Hangman (2015)

Such a frustrating disappointment

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

OK, most people have slated this movie and I can understand why. It doesn't take long to realise that this is a similar story-line to plenty of other horror movies. Having said that, is anything truly original these days - plots get recycled over and over, that doesn't necessarily make for a bad movie.The problem I have is that I watched it to the end because I was waiting for something truly brilliant to happen. I was gripped because I thought it was going somewhere but it never really went anywhere. There were various parts of the story-line that had potential to be expanded but they just weren't taken advantage of. For example - you never see anything of the daughter after her boyfriend is stabbed, you don't know what happens to the wife after she is drugged - does he rape her? If I found a mannequin torso hanging from my loft after returning home from a holiday and finding my house ransacked, I would absolutely show the police, what is the back story to the killer, why does he do what he does, clearly a childhood full of issues!! Sorry - it just missed the mark, too many lost opportunities, leaves you feeling disappointed.

I found this movie surprisingly unnerving, the concept is very real, especially when you feel completely at ease in your own home and I can imagine in a very large home it would be easy for someone to be there and you not notice.This movie made me feel genuinely anxious and quite transfixed to what was happening. It is certainly not overly predictable which I liked. The lack of information about the 'bad man' was a little frustrating but purposely so I'm sure. It certainly gets you thinking, who is he? why is he doing this? why isn't he in the news? etc There are some very cringe-worthy moments, some very distressing moments and some pretty sick moments. The crescendo builds at a very good pace and the ending is fitting.As a horror fan who watched any rating from one star up I always watch with an open mind. Give this one a go, you might enjoy it as much as I did.

I'm really surprised at the negative reception of the film, so went into this film expecting to turn it off after 10 minutes. However, given that the majority of raters probably also contributed to rating the awful borefest that is 'Gravity' a 7.8/10, I should've done what I normally do and completely ignored the ratings and most reviews.'Hangman' is a genuinely disturbing film. For fans of 'real' horror (and by that I mean things that absolutely could happen, disregarding ghosts and evil spirits), then this is perfect. Almost everything that happens in the film could definitely happen to people, and in various ways probably does. Yes, slight artistic licence has of course been taken, but overall this film touches way too close to home.The best comparison I can make is to the wonderful flick that was 'Creep' (2014), in that the main antagonist is a truly disturbed individual, yet undoubtedly fairly common in today's world and most definitely real. The film, although slow paced, burns consistently, and there aren't many dull moments. The ending, just like the opening sequence, are shocking, and the brutal moments that punctuate the film are almost too much to watch - yet nothing is too far-fetched.So, with that said, I would definitely recommend this film if you enjoy 'found footage' films in general, or are a fan of horrors where the events could - and probably do - happen.

Adam Mason's latest film "Hangman" is the tale of a creepy, disturbed home invasion. The story unfolds sequentially, both from the perspective of an innocent family who set out on holiday, only to return to find their home ransacked; and their twisted tormentor who is far from content at leaving it there.Shot entirely using security cameras and hand held video recorders, Hangman benefits from Mason's fast, punchy editing to create a more dynamic, hard-hitting way of storytelling than is usually seen with this style of film making.The cast throughout are excellent. Jeremy Sisto (Law and Order) and Kate Ashfield (Shaun of the Dead) have a great chemistry, both delivering credibly as concerned parents under attack. The child cast members, Ryan Simpkins and Ty Simpkins, again play well against each other as squabbling, playful siblings. Together the close knit family gradually realise that home is no longer the safe haven it once was. My personal favourite character however was Eric Michael Cole, who portrays the demented intruder. Rather than balls to the wall intensity, Cole's subtle shades create a genuinely unsettling experience, which really helped to amp up the tension. His barefooted, masked, knife wielding psychopath preyed upon an unknowing family, literally tempting fate for his moment to strike. In fact, the standout moments of Hangman are during these "will he, won't he?" scenes, when the intruder takes chances, pushes his luck and gets as close as possible to the family without actually coming face to face. I've been a long-time fan of British director Adam Mason, from first watching Pig back in 2010. He's a bold story teller, with a growing list of memorable and twisted movies to his credit. Mason likes to deliver a final punch in the last scene of his films, and Hangman is no exception. Yet another solid piece of work to add to his impressive filmography, well worth investing your time in.Special mention also needs to be given to film's composer Antoni Maiovvi (https://maiovvi.bandcamp.com/). His chilling distorted Italo disco brings sinister echoes of John Carpenter, Goblin and Tangerine Dream.