One rainy eve, Dr. Karen Schumaker (Rebecca Hobbs) arrives at a dilapidated high-security mental institution to begin her assessment of serial killer Simon Cartwright (Paolo Rotondo)… and what an institution it is, ruled over by orderlies that look and act like thugs and watched over by the strange Dr. Marlowe (Roy Ward) who’s odd demeanor, outre fashion sense, and opulent koi pond-surrounded office make him a real stand out among the peeling paint and exposed wires of his stompin’ grounds.
Anyway, our heroine goes on a journey through Simon’s troubled past… a past that includes an absolute aversion to being picked on, an abusive mother, and a high body count… which truth be told aren’t unreasonable things to encounter in a serial killer’s past… but what really begins to make Karen’s ears stand up is Simon’s insistence that some outside force whispers in his ears to do all that murder biz!
Writer/Director Scott Reynolds delivers a stylish thriller (with a dash of the good ol’ supernatural shocker jazz) with The Ugly, a fright flick that manages to conjure a healthy amount of dread and suspense.
Flowing in and out of Simon’s remembrances with impressive hallucinogenic skill, the non-linear narrative manages to keep the viewer riveted no matter how twisty n’ turny things get… and the presence of Ward’s Marlowe keeps things fever-dream crazy… which is very fitting considering we see most events from Simon’s distorted perception of reality.
Speaking of Simon, I at first thought Paolo Rotondo too baby-faced to portray a twisted psycho, but the man’s performance is absolute dynamite and ends up selling the whole affair perfectly, and the supporting cast is solid too, but the aforementioned Roy Ward steals the show as the absolutely bizarre Dr. Marlowe who oft-times seems to have arrived straight from Dracula’s castle.
Gore here is kept to mostly blood spray… though the blood present here is seen as black goo from our anti-hero’s perspective (which presents visual panache), while the spooky material is mostly relegated to the third act with ghostly entities provided by a pre-Lord of the Rings WETA.
Special features accompanying The Ugly on this Unearthed Films Blu-ray include an isolated score track, an audio commentary featuring Actors Paolo Rotondo and Rebecca Hobbs, an archival radio interview with Reynolds, a duo of short films, two versions of the film’s trailer, a photo gallery and a visual essay.
The package also features a reversible sleeve and a collectible booklet.
Strange, well-acted, and beautifully presented, The Ugly is a paranormal thriller not to be missed!
