"I'm not here to brighten your dismal day. I am here to end your miserable life."
Like it or not, controversial filmmaker Rob Zombie has released another movie in his library of horror films. To me, Rob Zombie is an artist that has yet to master his craft of filmmaking. Some of his earlier work, such as the Devil's Rejects duology and the 2007 remake of Halloween, manage to entertain but are far from being original or even good horror films in their own right. In the case of The Lords of Salem, Zombie completely nails the tone and style of the film, though the product as a whole still manages to fall short of its potential. Then there's Halloween II, which was just plain bad, though there were moments were you could see what Zombie was going for. How does 31 fair in contrast?
31 focuses on a group of innocent carnival workers who, while on a road trip, are kidnapped by psychopaths who also just so happen to work for a carnival. They are taken to a twisted version of a carnival (you can clearly see the film's main motif) in which an Eye's Wide Shut-esque group of people watches various serial killers attempt to slaughter the civilians as entertainment. The problem I have right off the bat is the interactions between the group of innocent protagonists that we are supposed to care about. The film tries to make the characters humourous and relatable, with a splash of sex appeal added in for good measure. The error with this, however, is that it's all so over-the-top and poorly done that none of it is believable. As a result, I never really cared about the fates of any of the characters in the way the film apparently wants me to.
Another major flaw, which is prevalent in Rob Zombie's preceding work, is the sheer lack of originality. Specifically, the film fails to differentiate itself from the more famous horror films that influenced it. None of the locations or psychopathic antagonists (save for one) are interesting or scary enough to have a lasting impression, and neither does the plot. The whole "kidnapped on a roadtrip" premise has been done countless times, as has the general idea of a carnival-themed horror film. There is even a dinner scene that made me roll my eyes because it was clearly stolen from A Rocky Horror Picture Show. Having influences and taking inspiration from earlier films is perfectly fine, as is paying homage, but I take issue when I notice a film directly steal an entire scene from another movie. Although the film is very graphic in its depiction of violence and sexuality, I was hardly shocked or unsettled due to the film's direction, which often made it difficult to take it as seriously as I was supposed to. Graphic violence alone is not enough to make a film unsettling. It's what you do with it that can. For instance, the original Halloween (1978) barely had any blood or gore in it at all, but I was far more hooked by that film when I saw it for the first time than I was with 31.
With all that being said, the film does manage to do one thing really well. Richard Brake's character, Doom Head, is easily the highlight of the film. The casting of Brake was a stroke of absolute genius. Not only does Brake have the face of an unhinged serial killer, but his twisted monologues and sadistic giddiness are enough to give anyone chills. The character is just the right mix of humour and darkness, managing to make me laugh one moment and stare in silence the next. The character was also far more fleshed out (no pun intended) and developed than the other killers, and the fact that this was the only killer who couldn't be beaten just adds to it. If there is one thing I will remember this movie for, it is definitely Doom Head. While we're on the subject of good actors, it was nice to see Malcolm McDowell make an appearance as well.
VERDICT
Score: 4.5/10
I believe that one of these days, Rob Zombie will make a truly great horror film. Unfortunately, 31 is far from being it.