Inkubus

The Film

There is a template for the no-budget genre film. Use a limited number of locations, take advantage of shadows and don't reach for expensive effects, employ faded stars if you can afford them, and throw in hungry beginners, cheap sex and violence. Most importantly, tell a story well and shoot it quickly.There are many examples of hits produced from such humble beginnings. Movies like Paranormal Activity, Blair Witch Project were made by following this basic template where the limited scope of cash poor work is turned into claustrophobia and verite. Inkubus attempts to follow some elements of this template but seems to have blown its budget on affording the likes of Robert Englund and William Forsythe rather than on effects, writing or direction.

The story is a mash-up of Assault on Precinct 13, It's Alive, Fallen and many other genre films. In fact, this seems deliberate in a kind of retro-cool attempt to explain away the lack of coherence in the narrative and the remarkably short running time. Basically, this is a film written in shorthand which doesn't bother to explain as it knows you've seen it before.

Mixing a flashback narration, the hackneyed survivor speaking to a Psychiatrist set-up, with no kind of real mystery, it's surprising that Inkubus holds the attention as well as it does. I think the secret to that is that the magpie story doesn't allow the viewer any time to consider how illogical, contradictory or pointless a particular scene is. This leaves the film as a series of often irrelevant yet entertaining sequences leading to a signposted conclusion.Each element is slightly wrong or incorrectly delivered in terms of realisation or tone. A sex scene between the improbably winsome policewoman and her appropriately named boss (Joey Fatone) tells you what the title does about how this film will end, and then no real sense of mystery is left with the resultant vacuum filled by stereotypic hamming from Englund and Forsythe.

This lack of identity is stamped throughout. Is this a bodycount movie, a supernatural mystery, a gory psychological piece or a romance brutalised by evil? Is this a nod to the eighties, a warm celebration of old horror? Who knows as no one chooses one path or another and the result is a mad dash down every available avenue.Inkubus couldn't be more disposable or forgettable. Still, for 70 minutes you'll probably not care about its value or deeper worth. It is a complete distraction, a time waster and a mildly diverting one.

Tech Specs

Trinity's disc of Inkubus comes on a region 2 locked single layer disc bearing trailers for the film, Red, White and Blue and I Come With The Rain. Shot digitally, the transfer itself features strobing and a degree of aliasing and a basically cheap appearance which isn't quite as intended to my mind. Contrast is quite disappointing and there are a few haloes as evidence of edge enhancement.Inkubus is offered with a single stereo track and no subtitles. There is little of a remarkable nature to highlight from the soundtrack, voices are audible, music is underwhelming and the lack of rear channels leaves some non specific atmosphere created by any surround processing. No subtitles are offered.

Summary

More time and attention on the script or direction would have raised Inkubus in terms of coherence or impact. This release is a basic treatment of a so-so film.