[7.50/10] American Mary (2012)

American Mary (2012)

Brief review: The Canadian twin sisters, Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska, take indie horror cinema to another level with their latest blood-soaked gem, "American Mary" - an unexpectedly brilliant feminist horror story of revenge, that also explores human's twisted mentality and the perverse desires of people obsessed with the idea of being unique, by turning themselves into monsters, literally. Soska sister's original script cleverly mixes visceral and psychological horror with unsettling sense of realism, outrageous gore and dark humor, and that well-balanced combination of elements leads to an impressive end result. Due to its sick, demented nature, "American Mary" may be a bit too bizarre and revolting for mass tastes, but those willing to see something different, will appreciate the film's bleak uniqueness. Soskas' latest isn't scary, and it's not meant to be, because the story is already shocking and grim enough, so the film doesn't need any additional gimmicks to give you the chills. Sure, being a surgeon horror, there's lots of blood, guts and cut-off body parts, but none of it is over-the-top or too in-your-face. "American Mary" does not look like a low-budget indie film. Soskas' stylish direction complements the film's gloomy tone, which is captured through the use of low lighting and gritty cinematography. It wouldn't be as effective, without Katharine Isabelle's disturbing, yet captivating portrayal of Mary - a gifted surgeon, who's also a sick-minded freak you don't wanna mess with at all.

Overall summary: More nasty than scary, cold, yet sleek in atmosphere and look, and definitely disturbing, "American Mary" is a superbly-crafted and highly original horror movie with feminist undertones, grim sense of humor and grotesque gore, that every genre fan should see.