Horror in 2012: Movies, Part One
By 9:54AM on Jan 9, 2012
There are a number ofcinematic horror highlights on the shelf for 2012, looking to follow what was, relatively speaking, a weak 2011. In the first of our features looking ahead into the New Year, we’ll scope out our picks for the films that should demand your attention.
The Divide (January 13th)
Director Xavier Gens is best known in the US as the director of the abysmal Hitman film, but his work overseas as a French horror director has produced hard-hitting, visually inventive works such as the much buzzed-about Frontiers. Early word is positive on return to English-language thrillers, The Divide, in which a group of survivors takes shelter from the apocalypse in the basement of a New York apartment building. But when outside forces intrude, the boiler-room scenario heightens to increasing levels of violence and paranoia.
The Grey (January 27th)
While not strictly a horror film, the scenario of an artic plane-crash and the subsequent hunting by ravenous wolves is horrific enough to put Joe Carnahan’s The Grey on our must-watch list. Staring Liam Neeson as a security expert tasked with leading a small group of roughnecks through the frozen tundra back to civilization, The Grey seems like an ideal set-up for Carnahan’s gritty, yet thoughtful, style.
The Woman in Black (February 3rd)
In the tradition of the classic Hammer horror films – in fact, this supernatural thriller is actually produced by Hammer Productions; the first in decades – The Woman in Black finds a slightly more grown-up Harry Potter (by which we mean Daniel Radcliffe) in a gothic period of piece of ghostly suspense. Based upon the novel by Susan Hill, the film combines elements of a traditional haunted house film and a classic murder mystery.
The Hunger Games (March 23rd)
Alright, Twilight fans, listen up. The Hunger Games series is what you’re left with for the next few years, and this one actually has a shot at getting us real horror hounds into the theaters. The Battle Royale-esque tale of a future in which children are forced to compete in a deadly game against one another has us intrigued. Undoubtedly being groomed as the successor to the Twilight throne, we’ll be interested to see how this one performs early this year.
Intruders (March 30th)
There are a small sum of horror sequels that are disputably better than their originals, 28 Weeks Later being one shining example. Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, the sequel reflected a raw, engaging style and some truly inspired set pieces. Consequently, we’ve been excited for some time about Fresnadillo’s next film, Intruders. Starring Clive Owen, the story tells the tale of childhood monsters that threaten the lives of an entire family. Relatively little is known about the thriller, with only an enigmatic trailer left to consider, but with Fresnadillo’s star on the rise – he just recently stepped away from The Crow remake – Intruders is almost certainly a film to put on your radar.
Cabin in the Woods (April 13th)
Since its announcement years ago, Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard’s Cabin in the Woods script has been one of the best guarded secrets in Hollywood. A clever take on the trappings of the horror genre, the film recently screened for a select audience, generating a metric ton of buzz amongst critics and fans. Painted with the same clever scripting and likeable characters as much of Whedon’s work, Cabin in the Woods promises to be the most intriguing horror release of the year.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D (October 5th)
Truthfully, there hasn’t been a good Texas Chainsaw Massacre film since Tobe Hooper’s original. Even the Platinum Dunes remake, while passable, hardly made for first-rate horror, and normally, we’d have even less expectations for the upcoming Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D. Save for two things. One, it’s a direct sequel to the original, offering at the very least an interesting narrative perspective. And two, it’s being presented in 3D – a gimmick, for sure, but one that lends itself well to chainsaws thrust obliquely at the audience.
Paranormal Activity 4 (October 19th)
Announced for the Halloween season, a fourth film in the enormously successful Paranormal Activity franchise was a bit of a no-brainer. The writer/director duo of Paranormal 3 is currently slated to return in what is being rumored as the final film in the series. After last chapter’s prequel approach, it would seem that one more story could potentially wrap up the over-arching narrative of the four films, but given the success of the films, it’s hardly a guarantee that this will be the last.
Check back tomorrow for Part Two of our list in which we’ll run down our most anticipated films that have yet to earn specific release dates….A TBD for Terror!
