Transport me back in time to a point in time that I absolutely hated and let me just live in it for a while.
When a former WWE wrestler's horror movie debut enters the content calendar, three horror movie enthusiasts must confront their own preconceptions and the Disney Channel to horror movie pipeline to uncover the true killer in See No Evil (2006).
In this episode, our team:
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Investigates the depth of Kane's acting as the character of Jacob Goodnight in See No Evil.
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Debunks the issues of character development and depth in the movie.
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Discovers the impressive acting talent of Christina Vidal in the role of Christine.
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Breaks down the components of gore, kills, and horror tropes that contribute to (or detract from) the film's appeal.
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Contemplates the possibilities of sequels for See No Evil when compared to other horror movies.
Overview of See No Evil
See No Evil is a 2006 horror film produced by WWE Studios, in which a group of delinquent teenagers are trapped inside an abandoned hotel with a serial killer portrayed by professional wrestler, Kane. The film attempts to showcase some gruesome killings and references to the wrestling world but ultimately falls short on reaching its full potential. The discussion leads to an analysis of the film's strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement. Overall, the hosts express that the movie was mostly bland and forgettable, despite the inclusion of a few enjoyable death scenes. During the conversation, the hosts acknowledge that the concept behind See No Evil had potential but execution, such as uninspired character development and lack of originality in the storyline, hindered its success. They also share their favorite parts of the film, such as the brief comedic relief provided by a mouse that appears throughout the film. However, they agree that the movie lacked any real impact and mostly evoked feelings of disappointment and disinterest.
Favorite Scenes and Moments
Despite the film's shortcomings, the hosts share their favorite scenes and moments throughout See No Evil. There are instances where certain elements of the film, like the eerie voiceover during the black-and-white flashback of Jacob's troubled childhood, stand out and leave a lasting impression on the hosts. Kris appreciates the set design of the hotel, which perfectly captures the abandoned and filthy atmosphere to complement the horror elements the film was trying to achieve. Meanwhile, Sean points out the intensity of the film's opening scene, and Binx highlights Christina Vidal's strong portrayal of Christine as a standout performance among the weak character development present in the movie.
Antagonist and Tie-Ins
The host's conversation also delves into the film's antagonist, Jacob Goodnight, portrayed by Kane, and WWE's tie-in with the movie's storyline. The hosts agree that Kane's performance fits well, although the film did not fully explore his character's origin story and ultimately missed an opportunity to develop and deepen the character. Additionally, the hosts discuss the connection between Kane's wrestling persona and the antagonist he portrays in See No Evil. They recognize that the film could have delved deeper into the wrestling world's influence on the antagonist's motivations and actions for fans and horror genre enthusiasts alike.
Kills and Final Rating
The hosts also discuss their favorite kills and death scenes in See No Evil. Some of the deaths were gruesome enough to entertain the audience, but others were deemed clichéd and predictable. The hosts eventually provide their final ratings on the film, which reflect their overall disappointment with the outcome of the film. From the hosts' perspective, the consensus on their favorite kill scene ranged from the death of Margaret, which was chosen by Sean, to the death of Jacob Goodnight, selected by Kris. Additionally, Kris mentions Melissa's gruesome death as one of the most tragic in the film. However, they are all in agreement that the overall rating for See No Evil is quite low, given its shortcomings and lack of groundbreaking content.
Christina Vidal and the Kills
The hosts wrap up their discussion on See No Evil by emphasizing the standout performance from Christina Vidal as Christine. She brings conviction and personality to her character, managing to leave a lasting impression amidst the blandness of the film. The hosts also briefly discuss the presence of Disney Channel icons in the movie, which they found to be both surprising and entertaining. During the conversation, the hosts share their thoughts on the kills in the film, with some receiving praise for their gruesome nature while others were deemed forgettable. However, they all agree that the film was filled with missed opportunities and could have provided a higher level of entertainment in the horror genre.
Timestamped summary of this episode:
00:02:59 - Hack or Slash Live Meetup
The hosts announce their upcoming meetup and live show to celebrate their podcast's 300th episode and the first Friday the 13th in October since their show began in 2017.
00:05:00 - Expectations for See No Evil
The hosts discuss their expectations for See No Evil and their previous experiences with wrestler-featured horror movies.
00:08:16 - Disappointments and Sound Design
The hosts express their disappointment with the movie's cliche and recycled feel, and highlight the excessive and overwhelming sound design as a negative aspect of the film.
00:12:47 - Strange Choices and Bizarre Soundtrack
The hosts critique some of the movie's strange choices, such as the Oceans 3.5-style character introductions, and express their frustration with the white-centric film's use of hip-hop music and dubbing.
00:13:42 - "Overview of See No Evil"
The hosts discuss the disappointing storyline, bad acting, and cheap tasteless jokes in the 2006 horror film See No Evil. They give it a universal hack rating and discuss the gore score and animal report.
00:14:23 - "Disney Channel to Horror Pipeline"
The hosts mention the surprising number of Disney Channel stars in the film, including Christina Vidal, Michael Pagan, and Danielle Harris. They discuss the trend of Disney Channel stars transitioning to horror films.
00:16:04 - "Lack of Scary Moments"
The hosts agree that the jump scares in See No Evil are predictable and ineffective. They suggest that the most frightening part of the film is the bad visual effects and editing.
00:18:09 - "Lack of Originality"
The hosts criticize the lack of originality in See No Evil, comparing it to Psycho and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. They agree that the religious undertones could have been interesting, but the film falls short.
00:25:25 - "Kills and Final Rating"
The hosts recap the 11 kills in the film and give their final rating of universal hack. They discuss the various corpses and deaths throughout the film and highlight the most gruesome kills.
00:28:03 - Favorite Kills
The hosts discuss their favorite kills from the movie, "See No Evil". They mention the Nokia phone kill, the pack of dogs kill, and the death of the main villain, Jacob Goodnight.
00:33:00 - Favorite Visuals
The hosts struggle to find any favorite visuals from the movie, but they both agree that Christina Vidal's appearance was a highlight.
00:36:38 - Opening Scene
The hosts discuss the opening scene of the movie, which sets the stage for the killer's intensity and establishes the setting of the filthy hotel.
00:38:28 - Flashback Scene
The hosts discuss a specific flashback scene in which the killer is shown in a cage and his mother's eerie voiceover is heard. While the content of the scene is disturbing, they agree that the editing and black-and-white visuals were effective.
00:41:37 - Favorite Scenes and Moments
The hosts discuss their favorite scenes and moments from the movie, including the elevator scene and the fire hose kill. They also mention the dirty hotel and the absurdity of certain character decisions.
00:46:14 - Disappointing Characters
The hosts express their disappointment with the characters in the movie, particularly Michael, who survives and saves the day despite being an abuser. They also discuss the lack of personality and memorable traits in many of the characters.
00:51:39 - Antagonist and Tie-Ins
The hosts discuss the antagonist, Jacob Goodnight, and how he was well-written for Kane. They also mention how the tie-ins to WWE's storylines and the commitment to Kfob for Kane's character were smart. However, they wish there was more time spent on the character and that he had never taken off his mask.
00:53:40 - Best Part of the Movie
The hosts conclude that the best part of the movie was the presence of Disney Channel icons in the film, particularly Christina Vidal. They also mention how surprised they were to see Rachel Taylor in such a bad movie despite her success in other projects.
00:55:41 - Christina Vidal and the Kills
Christina Vidal was the most competent actor in the film. The best part was the kills, and watching Jacob Goodnight's wrestling moves. The movie was bland and not memorable, but the kills were enjoyable.
00:56:28 - Losing Taste
The movie was compared to losing one's sense of taste when sick - bland and forgettable. The hosts express their reluctance to watch the movie again, but Bianca is open to considering the sequel.
00:57:02 - Hatchet and the Sequel
The hosts discuss their mixed feelings on watching sequels. Kris mentions watching the sequel of Hatchet, while Danielle Harris being in the sequel of this movie might entice Bianca to watch it in the future.
00:57:34 - Holding Out for the Sequel
Binx reveals her plan to hold out on watching the sequel until it is assigned for an episode. The hosts agree that the movie is not worth re-watching, but invite listeners to share their thoughts in the discord.
00:58:49 - Conclusion and Call to Action
The hosts wrap up the episode by inviting listeners to join the discord and consider becoming patrons. They remind listeners of the movie's universal hack and encourage them to share their opinions.
