THE PLOT

Trevor Blackburn (Andras Jones: A Nightmare On Elm Street 4) awakens from a four year coma to discover a shocking truth: he murdered his fiance in a sacrificial ritual and was subsequently committed to a sanitarium under the care of the unconventional Dr. Ek (Jeffrey Combs: Re-Animator). With virtually no memory of any events prior to his coma, Trevor is sent to "The House of Love", a halfway house for patients struggling with their grasps on reality.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ek and his associate, Dr. Coffee (Ted Raimi: Evil Dead II) keep a close eye on Trevor through a series of hidden cameras as he interacts with the other patients. It soon becomes apparent that Dr. Ek has a personal agenda when it comes to Trevor's treatment, but Trevor quickly learns that not everyone is to be trusted and not everything is what it seems in "The House of Love."


THE BODY COUNT

By my (admittedly bad) calculations, there are 6 real deaths in The Attic Expeditions and, like Pam Anderson's breasts, a couple of fakes.


THE NUDITY (A little something for the perverts in the house.)

For the guys (And some of the gals, I suppose):

You get not one, but two instances of FFN! - full frontal nudity - from attractive female castmembers. One even pulls the ultra rare BIS! - Basic Instinct shot - as well.

For the gals (And some of the guys, I suppose):

The ladies get to see Andras Jones' butt.


TIDBITS (A little inside info. for ya!)

* Be on the lookout for a great cameo from shock rocker Alice Cooper.


YOU CAN LEARN A LOT FROM A MOVIE (Facts to help you deal
with your turbulent life.)

Doctors often like to wear full surgical gear while driving their trusty four door hatchbacks.


WORTH WATCHING? (Should you stuff that chubby little fist in your pocket for the cash to watch this flick, hotshot?)

The Attic Expeditions plays something like a music video from the band Tool. Viewers are run through a gamut of concepts and visuals, leaving one with feelings of intrigue, excitement, and ultimately (and most importantly) complete and utter confusion. The film plays much better upon a second viewing, but one will still be left scratching his head, or at the very least struggling to explain what he just saw.

Disappointing as the fuzzy conclusion is, the directorial execution is top notch with surprisingly visceral setpieces surrounding an exceptionally strong b-movie cast. "The House of Love" appears to have been heavily influenced by Italian horror master Dario Argento's style, featuring an abnormal color scheme that stands out, yet is not distracting from the story. First time drector Jeremy Kasten proves himself to be a highly visual creator, but much like many of Argento's films, The Attic Expeditions can be a draining experience for viewers who simply want a good story. The film has incredibly high ambitions (including a genius idea involving the attic's symbolic connection to Trevor's mind) but sadly fails to make its point clear. The Attic Expeditions more than adequately draws one in, weaving a web of intrigue and confusion, only to conclude by pulling the rug out from under the viewer's feet, making for a frustrating experience.

The cast is unusually strong for a low budget straight to video feature. Cult icons Ted Raimi and Jeffrey Combs, as expected, are quite excellent in their roles and add a manic sensibility to their intellectual characters. Andras Jones, while not the most charismatic actor in the world, is satisfying as Trevor Blackburn and thankfully proves he's come a long way since his roles in films like Sorority Babes In the Slimeball Bowl-A-Rama. Throughout most of the picture Seth Green portrays essentially the same character he always plays - the amusing smartass - but in this film he gets to add a decidedly dark edge to his personality and makes the most of his opportunity. The problem with Green doesn't lie so much in his acting abilities as it does in one's preconceived notions of him. Viewers will be hard pressed to find "Dr. Evil's son" to be frightening.

For all its ambitions, The Attic Expeditions isn't the great movie that it strives to be. One is initially drawn into the storyline, the direction, and the performances and will enjoy trying to solve the puzzle of Trevor's predicament. Unfortunately, the film takes the weak route and, unlike superior pictures in the "mindscrew" genre such as Fight Club or Jacob's Ladder, features an unclear ending. There's certainly something to be said for allowing the viewer to draw his or her own conclusions (American Psycho did a marvellous job of this), but The Attic Expeditions doesn't provide the viewer with enough concrete information to aid in making a definitive decision. The picture is far more cerebral than the vast majority of low budget horror films, but its disappointing explanation of events will unfortunately leave most viewers with sour tastes in their mouths. It certainly contains more pros than cons, but The Attic Expeditions is ultimately all promise and weak delivery.


OKAY, I WATCHED THE MOVIE...NOW WHAT, FANCYPANTS?
(Plugs for other flicks)

Well, if you enjoyed The Attic Expeditions I'd recommend:
* Jacob's Ladder
* Soul Survivors
* Fight Club
* TV's The Twilight Zone

Recommended:
No

Viewing Format: DVD