By Melissa Antoinette Garza
I love ARROW VIDEO! If ever a low-budget flick deserved a remastered re-release it was KOLOBOS (1999) and ARROW has given it the proper treatment. This brings me back to the day of video stores. I remember renting this from Hollywood Video when it was a new release. It’s crazy to think that was twenty years ago.
It had been quite awhile since I saw KOLOBOS when we threw the disc in to watch it tonight. I wondered if it would hold up well as some of the plot points are dated. I’m happy to say, it stands the test of time.
The film surrounds Kyra (Amy Weber) a mental patient with a dark past. She’s an artist who draws sinister imagery that scares even herself. See, Kyra has visions of a brutal murderer – so she decides to go on a reality show. The reality show is like THE REAL WORLD except it’s taped to go on a VHS and be distributed like a film. The cast is a group of 90s popular archetypes, but in this flick the caricature approach works. The group have full access to a house with all amenities but they are to be filmed 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
In a quite hilarious scene, a character is thrilled at the prospect of a big screen television which is about a 24 inch small box TV. My brother Geno pointed that out while I watched it with him, and the only assumption we can come to is the script was never revised when they were unable to secure a large screen set for the film.
Even with something as silly as that oversight and despite the unrealistic nature of the characters used, the movie delivers. First, the avenue of using pure stereotypes which is usually a tell-tale sign of a bad movie, is necessary. These are individuals who had to fit into a certain category to get picked to be on the show, so it makes sense that those chosen would be the ones who stand-out and represent the style of the late 90s. TV shows choose the most dramatic and affected people for ratings so thus the show within the film would too. Knowing the affected nature is a choice, makes for an unusual experience of appreciating what I would generally condemn.
As the group gets to know one another, they realize that Kyra was just released and is on medication that she claims is just for anxiety. Making matters worse her drawings of disturbing violent drawings are revealed.
Soon, Kyra’s mental well-being deteriorates as she sees people without faces coming after her. Sometimes, they are straight-up hallucinations and no one is there; but other times it is her roommates that appear to have their eyes and lips distorted into a blur.
When the director and much of the stars end up getting killed, the survivors instantly suspect Kyra. Locked in the house, everyone searches for an escape and attempt to stay away from the nutjob by locking her in the bathroom.
The conclusion and reveal though for some horror aficionados may be easy to guess, it’s nonetheless a cool concept and the audience is left with opening for a sequel that never materialized.
Overall, I highly suggest this movie. Some of the hallucinations are quite effective in providing scares. The plot though simple is interesting, and the acting was surprisingly well done adding depth to characters that otherwise easily could have been empty.
This film is very similar to another underrated horror production called HEADSPACE (2005). The theme of both movies and the parallels between our protagonists are equally compelling. The only reason I’d give HEADSPACE ad edge would be that the brilliant horror icon Olivia Hussey brought her presence and talent as she portrayed Dr. Karen Murphy.
Both movies are definitely worth checking out. If you’re in the mood for some psychological horror, suspense and a fun premise – seek these out!
For more information on KOLOBOS, visit ARROW FILMS at https://arrowfilms.com/product-detail/kolobos-blu-ray/FCD1863
SCARED STIFF RATING: 7/10
