BY JACK RANSOM MARCH 14, 2024
Firstly, I just want to say that the poster for this film is fantastic and far superior to pretty much every single major studio’s horror promo output in recent memory… it’s just a shame that it barely represents the film it is showcasing and is far superior in quality. I don’t like to rag too hard on lower budget/indie features, however I found the majority of All You Need is Death an absolute chore to sit through after its intriguing opening act.
SYNOPSIS
All You Need is Death sees a young couple (Simone Collins & Charlie Maher) who collect rare folk ballads discover the dark side of love when they surreptitiously record and translate an ancient, taboo folk song from the deep, forgotten past.
REVIEW
The real overarching positive for me is how All You Need is Death is steeped in its culture and small town paranoia. As previously mentioned for the first 25-30 minutes the slow-burn unfurling of the plot is engaging, it then takes a sharp turn into convoluted, confusing, pretentious and dull territory that really creates a strong argument that this should have been a short film.
The technical aspects are solid considering the budget. There are a couple of impressive practical effects on display and the cinematography helps elevate the everyday, shot on location neighbourhood. The score and sound design can be a little overbearing at points (though this may have been intentional). The performances are mixed. Familiar face Olwen Fouéré (Mandy, The Northman, Texas Chainsaw Massacre) elevates the scene she appears in and the rest of the cast largely range from ‘okay’ to awkward and/or spaced out.
All You Need is Death has some creepy and unique ideas, as well as a well utilised low budget. Its just a shame that it is bogged down by an excruciatingly slow second and third act, a lack of scares or tension and mixed performances.
STAR RATING
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