, and suddenly murder and mayhem follows as Angelica’s friends begin to turn into monsters.

The special effects are not half bad, and there is a very clear idea that the director wanted to blend horror and comedy to the point of not taking the film too seriously. It works, for some of it, and the poor acting, intentional or not, only enhances the level of comedy. One character in particular made me laugh every time he was on screen with his bullying ways. If he was meant to be taken seriously, then God help us. The film delivers enough gore and comic violence to please many casual horror fans, and there is a brief promise of a ghost getting a little raunchy with Angelica at one point. It’s obvious the director had the best intentions, but sadly the film pretty much fails on all counts. It is far from scary, the cast irritate and the special effects are let down by a cast that appear to be either drunk or stoned and so cannot hold together a tense moment if their lives depended on it.  A Friday night beer movie at best.

Rating: ★★½☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

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About Matt Wavish 598 Articles
A keen enthusiast and collector of all horror and extreme films. I can be picky as i like quality in my horror. This doesn't necessarily mean it has to be a classic, but as long as it has something to impress me then i'm a fan. I watch films by the rule that if it doesn't bring out some kind of emotive response then it aint worth watching.

1 Comment

  1. I really can not believe you did not mention the one scene that had me in stiches, a moment of pure horror that had my face hidden behind the cushion! 😆

    How could you not!

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