According to Alienbee.biz, “Neighbor makes Hostel and Saw look like 'Romper Room'...” While I don't agree with the quote outright, I'll agree that Neighbor is a depraved film that does little to hold back its brutality. Directed by Robert Angelo Masciantonio, it has the right formula for a classic horror/thriller, unfortunately, its execution proved to be full of gaping holes.
Neighbor stars actress America Olivo, who is billed as “the girl”. She introduces herself under several different aliases, but her true name is never revealed. She plays a psychotic serial killer who roams an upscale suburban neighborhood, killing at her whim. The film focuses on her torture of Don (Christian Campbell), along with the many others whom she victimizes throughout this 90 minute film.
The opening sequence fails to waste anytime in introducing the graphic brutality that is a key ingredient in Neighbor. The events itself are pretty disturbing, but Olivo's portrayal as “the girl” falls short of selling her character's supposed psychosis. Masciantonio's script seems to aim for a Jack Nicholson-esque performance, but “the girl” comes across more like Chris Kattan. Olivo's depiction fails to establish the delicate balance between psychosis and sanity, but instead forces it with a performance that flirts with over-acting. Within 60 seconds of the opening scenes, the situation at hand was pretty apparent, simply because her acting left little to the imagination.
Strange as it may seem, Olivo's looks seemed to shoulder some of the burden where her acting failed. Her physical transformations ranging from 'plain Jane' to 'sultry vixen' and then to 'downright scary', helped to build the intensity for many of her scenes. Her appearance as a cute nurse for the elderly Mrs. Spool (Mink Stole), for instance, added a touch of scary hilarity, not only because we knew things weren't going to end well, but also because we weren't sure if that was her actual occupation. Serial killers and health care tend not to mix well.
One thing that was done extremely well in this production was the attention to detail in terms of cinematography. It was a pretty bloody movie, but the art direction in this aspect definitely scored an A+. The injuries looked realistic and the mangled bodies were enough to make the strongest of stomach's turn. This film had a film-school production feel to it, which also seemed to work impressively well with the storyline. It took advantage of interesting camera angles, and the lack of overt or excessive special effects gave it a kind of refreshing simplicity that most horror films lack.
Unfortunately, refreshing simplicity is not a phrase I can use for the rest of this production. The plot line was great, and the writing was decent, however the lack of emotional identification with any of the main character's was a huge drawback. It did not allow for exploration into motivation or character. Watching Don's torture, the feelings it drew were more out of squeamish horror than of sympathy. It's unfortunate because this is a common trait among most horror/thriller movies, and in this regard, Neighbor seemed to have dropped the ball.
The plot's semi-nonlinear sequence was also something that proved risky. At certain points when Don drifts in and out of reality, it's not always clear what is a dream and what isn't. It isn't until he drifts off for the last time that we're able to piece together what has happened. Despite the obvious artistic effect Masciantonio was going for, it was something that disrupted the rhythm of the story. It's an element that I believe most viewers of this film will be split on in opinion.
Overall, while Neighbor proved to be an entertaining venture, it's not a total package. Lovers of all things gore will find this movie mostly satisfying. There are tons of gratuitous slaughters and neck-slashings to appease even the most sadistic of viewers. However, for those who like a little substance mixed in with their imbrued plot lines, this one falls disappointingly short. Despite all this, I recommend renting or at least watching this film. In comparison with most movies in this genre, it's pretty decent.
DVD Bonus Features
The unrated DVD features commentary with the cast of Neighbor and director Robert Masciantonio. There is also a behind the scene's look at the fight scene and special effects for the movie, which is a good watch. Along with a trailer for the film, the bonus also features an uninspiring gag reel and an offbeat music video that seems a bit out of place on this DVD.
"Neighbor (Unrated Director's Cut)" is on sale July 27, 2010 and is not rated. Horror, Thriller. Written and directed by Robert Angelo Masciantonio. Starring America Olivo, Christian Campbell.
