Poor old David Carradine. You thought "Kung-Fu: The Legend Continues" was undignified? It gets worse. Remember, five or so years ago, when 'serial killer' movies were really edgy? It's over.
Like Robert Rodriguez's worse outings, "Natural Selection" has the feel of a film made by film fans, not filmmakers. Worse yet, those involved appear to believe that all it takes to make a film is to emulate the likes of Rodriguez, Tarrantino or Oliver Stone (of course with the title, subject matter and style come the inevitable "Natural Born Killers" comparisons - one can't help wonder if maybe the filmmakers wanted this).
The film is predicated on a single phrase: "Black Comedy about serial killers." The plot (two serial killers in one small town try to kill each other) is entirely secondary to the writer's attempts to showcase their preteen comic stylings. Black Comedy requires keen wit and irony, neither of which this film has, satisfying itself instead with a string of childish jokes and poorly-conceived, 'absurdist' situations. The dimestore dada really highlights the filmmakers' heavy-handedness - there is a particular sequence, involving a fight and a phone call, which almost works, but is completely undone by massive over- exposition in the dialogue. The writers REALLY wanted to make sure you "got it."
I saw this film during a trip to Austin, Texas. I don't suspect anyone will ever see it anywhere else; I just can't see the market for a second-rate entry into a dead-horse genre.
Like Robert Rodriguez's worse outings, "Natural Selection" has the feel of a film made by film fans, not filmmakers. Worse yet, those involved appear to believe that all it takes to make a film is to emulate the likes of Rodriguez, Tarrantino or Oliver Stone (of course with the title, subject matter and style come the inevitable "Natural Born Killers" comparisons - one can't help wonder if maybe the filmmakers wanted this).
The film is predicated on a single phrase: "Black Comedy about serial killers." The plot (two serial killers in one small town try to kill each other) is entirely secondary to the writer's attempts to showcase their preteen comic stylings. Black Comedy requires keen wit and irony, neither of which this film has, satisfying itself instead with a string of childish jokes and poorly-conceived, 'absurdist' situations. The dimestore dada really highlights the filmmakers' heavy-handedness - there is a particular sequence, involving a fight and a phone call, which almost works, but is completely undone by massive over- exposition in the dialogue. The writers REALLY wanted to make sure you "got it."
I saw this film during a trip to Austin, Texas. I don't suspect anyone will ever see it anywhere else; I just can't see the market for a second-rate entry into a dead-horse genre.