What with the recent Evil Dead and Maniac adaptations, it seems that horror remakes are all the range at present, and now the conspicuously named Makinov has offered his own take on the 1976 Spanish feature Who Can Kill a Child? Though the filmmakers very own mysterious presence is even more chilling than the film that he has created – as he directs from behind a mask, with his identity unwaveringly sealed.
We delve into the lives of a happily married couple, Francis (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and his pregnant wife Beth (Vinessa Shaw), who when on holiday together in Mexico, decide to venture out to a beautiful, remote island for a few days, hoping to catch up with some alone time before the birth of their first child. However upon their arrival, they are greeted to almost too much intimacy, as there seems to be very few people in the area, with only a handful of children curiously roaming the streets. Puzzled as to the lack of adults, suddenly things take a sinister turn, and their own well-being is threatened by the masses of kids who seem to own this land.
The opening half an hour to this title is great, with an eerie fear of the unknown prevalent, with a naturally creepy ambiance given the quiet, abandoned areas. There is a vulnerability to our lead roles too, not only in a sense that they are tourists on vacation and struggling with the language barrier somewhat, but Beth is around seven or eight months pregnant. There is also just something rather intriguing about a horror taking place in the glorious sunshine. So often is the genre confined to cabins in the woods, relying on a dark and disturbing night-time setting. However Makinov ensures that his picture takes place in beautiful beach surroundings, with the challenging task of frightening the viewer in broad daylight. The filmmaker can be accused of implementing the horror too early in however, as the story unravels too hastily once we reach the island. We really have the chance here to play on the suspense, and yet within moments violence transpires and the horror elements come into play. A slower, more pensive build-up would have been far more effective.
With a clue in the original film’s title, there is an interesting moral compass to Come Out and Play as the antagonists are that of children, and no matter how evil they may be, they’re children all the same. Francis and Beth therefore struggle to find it within themselves to harm them in any way, nor does the viewer wish to see it, giving the villains of the piece a huge advantage and degree of power. That said, the children are really creepy, enhanced by the fact that we don’t really know their motives, and how or why they are in such a state. Such ambiguity is essential for the early stages, however as we progress onwards the mystery surrounding their vile actions grows frustratingly elusive.
Come Out and Play is not a bad film, but seeing as it’s a remake, it just needs something more about it, something innovative or unique that justifies the decision to go ahead with the project, and sadly there is very little by way of vindication, as a film that feels too irrelevant and inconsequential, leaving with you too many questions unanswered, and yet no desire for a sequel. The horror genre may suit the dark aspects to Manilev’s demeanour and persona as a filmmaker, however, it quite simply hasn’t worked too well this time around. Perhaps next time he should try a riotous comedy. Let’s find out if the man behind the mask knows how to giggle.
[Rating:2/5]
