Feathers Of Death Review

 Based on the works of Canadian author, William Steig, Feathers Souls is a series of horror novels about a modern-day girl who finds herself haunted by the past. As she seeks to rid her life of the nightmares that caused her to run from her home, she must also battle her own demons. However, with the help of a few friends, the girl is able to overcome her issues and make a fresh start. The graphic novel covers a wide range of emotions including anger, guilt, depression, paranoia, and more. One of the things that makes the book so well-written is that the author uses different characters from each of the main characters in the book to comment on their situations, giving the reader an insight into the mind of the character. The comments and opinions are often humorous, yet deeply true.

As a television show, the television adaptation has been relatively successful, but it hasn't done nearly as well in the movie world. Perhaps it's because not many people have seen it or don't care for it. There is one scene in particular where a blood-spattered floor causes everyone in the theater to squeal in delight, which definitely puts it on the shortlist of horror flicks worthy of seeing. However, you will most likely need to see at least one of the earlier films to appreciate this one.

Like most horror films, it starts out with a bang. A man (Ethan Coleman) stumbles upon the house of his friend Rosemary (Ann-Margret), who appears to have committed suicide after slipping off of a railroad track. The next morning, Rosemary's body is found hanging from a train track, and her killer - a deranged serial killer who calls himself Mr. Voort (James Belushi) - is found dead at the scene. Investigations reveal that Voort had been killing young women across the Midwest for the last several decades, and he had stopped his murders for a while to go on a trip. The authorities uncovered a series of bizarre circumstances that tie Rosemary's death to the fact that Voort has a daughter named Amber (Daryl Hannah).

As mentioned above, The Fierce Knife is one of the few films in the horror genre that doesn't make a big impression right away. It picks up steam toward the end but is largely ignored by the time the end credits roll. That's not to say it isn't a good film, though. Even if it never captures the same thrill of watching Saw or The Ring, the movie is still a great showcase for two of today's most amazing actors - Ed Harris and Dan Butler.

More often than not in modern horror films, the victims are killed through exposure to some sort of supernatural or paranormal energy. In The Fierce Knife, that doesn't happen, but there is plenty of mental stress and anxiety involved. Some critics have suggested that the mental strain behind the scenes could be the reason why the film works as well as it does. It certainly makes for an interesting subplot, as some of the characters try to cope with their own psychological issues. If only the film industry had a better system for editing, it could have avoided the mistakes made with this one...

One major problem with the film industry these days is how little originality they show. I'm not complaining, mind you because I love genre films. But sometimes they get so caught up in the communications of other genres that they lose the ability to be truly unique creations. Feather Souls, however, manages to buck the trend while still maintaining its own distinctive style and tone.

If I had to single out one complaint about this film, it would have to be that some of the characters' deaths aren't particularly heartwarming. They're generic and don't really develop as a part of the story. Other than that, though, this is a terrific film. Movie-goers will enjoy watching Michael Carrie takes on this complex character, as he brings his acting skills to a new level. He also helps make this picture a very humanizing portrayal of the trauma and anxiety that some war veterans go through.

Overall, Feather Souls is a fun and entertaining film that makes great genre-related movies. It doesn't try to be everything that horror films are, and it doesn't try to be everything that a comedy is. Instead, Carrie turns in a very effective performance, and Feather Souls films manages to remain a very human picture even though it's centered on death. With excellent performances by Michael Caine and Robert Duvall, this is a definite must-see film.