>>215197934
2/2
The setting is a strong point, being fairly fully realized -- you just know that if magic *were* real, people would use it to cheat, lie, and kill, and have cheap Haitian zombies (purchased in bulk, because they wear out and rot) throw up substandard housing developments. The magic is really interesting too! We see a guy cut up in a WHIRLWIND of newspaper scraps (very anime-like) in a bathroom! We see demons summoned with the equivalent of fuda talismans, and tireless gargoyle henchmen in lieu of security systems. Another big point in the movie’s favor is the dialog, which is EXTREMELY faithful to the non-supernatural source material, no-holds barred, no feelings spared. Lovecraft asking a homosexual if he met his beau at a “fag party” is a direct reference to a memorable line in Chandler’s The Big Sleep. If there’s one thing against this very fun, creative movie, it’s the lack of dynamic camerawork -- which is very *TV*, very flat and workaday. The sets and costumes, however, are quite nice, though the TV flavor can’t be shucked off. If only there were some bright accents to set against the blurry darkness! (Perhaps if I saw this in better quality -- and I’m not sure it yet *exists* in HD -- it might climb up to Excellent . . .)