Suspended Animation (2001)

Animator Thomas Kempton gets more than he bargains for when a snowmobile trip turns to terror in the wilds of Northern Michican. After narrowly escaping the clutches of two psychopathic sisters who want to have him for dinner,Tom becomes obsessed with turning his cannibalistic close-call into an animated film. But when he finds his captors long lost daughter, Tom finds that blood is thicker than ink, and that his nightmares are only just beginning.

We're gonna get the good out of you

If you love 'B' horror flicks, and liked Stephen King's 'Misery', you will love 'Suspended Animation'. From pickled body parts to creepy characters, this is one film that surprised and entertained my seething need for good horror.

Thomas Kempton (Alex McArthur) is an Animator working on his latest animation project. He's stuck in his attempts to animate his latest female lead, to find the right sketch, the right "look" for her. Sometimes being stuck means taking a break, so Tom and his buddies take off for a fun weekend of snowmobiling. (There are some good scenes here)

Tom gets separated and, naturally, wrecks his snowmobile. He seeks help at a nearby cabin, and is greeted warmly (if not a little creepily) by Ann Boulette (Sage Allen). Ann is a large, homely woman who calls her brother to help him get his snowmobile unstuck. While serving refreshments, Ann's sister Vanessa (Laura Esterman) rises from her slumber on the couch and gives Tom a very strange peek at her questionable ballet skills. Tom decides its time to leave, but its too late. Ann drugged his refreshments, and when Tom wakes up he is duct taped to a wheelchair and destined to become dinner for the two sisters.

After stamping his forehead with a USDA stamp and showing him many of their pickled delights from the pantry, Tom figures out their intentions. He then attempts to pit the women against each other, telling them he wants to draw them and use them in his next animation series, hoping to bide time. His ploy works for a while, until the women find he is tricking them and decide to chop him up.

In the nick of time, Tom's friends arrive. Ann is eliminated, and after a very good snowmobile chase, so is Vanessa.

But wait, the movie isn't over. It's just beginning! Like many victims, Tom becomes obsessed with his ordeal, and convinced that the evil Ann and Vanessa belong in his animation script. He finds their brother Phillip (J.E. Freeman) in prison and visits him, trying to get a feel for Ann and Vanessa. (Interesting note: I thought Phillip looked way too much like Seinfeld's 'Uncle Leo', which gave me a chuckle or two)

Phillip leads Tom to Vanessa's daughter Clara Hansen (Maria Cina) and her son Sandor (Fred Meyers). It seems that Sandor was born to carry on the family tradition. ("I'm not supposed to eat this ... I'm lactose intolerant" -- The pimple popping scene is one of the grossest things I've ever seen. Forget evisceration and dismemberments, this scene is enough to make beer vomit appear a gourmet aperitif)

Tom involved Clara and Sandor in his life, using Clara as a model for his animation. Sandor's disposition worsens, but Tom simply cannot let go of his obsession with the Boulette sisters no mater what sinister things begin to happen. And yes, there's a lovely twist at the ending.

The performances were excellent in this film, particularly from Laura Esterman. From her sexy voice, bizarro ballet, and unpredictably psychotic behavior, she plays the role of Vanessa perfectly. My hat goes off to Sage Allen for her lovely neurosis, and Fred Meyers for his evil handling of his role.

What makes this film really stand out is the depth of the horror. It is horror like it should be, some things predictable and some things not, that is what keeps the blood flowing, that question of what is to come. The photography is decent (in some scenes quite good) though the FX is slightly cheesy. 'Suspended Animation' captured that 'Twilight Zone' feeling we sometimes get when meeting people, and reminds us to be careful whom we ask for help.

My only complaint is that there are no subtitles available, either for the hearing impaired or other languages. However, don't let that stop you from grabbing up this low budget horror treat. Enjoy!
July 3, 2006

A movie with an identity crisis

It's impossible to watch John Hancock's "Suspended Animation" and not think of Stephen King's "Misery." The film obviously wants you to think of that movie considering how closely the opening sequences replicate the experience of a talented artist captured by a malevolent woman. I guess it's slightly different since the main character contends with TWO women, sisters at that, but nonetheless I kept expecting to see Jimmy Caan and Kathy Bates walk out of the shadows during the first ten or twenty minutes of "Suspended Animation." If Hancock's little horror flick kept up the "Misery" theme, I wouldn't have much to talk about. It doesn't stay this course, however, deciding instead to veer off on very unexpected byways. Suddenly, numerous film influences become visible. "Suspended Animation" turns into "Deliverance" for a brief moment before segueing into drippy romance territory. Then it's off into "Silence of the Lambs" before moving into every "evil child run amok" film you've ever seen. I'm probably missing a few references here and there, but you get the idea. Hancock's flick is one of the most derivative films I've ever seen, and that's saying a lot about a horror movie. At the same time, it keeps us guessing as to where it will go.

"Suspended Animation" starts out by introducing us to Thomas Kempton (Alex McArthur), an animator of some repute, out in the mountains for some snowmobile fun with a couple of his buddies. Trouble arrives in a big way when Kempton accidentally separates from his pals and wrecks his snowmobile. He stumbles over a small cabin tucked away in the woods and, like most of us would, seeks help from the inhabitants. The two sisters living in the shack, Vanessa and Ann Boulette (played by Laura Esterman and Sage Allen), are only too happy to provide comfort. Kempton appreciates the assistance despite the fact that the two women seem a little...well, off. Vanessa is obese and kooky while Ann seems vaguely sinister. They both argue a lot. Oh well. We don't often get the chance to pick the people who help us out of a jam. We also don't get the chance to pick the people who might kill us. The Boulette sisters drug Tom's drink, causing him to lapse into unconsciousness. When he wakes up, the two leering ladies have him strapped down nice and tight. Even worse, they make it very clear that they're cannibals with a hankering for dinner. Yeah, cannibals!

Amazingly, Tom convinces the two that he's an animator who wants to use their likenesses for a movie project, which buys him enough time until his buddies show up and rescue him. A chase ensues on the snowmobiles, an avalanche results, and the Boulette sisters are no more. Then the film starts in earnest. I'm not kidding! Tom survives his ordeal but becomes fascinated with finding out more about the Boulette family. He tracks down a slimy brother in prison, Phillip (J.E. Freeman), and also discovers that Ann has a daughter named Clara Hansen (Maria Cina). Kempton ingratiates himself into her life by paying her to pose for a series of drawings. The two strike up a rapport that brings Tom into the orbit of Clara's evil son Sandor (Fred Meyers). This incredibly unlikable kid sports a face full of acne and a few very nasty secrets stashed away in a box. He's also extraordinarily contemptuous of his mother, to the point of being physically and emotionally abusive. Tom starts to wonder if it's possible that evil runs in families. Ann and Vanessa were evil on a scale rarely imagined. Phillip Boulette makes Hannibal Lecter look like the caped crusader. So perhaps Sandor inherited the family curse? Who knows, but the conclusion renews an old acquaintance Tom would rather forget about.

Hmmm. First and foremost, "Suspended Animation" is a long film. It runs for nearly two hours, giving the director plenty of time to flesh out his ideas. Unfortunately, we've seen most of these themes in other, better films. I don't mind derivative movies. I've watched what feels like thousands of them. Heck, Hollywood functions on the basic premise that every unique, successful idea should be run into the ground as soon as possible. But when a whole film feels like a patchwork of ideas lifted out of other movies, chances are the movie in question won't be that good. "Suspended Animation" offsets this difficulty somewhat by giving us solid performances from most of the cast. Alex McArthur turns in a good performance as the animator. We believe in his character and understand his motives in wanting to uncover the nightmare that is the Boulette family. The best work comes from the nutcases, especially Sage Allen as the viperous Ann Boulette and Fred Meyers as the spooky Sandor. With a look or a gesture, these two actors manage to convey a real sense of oozing evil. I'd go so far as to say that without Allen and Meyers, "Suspended Animation" would fall flat on its face.

Extras on the disc include the obligatory "making of" feature, a photo gallery, and a director's biography. I'm going to give Hancock's film three stars. It's not a great movie, but it's not a particularly good one either. I might watch it again, or I might not. Nothing gained or lost either way. Someone could convince me to give it another go if we turned the film into a drinking game. This would really work with "Suspended Animation." In this instance, we'd all throw down a belt of booze when someone shouts out the name of the film from which Hancock stole any given scene. Trust me, no would be in any condition to drive by the time the credits rolled.
November 2, 2005

Very disturbing and interesting at the same time

This movie felt like "The greatest made-for-TV-movie EVER created". It has a few scenes that give it an R rating, but the overall quality of the movie seems like it was made for TV.

Quality aside, this was a GREAT movie. It has such an expansive storyline, that I'd almost call it a horror soap-opera. But don't let that turn you away from it, It was the most refreshing unknown movie I've seen in a very long time.

Also, don't let the premise of the movie fool you, it starts out feeling like a complete rip-off of Misery, with a cartoonist instead of a novelist meeting a crazed lady, but it goes worlds beyond that. The whole time I watched it, I kept wondering what new twist to the plot they would do next, and every time they took a new turn, it just kept making the movie better. It almost felt like 4 good storylines (or 3 sequels if you will) intertwined into one movie. Superb and creepy! August 14, 2004

Pretty Good

This is an interesting film from the director of "Let's Scare Jessica to Death." The concept is unique, the acting is good. Not really a horror film, per se. Worth your while if you happen to be considering it. March 29, 2004

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