Better Late Then Never

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

It's hard to believe that there's an entire sub-genre of 'killer scarecrow' features which has existed ever since the grand-daddy of the genre, the excellent DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW, came out in 1980. In the past decade there have been plenty of low budget additions to the genre, none of them much to write home about, and HUSK is such a movie. It's a staple of bargain bins everywhere, a film shot over the space of a couple of weeks which took two years to be released.And for a B-movie, it's not too bad, but not too great either. The storyline is okay but the script is sub-par, although there's a very fast pace which helps to disguise some of the problems. The storyline features a typically annoying group of youths whose car breaks down at the edge of a corn field. They're soon being menaced by a supernatural scarecrow that has the power to recruit others to its cause.HUSK isn't a particularly gruesome film but the monsters are well achieved and rather effective, especially with those sewing machine scenes. It's a shame that the main characters are more lifeless than their zombified counterparts, but those of a forgiving disposition may find themselves mildly enjoying HUSK despite its many flaws; sadly I wasn't one of them.

While driving in the country a car carrying 5 people is involved in an accident which leaves them stranded next to an enormous cornfield. In the distance they see a house and one of the passengers by the name of "Johnny" (Ben Easter) decides to walk through the cornfield to ask for help. When he doesn't return two other passengers named "Brian" (Wes Chatham) and "Scott" (Devon Graye) decide to venture to the house to see what is wrong. What they see at the house is quite disturbing and that's just the beginning of their problems. Anyway, while I liked the action and suspense in this movie if I had to point out a weakness I would say that it lacked character. People go into the cornfield and they get killed. They also argue among themselves. A lot. Be that as it may, it has a good premise but I can't help but feel it could have been so much better. As it was it seemed a bit hollow. In short, this wasn't a bad horror movie. Unfortunately, I didn't think it wasn't anything out of the ordinary either. That said, I rate it as average.

This film just rocks and is simply brilliant. What's there not to like a group of kids in their early 20's on a trip in the middle of nowhere when all of a sudden dead birds fall from the sky and cause their car to break down next to a vast cornfield. I don't know about you but I AM IN and I mean all in with the director dealing all the right cards. What a great little back story on hand here which will creep out any avid horror fan. What I love about Husk is that it doesn't try to hard to be something that it is not. The story stays within its own parameters without trying to be too cute or cheesy for its own good. Yeah and can you say scarecrows with a purpose creating their own burlap sacks for the walking scarecrow dead. Fantastic stuff here and all tightly woven into a jam packed 80minutes of ominous and creepy horror.

Okay, so "Husk" may not necessarily be the most intelligent or innovative horror flick in history, but I do shamelessly admit that I found it vastly entertaining! Why is that? For simple reasons, actually. First and foremost because it's a straightforward and incredibly fast-paced little film that doesn't waste any time on overlong introductions. I think it takes approximately, what, two or three minutes before the action and horror aspects kick in and the film remains eventful until the very last moments. I, for one, really appreciated that writer/director Brett Simmons didn't waste our time (and his own) on redundant character drawings, because they're mainly all just insufferable twenty-something idiots that are about to die in gruesome circumstances anyway. Secondly because, when the subject matter is handled right, scarecrows can be the scariest monsters in the horror genre. Admittedly it must be rather difficult for a scriptwriter to link a decent and plausible story to lifeless puppets made out of straw and discarded clothes, but the image of a scarecrow in the middle of a desolate field at night is so genuinely creepy! The background story that Brett Simmons gave to his scarecrows isn't exactly brilliant, but it's a neat attempt and you got to admit that they look mighty frightening. On their way to a secluded party, four high-school buddies and one supplementary girlfriend crash their car because – inexplicably – a whole swarm of kamikaze crows hammer themselves into the windshield. Across the cornfield, full of eerie scarecrows, they notice a ramshackle farmhouse and the two most courageous ones of the bunch head over there for help, as Johnny mysteriously vanished after the accident. The scarecrows come to life and there's seemingly no way to escape the cornfield. During their quest for survival, Scott gradually uncovers the horrible secret of the living scarecrows through unexplained supernatural visions. Yes indeed, the plot is full of holes, improbabilities and questions that remain unanswered. Quite frankly, this is one of those rare occasions where it didn't bother me too much, as "Husk" provides plentiful of creepy imagery, gore, atmosphere and adrenalin. Simmons makes the most out of a clearly shoestring budget and, most astounding of all, the cast of youngsters is actually very adequate. Director Simmons generates occasional moments of sheer suspense, while the players truly manage to appear terrified and desperate. And, perhaps just because the film didn't waste any initial time on fake and overlong introductions, the characters gradually even become amiable and identifiable. I think I can say for myself that I know horror… "Husk" is horror. And warmly recommended to all fans of the genre.