Horror Movie Review: The Graves

The Graves

Starring: Clare Grant, Jillian Murray, Bill Moseley, and Tony Todd

Directed by: Brian Pulido

Written by: Brian Pulido

Production Companies: Mischief Maker Studios and Ronalds Brothers Films

Release Date: October 31, 2009

The Graves sisters are off for one last hurrah together before older sister Megan leave for work in the big city leaving younger sister Abby on her own. But when they find themselves in Skull City and decide to visit the haunted mine, it might be their last hurrah ever.

It's a classic and proven set-up which only needs good follow through and interesting antagonists to get a movie reasonably entertaining enough to pass the time, but whether or not The Graves is reasonably entertaining can be debated.

The downside of The Graves, unfortunately, is what most people comment on. The plot's got some pretty big holes in it. The mine is busy enough that The Graves sisters are at least the third visiting group of victims that day, but when the sisters and the survivor from another group make it back out to the road, it's not help they find. In fact, that many people going missing...unless this is the first day of their vacationer slaughters, officials would be poking around, if not entirely suspicious.

The Graves sisters handle being the target of the insane killers better than is to be expected. Abby (played by Jillian Murray) at least approaches authentic fear, but Megan (played by Clare Grant) never seems affected by people trying to kill her. Reading comic books your whole life does not prepare you for being a potential murder victim.

But there is some fun here, and you could come up with a fun drinking game with this movie. Every time Clare Grant tries to get her hair out of her face, take a shot. Be careful, though...one scene you'll be taking three fast shots at least. And Clare Grant, despite not being scared, is one of the fun aspects of the film. She is very attractive and we all want her in a role where she's wearing leather the entire time.

Tony Todd is also here as a crazed priest for Skull City's crazy cult. I've seen criticisms of Todd's performance here, but if you've seen video of small town religious Shakers and Snake Handlers and the like, the preaching and shaking of Tony Todd in the role really works. Every time Tony shakes when preaching the word, take a shot.

Bill Moseley is entertaining as Caleb "Cookie" Atwood, though there's little explanation for his wearing of the pig nose. Every time Bill snorts like a pig, take a shot.

Don't watch it expecting too much. I haven't even hit all the holes in the plot, but it's not a total stinker. Just go in with bottle and shot glass well in hand.

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Army of Darkness - Bill Moseley appeared as a Deadite Captain in Army of Darkness. Bound in human flesh and inked in blood, the ancient Necronomicon, or "Book of the Dead," transports department store clerk Ash (Bruce Campbell) and his 1973 Oldsmobile into England's Dark Ages. There, he faces legions of undead beasts in a battle for his life.



Night of the Living Dead - Tony Todd also appeared in the 1990 remake Night of the Living Dead. Makeup maestro Tom Savini's shot-for-shot revamp of George A. Romero's watershed black-and-white original brings to lurid color the mortality tale of a band of small-town folks corralled in a farmhouse surrounded by an army of walking dead. Survival is the common goal, but with method and mores in dispute, pistol-packing refugee Barbara (Patricia Tallman) develops her own notions about how to make it through the night.