Search - The Craving on DVD

An excellent conventional horror flick with some great ideas

Mason J. Rourman | North Yorkshire, UK | 12/21/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This movie has everything I look for in a good horror flick - a group of young people ending up in the middle-of-nowhere, a monster, an antagonist. This has all the feel of Spielberg's "Duel", but it really has some great scary points. The sexy scenes are sexy, the scary ones really give a chill, and the director even goes so far as so make me laugh when he wanted to, even though it's not a comedy. The actors did really well, and it had a very distinct sense of realism to it. I certainly hope that this film gets a wide viewing by others; I'm especially hoping to see more movies from Sean Dillon soon! Two thumbs up!!"

A whiff of evil and an aura of invincibility

Howard Rice | Los Angeles, CA USA | 11/07/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Critic Terrence Rafferty suggests that those are the traits uniting the vast spectrum of horror-movie monsters, a rogues' gallery including, among others, supernatural spirits, vicious extraterrestrials, serial killers/slashers and an excessively large and, well, "rogue" great white shark. Speaking of Jaws, some of the lessons of that seminal horror film are on display in The Craving, a fine addition to this monster movie tradition. Like Jaws and many of the great fright flicks, The Craving retains a distinct element of mystery: What is the full extent of the horror? What kind of "monster" are we up against? (In a tweak of monster movie convention, filmmakers Sean Dillon and Curtis Krick provide a near-literal take on that "whiff of evil." It has to be seen to be believed.) The film also shares some of the grit and invention of the great independent horror cycle of the `60s and `70s. Most significant, the interplay of action, violence and gore evidences the creators' imagination and facilitates the audience's. This is not some grim, dreary, tedious exercise in torture porn. The film's storyline unfolds to great effect in the desert at night, an especially rich setting in which the darkness cloaks a horrifying creature while the lack of vegetation leaves would-be victims totally exposed. The entire cast, including those supplying these victims, is particularly strong for the genre; even non-speaking roles support the film's plot and reinforce its themes, enriching The Craving with flavor and texture. There's nudity, too."