By Melissa Antoinette Garza
“Anyone could be a killer.” – David (Christopher Rydell)
Escaped mental patient Aura Petrescu (Asia Argento) is a troubled teenage girl battling anorexia. She enlists the help of the very sympathetic David Parsons (Christopher Rydell) who meets her as she contemplates suicide. After talking her off of a bridge, he slowly becomes embedded into her life. Soon, they begin working together to uncover the identity of a killer who brutally murdered her parents. Aura had witnessed the crime but blocked the event from her mind. Ever since, dreams of her father have plagued her.
The killer, only known as “The Headhunter” decapitates his victims. David reviews the newscasts about The Headhunter and realizes he only strikes when it rains. As he is at work, Aura is turned in by his jealous lover. When she arrives, Dr. Judd (Frederic Forrest) force feeds her hallucinogenic drugs to bring back memories. She begins to see images of herself in the rain but when she recalls nothing else, Judd becomes frustrated and storms away. Meanwhile, Aura is taken away, strapped to a gurney and fed more and more drugs. David arrives shortly thereafter and sneaks past security to see her as she nearly un-conscience struggles to get out of the bed. When he finds her, he quickly helps her escape.
Unbeknownst to them, The Headhunter is chopping away more victims right in the hospital’s confines. It isn’t until they arrive home, that Aura learns her nurse was beheaded. The two go to the victim’s house and discover a photograph. Nearly everyone in the picture was murdered. After yet another casualty, David tracks down the lone survivor, Dr. Lloyd (Brad Dourif), for some answers. The doctor is now down on his luck and begging for money. David tries to get information from Lloyd, but he refuses. They hit brick wall after brick wall as they desperately try to find out the truth.
Asia Argento does well in the lead. She portrays the confused adolescent with the necessary innocence needed. She’s convincing in the role and has enough chemistry with fellow actor David Parsons to make the relationship interesting. David too does well. His character transcends from a well-adjusted, reformed drug addict who tries to help a lost girl, to someone who is lost himself. He is not the typical hero one sees in a horror production. He has skeletons in his closet and though they aren’t delved into all that much, they do add insight into the motivations of the character.
“The Headhunter” is an interesting unseen killer. The death scenes were well done, and even though they all ended with decapitations they varied in enough particulars which made them stand out. Tom Savini’s wisdom concerning the make-up surely benefitted the overall production. The gore is minimal but the storyline more than makes up for it.
The whodunit is one that keeps the audience guessing and the conclusion is definitely a refreshing surprise. The motive makes sense and it concludes with a real neat twist. The characters are well-developed and the scenes were often tense. The imagery used is frightening if not as disturbing as intended. Strange voices, seances, and the focus on certain colors create strange moments not typically seen in a whodunit. At times it adds a certain positive element to the atmosphere, at others is merely feels out of place. The plot was definitely one that captivates and the film deserves at least a once over.
There could have been a few more main players that would have helped the flow along. Rydell and Argento more than pull their weight but to carry the entire film was impossible. Even if the existing supporting characters were shown more, it could have made a world of difference. As unexpected as the conclusion was, and as great as it ended, if the audience knew more about the suspects in question, it could have been even better.
Scared Stiff Rating: 6.5/10
