The Parkers live on the outskirts of town, keeping to themselves. Frank, the father, is the patriarch, ruling over his family with a rigorous intensity, determined to continue his ancestral customs that have been passed down for generations. When a torrential rainstorm moves into the area, tragedy strikes the family when the mother drowns. This leads Frank to rely more heavily on his young daughters, Iris and Rose, who much assume much more responsibility than they are privy too. To call Jim Mickle's We Are What We Are a remake of Jorge Michel Grau's version wouldn't be quite fair, it's more a re-imagining. While I liked Grau's version, Mickle is far more interested in character dynamics, examining the conflict Iris and Rose feel between family and their moral conscious. Frank Parker is truly terrifying, an evangelist man who has almost no moral compass whatsoever because he believes his actions are part of god's will. There is so much focus on these two daughters and their father that one could almost describe it as a very dark Shakespearian tragedy. We are What We Are never relies on jump scares or cheap horror tricks, instead opting for a more classical, brooding sense of horror which captures evil in its most terrifying form. It's moody, atmospheric, and features some fantastic directorial decisions and shot compositions. Jim Mickle's We Are What We Are is a nice reminder that good horror films are still being made, just not seen by nearly enough people. 8.25/10
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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