The Obsidian Curse is a 2016 American horror feature film about a young mother, newly released from prison, who encounters supernatural entities…
Written, photographed, edited and directed by Rene Perez (Cabal; Playing with Dolls franchise; The Dead and the Damned franchise; et al) and produced by Glen Stewart, the movie stars Karin Brauns (Stina in two Playing with Dolls movies), Reggie Bannister (Phantasm franchise), Richard Tyson and Nicole Stark.
Plot:
Blair Jensen, a young mother, is released out of prison after being arrested on multiple drug charges one year earlier. On the day of the release, Blair received the shocking news that her boyfriend got married to someone else who’s now playing mother to her daughter Linda.
When Blair finally reunites with her daughter she’s facing a social worker giving her the devastating news she has restricted visits only until she can prove in court that she can obtain and require full-time employment…
Review:
Filmmaker Rene Perez previously made Obsidian Hearts in 2012 and this Curse movie is clearly a loose sequel, although judging by the trailer for Hearts it’s not a direct continuation.
Storywise, The Obsidian Curse initially shows some promise. We can feel for Blair (Karin Brauns), the female protagonist, as she has made some bad life choices and is now denied access to her daughter as a result. Meanwhile, her ex-husband’s shifty new wife sends her to a fake tourist guide interview which results in a visit to a cave inhabited by an old witch and the curse of the title. Later, the cave is revealed to be a portal to Hell itself!
Alas, this is where the plot starts to fall apart and the narrative just lurches from one rubbery monster attack scene after another. The ex-wife’s involvement is never explained or revisited. Surely there should have been some sort of showdown between the two women later on? But, no.
Reggie Bannister literally pops up as a paranormal investigator and we do at least get some back story via old demon footage he shows Blair. A visit to an equally cursed old academic provides a jump scare but little else in the greater scheme of the scenario.
We occasionally also see our heroine running around in fields batting away zombie-like monsters with a baseball bat. A preponderance of aerial shots during these scenes is presumably intended by Perez to show off his filmmaking talents, however, they only serve to distance the viewer from the action on the screen.
After an extended scene at an empty airport lounge that involves beating a villain over the head repeatedly with a fire extinguisher (Karin Braun was an executive producer so this is her chance to again kick-ass), she ends up drugged and kidnapped. It all ends abruptly on a cliffhanger delivered by the cheapest looking monster in the whole enterprise that rather obviously aims to set up a sequel.
Thankfully, a third outing for the would-be Obsidian franchise hasn’t happened and the sheer lack of online reviews – and therefore interest in this 2016 entry – means that no-one hopes it will. This movie is never dull and its short running time means it doesn’t drag. Performances are mixed, editing choices are odd and the monster menace is never scary.
Yet, this is a timewaster that at least makes easy viewing and raises an occasional smile at the absurdity of it all. In a world where every other horror pic experience is an exercise in gritted teeth, this is at least welcome; that’s hardly a recommendation though.
Adrian J Smith, MOVIES & MANIA
Other reviews:
“Honestly not that much happens. You get to see a whole bunch of hands in Halloween rubber gloves and heads in rubber masks. For a while, you think it is cosplay… but it’s not. At least at one point they actually say “I thought it was a Halloween mask but it’s not.” So, you know, at least they recognize it.” Generations of Swine
Cast and characters:
- Karin Brauns … Blair Jensen
- Reggie Bannister … Professor Reginald M. Sydow
- Richard Tyson … Arthur
- Nicole Stark … Kitty
- Cody Renee Cameron … Yvonne
- John Caraccioli … Roberto
- Charlie Glackin … Rudolf Masterson
- Robert Koroluck … Mr Cobb
- Julia Lehman … Donna
- Leia Perez … Linda Jensen
- Derek W. Adam … Police Officer
- Mack Davis … Airport Security Guard
- Jen Gamble … Witch outdoor scene
- Alicia Gonzalez … Gina Hotel Housekeeper
- Bryan Howell … Monsters at Kitty’s House / Caverns
- Jenny Kenned … Convenient Store Clerk
- Jessica Koffler … Cavern Witch / Bar Girl
- Justine Koffler … Bar Girl
- Johnny McDonald … Grocery Store Clerk
- Graham Posner … Video Store Clerk
- Kaula Reed … Vampire’s Assistant 1
- Marilyn Robrahn … Social Worker
- John Scuderi … Vampire
- William Siemer … Monster by Stream
- Joyce Sims … Pizza Shop Manager
- Sam Story … Jason
- Sean Story … Roy Hotel Security Guard
- Rachel Walker … Vampire’s Assistant 2
Technical details:
79 minutes
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