The Bone Snatcher
Directed by Jason Wulfsohn
Review by Rada Djurica
The Bone Snatcher is an unexpectedly thrilling B movie from South
Africa, which delivers slightly more sand than suspense.
It begins with our protagonists driving through the Namib Desert, looking for some people who had gone missing shortly before, to eventually find them -- or at least to find what’s left of them. They have been literally stripped to the bone, with a few scraps of muscle or internal organ remaining.
There's something beneath them, in the sand, waiting for them to drop their guards so it can take their flesh and leave the bones behind. This is a brand new idea in the world of horror. No such monster had been depicted in US horror movies.
So where does the idea come from? From the old African folk story?
Our protagonists find more bodies. Within in a matter of hours, they all find themselves in the same danger. A flesh-eating thing is out there, preying on people.
This movie does not have a classic horror movie plot, but it does have all the elements necessary for a decent horror movie, along with an effort at humor -- which falls flat, swallowed by the suspense. Maybe a bit more humor along with more interesting details would have made film both longer and more interesting.
The group consists of a pretty female scientist, a native person with knowledge or the folklore and the supernatural, a macho man (who promised the possibility of at least one hot sex scene between protagonists), a capable and interesting middle age woman, and a mysterious man, a know-it-all, who is also the bravest one. The basic acting is good. I assume the actors, who are all South African, are capable of much better.
There are plenty of stumbles in the plot and the production, but it's a funny little monster movie, as good as anything you’d catch on the telly. The plot has some moments that interrupt the suspension of disbelief. Then again, there are some worthwhile plot twists.
There's little hope a movie like this could make much money. But I do applaud the choice of a monster, because it is quite original, especially if it is truly based on an African folk story. The movie plays on the native feel, with bongo drums and cheesy guitar music. I bet there are plenty of African folk stories that could make for interesting Hollywood films.
The direction of "The Bone Snatcher" is good,
and it doesn't look as much like a directing debut as I expected. But
perhaps the film was done in a hurry; it all looks a bit hasty. Some of
the panoramic shots of the desert are eye-catching, but it seems the director
wanted to focus on the horror of the flesh-eating monster. The idea that
there's something evil lurking in the sand is quite cool.
I enjoyed the film and recommend it. Even if some characters do feel unnecessary and some dialogues are cliché, the cast did a good job.