Powerful

A Disappointing Continuation

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Was drawn into seeing 'Replace' with a cool poster/cover, a very intriguing and creative premise and as someone with a general appreciation for horror. That it was low-budget, which from frequent personal experience is rarely a good sign due to that there are so many poor ones out there, made me though apprehensive. 'Replace' is sadly however yet another film seen recently, hence some reiteration because the exact same strengths and flaws those films are present here, that to me was incredibly disappointing considering its potential which it doesn't do anywhere near enough with. As a film it's lacklustre, with a plethora of problems (huge ones too) and doesn't do enough with its potential, which was hardly small. There is very little good about itLets start with the positives. The scenery is atmospheric and spooky and 'Replace' is surprisingly well shot.Found too that the acting was not bad, doing their best with disappointingly nowhere near enough material to work with, and that there were a few nice twists that intrigued and weren't telegraphed too early.Unfortunately, the story does feel paper thin, disjointed and over-stretched and some of it feels vague, under-explained in the last third where the film especially became duller, more predictable, more senseless and less scary. Too many characters are too sketchy and with nowhere near enough to make one want to endear to them. The effects are ropy at best.Dialogue can be stilted and rambling, with lots of clichés and no depth whatsoever (definitely one of the worst assets), while the pace goes to a standstill very quickly and drags with very little going on worth caring about. Found too many the supposedly shocking moments not surprising or scary and the supposedly creepy atmosphere dreary, due to the excessive obviousness, a lot of dumb and vague moments and explanations and the lack of tension and suspense. There are a good deal of underdeveloped plot elements and often nonsensical and confusing character motivations, while too many of the things to make you jump or shocked are far from creative or scary and are pretty tame. There is not enough threat here and what there is of it tends to be used poorly, it is completely unimaginative and more odd than creepy, with little sense of horror or urgency. Some badly sagging momentum too. The direction is leaden, inexperience seems to be all over the film. There is no creativity or anything shocking.As said previously very well, the music, sound and editing are the worst assets. The music is too loud, sounds cheap (may have worked 25 or so years ago but doesn't work here), tries far too hard to generate emotion and is far too predictably placed and often out of kilter. The sound is too echoey and often without warning or reason and makes some of the voices sound strange. The editing is haphazard and affects the coherence of some of the goings on and story structure.Overall, lacklustre but far from unwatchable. 4/10 Bethany Cox

Sorry for the inappropriate political pun I used there, but I just couldn't resist. While that is timely and I'm not sure the joke will be understood in 10 years (or even when the next president is on), the movie itself is timeles (pun very much intended). Immortality is something humans have been seeking out forever and something that is both appealing and appaling, if you really take your time and think about it.The movie starts off a bit weird, with a scenario that might leave you wondering what is going on. Like me, because I didn't read what this was about. Most twists can be seen way ahead of the time they arrive on screen, but it's still very enjoyable to watch. The actors are having fun with this ... let's call it body horror movie. And while it has quite a few flaws (pun intended), it is more than decent enough

Replace is about a young woman (Rebecca Forsythe) who suddenly develops a fast-spreading skin condition (it looks like she's peeling) and desperately looks for a cure. At least that one aspect of the story. The young woman also has short-term memory loss and slight moments of distorted reality. She meets strangers who say they've already met, including a skin specialist. Is she going nuts? Or is she already there? Let me back up. When we first meet Kira, she's heading to the apartment of a man she met at a bar. They laugh, they flirt, she spends the night. When she wakes up, he's gone, and the skin condition appears. She tries scratching it and picking at it, as one is wont to do, which only makes matters worse. She visits a dermatologist (Barbara Crampton) who prescribes some medication "for the pain." But Kira discovers something really wacked, and completely by accident. She learns that if she peels off some affected skin and then applies someone else's skin to that spot, the new skin will adhere immediately to her body. This contradicts known medicine, as skin grafts can be a very lengthy and painful process. Has she found a cure for her malady? Lest one think this is just about a woman and her need for some good lotion, there's a mindbending twist, a psychological smack in the head for the viewer. It's too wonderful to explicate here, but in the great tradition of these thrillers, not all is what it seems. In fact, little is.The final twist is perfect. Enough pieces fall into place that Kira's situation makes some sense, although not every question is answered neatly. The script is well written (by Norbert Keil and Richard Stanley), and Forsythe, Crampton, and Lucie Aron (as Kira's neighbor) turn in strong performances. Well made all around.

Kira (Rebecca Forsythe)'s skin starts to age rapidly, dry out and crumble away. But then she discovers that she can replace her own skin with somebody else's."Replace" is a film with an impeccable horror pedigree. Co-writer Richard Stanley is something of a legend with his films "Hardware", "Dust Devil" and the ill-fated "Island of Dr. Moreau". Co-star Barbara Crampton needs no introduction, wowing audiences since her time as a Stuart Gordon regular. And star Rebecca Forsythe adds a multi-generational aspect to the mix: she is the daughter of genre favorite William Forsythe. Horror fans will be thrilled to see her continue the family tradition.The film's imagery starts off hazy and is somewhat disorienting for viewers, which may be mildly annoying. Relax, however, as this effect quickly subsides and the need for such an introduction becomes understandable as the plot unfolds. You may say, "I thought this was a film about skin, not memory loss." But be assured that all your questions will be answered.And you will have questions, because the film is scripted very elaborately with multiple twists. Some of these will be obvious in retrospect, some much less so. This plays into the film's subtle brilliance, because once you think you outsmarted the filmmakers, be prepared to accept where they take the story next. This is a multi-layered onion with a treasure at its core."Replace" is a film all its own and defies comparisons. Some of the bloodier scenes might evoke thoughts of "Eat", and the idea of fighting against the aging process may call to mind Debbie Rochon's "Model Hunger". But "Replace" bears less than a passing resemblance to either of them, and far surpasses them both (with all due respect to Ms. Rochon). Very rarely is any film ever completely "new", but "Replace" manages to pull it off.The film in general is quite strong, with excellent performances from Forsythe and the supporting cast. Crampton's cold, emotionally-distant doctor is a bit off-putting, but considering that is exactly who her character is supposed to be, she nailed it. A special note of praise must be reserved for the set designers. Presumably, the film had a modest budget, but you would never know this from the use of spacious apartments and a very cleverly-constructed medical facility. This is filmmaking with heart."Replace" screens on July 16, 2017 at the Fantasia International Film Festival and is certain to be a fan favorite. Produced by our friends at Sparkling Pictures and directed by Norbert Keil, be sure to check it out.