Starry Eyes (2014) – Review

Posted by maria kriva on August 6, 2015 · 4 Comments 

While fame comes with a deadly price, writers/directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer come with a horror flick that fills the niche of those who can’t stand to watch one more poorly executed and cliché-ridden production.

The promising duo set their film in the vain and dark world of stardom, where the lead character Sarah (Alex Essoe) is slowly drowning in a whirlpool of failed auditions and rejections. While trying to make ends meet as a waitress and at the same time struggling to make her first big break as an actress, the twenty-something, emotionally anguished protagonist finds out that ambition doesn’t always bring happiness, especially when it requires doing business with the Devil.

As her career seems to have hit rock bottom, any opportunity is good enough for the desperate actress, so when Astraeus Pictures call her to audition for the dark Hollywood tale “The Silver Scream” things apparently start to look up.

At first, she is disgusted by the dirty and creepy entertaining business and its people, but eventually her inner battle and fragile psyche make her cave in to her vanity and sick ambition. After giving in to the casting couch’s twisted whims, Sarah finds herself trapped in a murderous circle that slowly transforms her into this blood thirsty, evil creature.

Kolsch and Widmyer certainly please the hardcore fans with powerful gore and brutality, as Sarah’s deal with the Devil turns her into a savage monster and the blood-letting is at least satisfying.

Even though the story is not a game-changer and Starry Eyes is not even close to excellent, it’s undeniable that Alex Essoe is an actress of great emotional power and her performance is captivating – making this horror production a fun and interesting choice that is worth a watch.

The theme goes beyond stupid gore and unoriginal nonsense, choosing instead to focus on real human weaknesses combined with a supernatural extravaganza leading to raw killings and, let’s face it, pure bloodshed.

And to quote Colin Clive in Frankenstein: It’s Alive! It’s Alive! 6/10

 

Filed under Review · Tagged with Alex Essoe, blood, devil, Horror, horror movie, review, Starry Eyes, thriller