By the date given above, you should recognize that this isn't the excellent 1974 made-for-TV genre western starring Steve Forrest. According to imdb, this is the sixth film to use that title, and what we have here is a decent little indie filmed in South Carolina in which the whole doesn't quite live up to the individual parts.
Another High Concept film that Netflix sorta misrepresents on the sleeve description. Six members of an on-line chat group have decided to meet at a deserted rural farm to commit mass suicide. The leader of the on-line group bears the web handle Dwarfstar, who promises to bring the poison-laced Kool-Aide (or its equivalent) that will accomplish the deed without mess or fuss. But after the six finally make it to the farm, Dwarfstar is apparently a no-show. The only wild card is the appearance of a sheriff who knows the family history of the farm and recognizes one of the six as the grand-daughter of the deceased owner. From that point on, things begin to turn weird.
Netflix would have us believe that this film is of the slasher sub-genre. Once the six are assembled, they begin to die off, so is one of the Dwarfstar, or is there someone else lurking in the woods around the farm. A fairly reliable premise, if this film were indeed a slasher film. But it's not. It is genre, however, and that's as far as I go with description. Whether or not the payoff is acceptable is in the eyes of the beholder, but I will say that it fooled me. I was expecting a less creative screenplay.
The 80-minute run time (plus credits) is both a blessing and a curse. Because the script attempts to build mystery and character backstory, it becomes a bit tedious. But that's the only major negative for me. The cinematography is decent; the acting is decent; the editing is decent. Whether or not the directing works is a function of how much you buy into the storyline. Not exactly a great film, but very easy to watch, and as I said, your enjoyment will be predicated on acceptance of the conclusion. I thought it had a nice little stinger.
... Reed
Another High Concept film that Netflix sorta misrepresents on the sleeve description. Six members of an on-line chat group have decided to meet at a deserted rural farm to commit mass suicide. The leader of the on-line group bears the web handle Dwarfstar, who promises to bring the poison-laced Kool-Aide (or its equivalent) that will accomplish the deed without mess or fuss. But after the six finally make it to the farm, Dwarfstar is apparently a no-show. The only wild card is the appearance of a sheriff who knows the family history of the farm and recognizes one of the six as the grand-daughter of the deceased owner. From that point on, things begin to turn weird.
Netflix would have us believe that this film is of the slasher sub-genre. Once the six are assembled, they begin to die off, so is one of the Dwarfstar, or is there someone else lurking in the woods around the farm. A fairly reliable premise, if this film were indeed a slasher film. But it's not. It is genre, however, and that's as far as I go with description. Whether or not the payoff is acceptable is in the eyes of the beholder, but I will say that it fooled me. I was expecting a less creative screenplay.
The 80-minute run time (plus credits) is both a blessing and a curse. Because the script attempts to build mystery and character backstory, it becomes a bit tedious. But that's the only major negative for me. The cinematography is decent; the acting is decent; the editing is decent. Whether or not the directing works is a function of how much you buy into the storyline. Not exactly a great film, but very easy to watch, and as I said, your enjoyment will be predicated on acceptance of the conclusion. I thought it had a nice little stinger.
... Reed
