Movie Review Rewind: The Collector (2009)

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Horror films today can go in many different directions. You can never tell until you see the movie for yourself. There were doubts about The Collector, but then I saw it. It is entertaining and exciting without using too much gore and blood. There is some in there of course, but it does not rely on it. This is not like one of those SAW movies. This movie has suspense and some mystery and in return you get a horror movie that is not perfect, but well done.

The story is very simple, which is another reason why this movie works. It doesn’t stretch scenes out just to waste time. There is an introduction to its main character and builds the suspense from there.

Arkin (Josh Stewart) is a thief. He has been working on this house for this family, and they are leaving town and he comes up with a plan to steal a gem from there in order to pay off a debt for his family. Arkin isn’t a bad guy, but he is doing illegal things. However, he becomes the hero even if he doesn’t want to be.

When he breaks in to this house there is someone already there. A mystery man who hides behind a mask. And not only has he captured the family, but the house is full of deadly traps. I told you the story was simple. It is not complicated, which is good news for a movie like this.

The cool thing about The Collector himself is he is a mystery. You do not know anything about him and you may have even seen him earlier in the movie. But don’t worry he was still behind a mask. However, this movie is not about who is behind the mask. It’s about survival. Arkin is a man who was just thinking about getting his family out of trouble, but now it’s up to him to save another one. That’s a lot of responsibility to inherit.

So the question is: Does Arkin escape? Does he save the family? Does he get that gem and save his own family? For a horror movie, it goes a little deeper in plot and character. And The Collector is an original idea. It’s not a sequel or a remake. It wasn’t a Japanese horror film that became Americanized. It is a unique and original story with real suspense.

Again, there is blood and gore. There is no escaping that. But there is appreciation for a movie in this genre that spends just a little time on characters and an idea of a person who is mysterious, but plays a very simple game.

“Nature Boy” Brandon Vick is the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter@SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.

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