This week, Scream Factory released
Kevin Greutert's home invasion horror, Jackals on Blu-ray and DVD.
After a family rescues their son Justin
(Ben Sullivan) from the clutches of a mysterious cult in order to
deprogram him at their summer home, the “Jackals” soon show up
and lay siege to the house.
You may be asking yourselves if you
need to see another home invasion movie involving antagonists with
scary animal masks. The answer is probably not, however I feel like
Jackals is a step above the fodder your Netflix algorithms would
push on you. The performances were all above board and the production
reaped the benefits of having veterans like Deborah Kara Unger,
Stephen Dorff and Johnathon Schaech on deck.
Deborah Kara Unger in Jackals |
Greutert's execution as a filmmaker was
solid, I think it was just that the story did little to elevate it
past that. The setup was intriguing, but then a decision was made,
likely an attempt to buck expectation, and it made the movie less
interesting as a result. There was also a moment later on involving the eldest
son Cam (Nick Roux) that held some potential, but then zigged when it should have zagged. I also felt myself wanting to know more about the cult. As Homer
once said, “Your ideas are intriguing and I would like to subscribe
to your newsletter.” Also, the movie needed more Fox Girl. One
hundred per-cent more Fox Girl.
Where do I sign up? |
I liked Jackals well enough, but I feel
it could have been great if its third had been less unremarkable. The
last reel of this movie has been done so many times, I think you
really have to bring it if you want to stand out from the crowd. That said, if
you're looking for something new to scratch that animal mask home
invasion itch, then by all means - join the Jackals.
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