Reviewed by Melissa Antoinette Garza
“There is something wrong with this island.” Evelyn (Prunella Ransome)
Tom (Lewis Fiander) and his very pregnant wife Evelyn (Prunella Ransome) are beginning their trip in Spain. They enjoy the small shops and lavish parades in the streets. All is lovely, and Evelyn remarks on how she would have liked to take the children. They then decide to visit a small island called Almanzora. Tom had been to the island years before, and he rents a boat and along with Evelyn sails there.
When they arrive, several children rush to help them. Tom notices one quiet boy fishing and tries to approach him, but the boy says nothing. Tom seems a bit disturbed by the boy’s odd attitude, but Evelyn pulls him away before he can find out more. They begin to walk around the island and soon notice that aside from children, the place is empty.
Soon, the truth is revealed. Two days prior to Tom’s trip, all of the children went mad. They picked up clubs and bats and weapons of all kind and attacked the adults. They murdered them! Tom finds out early on, and does whatever he can to keep the truth from his wife. When he sees a group of children playing pinata with a dead body, he decides they must leave.
From the moment the film begins, the atmosphere created is tense and nerve-wracking. First, we are shown real segments from the holocaust, the Korean War, and Vietnam. The focus is primarily on child casualties. Everything from starvation to young kids missing body parts to burned off flesh caused by napalm, is displayed on screen. It is impossible not to be disturbed and angry by the opening. Some may have to turn away from the graphic images. When the actual movie starts, one is already so un-eased that the slow initial pace just seems to further torture. One can’t know what to expect from a horror movie that opens with such a start. “Who Can Kill A Child?” does not fail to go beyond even those expectations.
As the truth is revealed, the conclusion is an obvious one. If Tom and Evelyn are to survive they must put their morals aside and murder the young children.
Somehow, the seventies always knew how to deliver a powerful horror production. They easily got into the psyche of the viewer. They captivated while they terrorized. “Who Can Kill A Child” is no exception. One may even find themselves rooting for the children to be killed. Despite their smiles and laughter, it’s difficult not to cheer for their demise.
One thing that is confusing is the opening sequences. It’s difficult to interpret the message that was meant by the footage. Obviously, the atrocities committed against the innocent are disgusting. How can anyone allow these children to be harmed so horribly? Still, one has to wonder what provoked this film to open with the footage. Especially, when it is the children who are made out to be the enemy. There is a brief mention about evolution. Perhaps the idea is that the children developed an instinct which guided them to murder the adults before being killed themselves. After all, children do not begin wars. Maybe the message was simply “The Survival of the Fittest.” If so, it could have been developed more.
There were questions left unanswered. In one way, this is the most aggravating aspect of the movie. One is left to ask themselves, ‘why’ and ‘how.’ Still, speculation is always fun, and analyzing the film to find the answers may add insight.
The acting was excellent, the pace could not have been better, and the ending packs a punch.
Overall: 7.5/10 Another Great 70s Addition
