The Mortuary Assistant review – game-inspired horror simulates morgue work with conviction
While embalming techniques are as lovingly crafted as in the original video game, there’s not enough light to balance out the darkness when things take a demonic turnThis horror movie,...
By Catherine Bray · The Guardian Culture
While embalming techniques are as lovingly crafted as in the original video game, there’s not enough light to balance out the darkness when things take a demonic turn This horror movie, based on Brian Clarke’s popular indie video game of the same name , leads with its biggest strength: practical effects. A body is being prepped for cremation by Rebecca (Willa Holland) and Raymond (Paul Sparks), and the various embalming techniques are recreated convincingly – even lovingly. This parallels the game, in which a player can learn more about embalming techniques than is possible from most forms of on-screen entertainment. It’s this element of simulation – a major part of the game’s appeal – where the film works best, albeit without the original’s interactivity. The Mortuary Assistant succeeds in putting you in the shoes of someone wiring a cadaver’s jaw, injecting chemicals into arteries and removing fluids from various body cavities. Needless to say, the audience for this aspect is perhaps a little more specific than a run of the mill horror movie. Continue reading...