Dynamic/Interesting Story
Added 11/2/2009
This film was not what I was expecting. I like foreign horror films, especially Spanish (like The Orphanage, The Nameless, Pan's Labyrinth(not horror, I know)), and it's probably because they have innovative storylines that do not lead to predictable endings. Always visually stunning, with great moody scores, they just seem to have a great grasp on capturing an eerie mood and dragging the audience in.
Shiver is no exception to mastering the sensory magic of foreign horror films. But Shiver is a departure in its storyline. Santi is allergic to light, so his mother moves out to rustic valley to help his health. Once Santi appears, strange things begin to happen in the woods with fatal results. What is happening, and how will Santi prove he is not the cause? Great twists and turns keep you interested and breaths new life into the horror genre.
Well done film with an innovative story that deserves a look. Recommended.
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Foreign film is great treat on DVD
Added 9/12/2009
With Halloween around the corner, "Shiver" is a nice treat from some of the more typical horror movies currently on DVD.
The story revolves around a teenager with a rare allergy to sunlight who moves with his mother to a mountain village where shadows of the mountains filter out most of the sun's harmful rays - allowing the teen to have a more social home and school life. However, when police start finding dead bodies, the boy who must live in the dark is suspected of the murders. There is a mysterious being in the woods of the mountain which the teenager must discover in order to clear his name.
This was a great find I rented on Netflix, but ended up purchasing on Amazon.com for a friend of mine who said he also enjoyed the foreign film. There are some good movies coming out of Spain and other countries right now that are well made, have interesting cinemaphotography, and good actors. "Shiver" is one of them. Although the movie might not quite give you the shivers, the movie's name certainly defines the main character's mental state during the ordeal he and his family and friends end up going through.
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Creepy and atmospheric Spanish horror-thriller
Added 5/15/2009
"Shiver" is a horror-thriller from Spain [originally titled "Eskalofrio"] that subtly gets under one's skin without resorting to cliched plotlines, cheesy acting, and over-the-top blood and gore effects.
Santi [Junio Valverde] is a teenage boy who suffers from photophobia [an extreme aversion to sunlight] and lives with his mother Julia [Mar Sodupe] in the city. Upon doctor's orders, the pair decide to move to Lapland, a sheltered valley where the days are short. Santi and his mother are hopeful that he can finally lead a normal life, and not be treated like a pariah. But things turn out worse than expected - whilst out in the woods with two other boys, one gets attacked and killed, and Santi becomes the prime suspect. The villagers begin to turn menacing and threaten mother and son, even after DNA tests prove Santi's innocence. Then, Santi again finds himself a murder suspect when a man he meets in the woods gets killed. This time, Santi sees the 'thing' attacking the man, but his claims are waived aside as fanciful thoughts by the police. Along the way, Santi discovers some interesting clues in his rental home, objects left behind by the previous tenants that may help him solve the mystery of the creature stalking the woods.
The movie is highly atmospheric, and though the plot felt a bit contrived midway through [when I was able to deduce what was going on], it is the skillful direction that provides viewers with a creepy viewing experience. There are some true jump in your seat moments here, and the best part is one doesn't really know what to expect in these tense scenes [one particular scene is the one where Santi is asleep on the couch].
The movie is basically carried by Junio Valverde's performance as Santi - his alienation and perception of being an outcast shines through in his performance and elicits one's sympathy. Mar Sodupe puts in a credible performance as Santi's loving mother. The other characters, such as Santi's estranged father [who makes a curious appearance midway through the movie] and even the police inspector are lackluster and forgettable. Of course, special credit also goes to the 'thing' that stalks the woods - I felt that it's performance was understated yet chillingly effective in conveying horror.
Unlike many predictable Hollywood horror movies, this Spanish horror flick is intelligent and has a couple of different themes running through it, and a discerning viewer will appreciate how all these are presented in the movie. Fans of atmospheric horror movies will enjoy this [note: I watched it in Spanish with English subtitles, and it did not detract from my enjoyment of the movie].
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Effective Chiller from Spain
Added 4/8/2009
I had no intention of renting this movie when I went to the video store; the store happened to be having a two-for-one rental special and the plot sounded interesting to me (boy and mother forced to move to isolated village due to boy's rare skin condition and boy discovers "something" is in the woods). I have seen MANY horror movies over the years, so I expected it to be another forgettable one.
I must compliment the director for managing to creep me out - not an easy task - with more than one scene. The scene where Santi was walking through the woods will stick with me, but the scene where he falls asleep on the couch was even better. It's hard to give more detail without spoiling the plot, but I liked how and why the town suspected the boy, though I would have liked to see the movie explore that a little more after the funeral scene (which was very well done). While the explanation/ending wasn't the most original idea, I didn't have a problem with it and liked that I didn't find myself thinking "are you kidding me?" when it arrived. The acting was well done, but the cinematography and the excellent use of sound really made this movie. Once again, a foreign horror movie impressed me more than the usual American product. Well worth a rental.
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Excellent Production: Artistic and Scary at the same time....
Added 1/6/2009
I recommend this movie. It is the rare combination of skillful direction and cinematography with a plausible, scary plot. Too many horror movies rely on blood and gore to mask the lack of craftsmanship, originality, and talent involved in their production. In Shiver, the acting is excellent, the scenery is beautiful, the plot is more plausible and artfully presented than most, and (most importantly) it delivers some serious chills without relying on the cliched nonsense we have come to expect from movies of this genre. It is an interesting, exciting, original cinematic experience created by a skilled group of professionals.
The version I watched was offered in Spanish with English subtitles. While some may not enjoy this format, I assure you that after a few minutes, and once you become involved in the story, it will be a worthwhile, rewarding cinematic experience.
4 out of 4 people found this helpful.
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