Saturday, January 21, 2012

The Baby's Room

via Benevolent Street
Ghost stories rarely give me the creeps anymore. With all the hype of the Paranormal Activity franchise - which I still believe that no self-respecting horror movie buff would defend and call it good - it's no surprise that Alex de la Iglesia's 2006 film, La Habitación del Niño - better known to us by the Films to Keep You Awake title, The Baby's Room - came across my Nexflix suggestions.

Despite coming out a year before the whole Paranormal Activity franchise was introduce, people will probably mesh this film and those together, rather than noticing the actual difference. Where those behind the horrible films were just adding to the useless amount of movies that are categorized as "found tapes," de la Igelsia gives us a film with actual substance, and something new. Before you question my judgement, I will state the film was dull for the most part, obvious in others and the "twist" ending was seen from miles away. However, the film does get bonus points for attempting to use Quantum Physics in its plot and the fresh new spin on the haunting genre is well received.

A new family moves into a house with a sordid past, and on the first night begins to hear something over the baby monitor. Writing it off as static, the husband purchases a new, state-of-the-art baby monitor which uses video rather than just sound.  What he sees disturbs him. Attempting to put the whole haunting into a rational sense, fails him. When it seems that the obsession is making him harmful to his family, he is left alone in the house to investigate the truth behind the hauntings. However, he learns that some hauntings aren't ghost related. In fact, the murder he witnesses on video may not have even happened yet.

The short film - which, if I understood correctly, is actually an episode for the Spanish series Películas para no dormir - seemed to drag at times. The beginning serves little to the story's purpose, except explaining the origin of the elderly lady later seen in the film, and even she serves no real purpose to the plot. Leonor Watling graces viewers with her beauty and acting ability, while Javier Guiterrez kept reminding me of the Spanish version of Dave Matthews. All in all, if you're a looking for a new kind of haunting tale, then give the film a chance. Otherwise, please move on.

Until next time, keep on huntin'.

Purchase the 6 Films to Keep You Awake set on Amazon, or watch The Baby's Room on Amazon Instant Video.

No comments:

Post a Comment