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‘Asvins’ movie review: Vasanth Ravi’s horror film has a half-decent story with impressive scares

Despite the shallow story with tried-and-tested tropes, ‘asvins’ impresses with its technical aspects and as a scary movie that does justice to its genre.

Updated - June 23, 2023 06:19 pm IST

Published - June 23, 2023 05:57 pm IST

A still from ‘Asvins’

Vasanth Ravi, despite being just three films old, has made it evident that he wants to be affiliated with intriguing scripts irrespective of the genre or the talents calling the shot behind the cameras. After the impressive Taramani and Rocky , he’s back with Asvins , a psychological horror film, and it makes sense as to why he went ahead with the film — it’s got a fascinating premise, immense scope to showcase one’s acting prowess, and is genuinely scary. But whether these attributes come well together to make a well-rounded horror flick is a different question altogether.

Asvins is the story of a bunch of friends who take up the project of shooting an abandoned mansion in the UK to promote it as a black tourism site — tourism involving places historically associated with death and tragedy. The mansion belonged to Aarthi Rajagopal (Vimala Raman), an archaeologist who specialised in religion and ritual, who was found dead along with 15 people she had killed. The moment the friends enter the premises, they awake the otherworldly inhabitant who inflicts horror on the gang. Interestingly, the evil force that tortures these poor souls has an Indian connection and Arjun (Vasanth Ravi) has to “Dormammu, I’ve come to bargain” his way out and save his friends.

Asvins (Tamil)

Tamil horror films have almost always had religion and/or mythology at their core while Hollywood’s tried-and-tested tropes are haunted houses or cabins in the woods where a bunch of friends (a minimum of one romantic couple among them) split up to make it easier for the ghost to take them out one after the other. Asvins takes both these ideas and blends them into one. It adopts both desi-rooted fables, religious rituals and containing the evil spirits from disturbing the ones alive, as well as Western satanic customs and symbols to scare the audience. And scare it does!

A hefty portion of Asvins is shot in found footage/POV style and along with dim lighting, eerie sounds and sudden camera moves, the film lends itself well to some brilliant jump scares. For fans of old-school horror and those who frighteningly relish watching it through the gap between their fingers, Asvins has a lot to offer as it’s undoubtedly one of the scariest films Tamil cinema has had in a long time. Only when the film tries to explain the reason behind the supernatural happenings does it falter.

A still from ‘Asvins’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Despite an interesting backstory involving the Hindu deities Ashwini Kumaras that the film narrates in its first chapter— the film is segmented into five chapters — by the time we get back to how it’s connected to the present-day happenings, we are already near the end of the film, causing the climax portion to be rushed. Just like the twist right before the intermission, the hurried unravelling of knots at the end doesn’t make the impression they’re supposed to create. While the concepts of astral planes, duality and dead people staying at an intermediate state aren’t elaborately explained to those who are new to it, those who’ve gotten used to those ideas (thanks to films like Us and the Insidious movies) would find them hardly fascinating. The fact that the film itself resembles classics like The Blair Witch Project doesn’t help much either.

The set-ups to the scares too feel rather too convenient. For instance, apart from the usual use of attics and basements as safehouses for ghosts, and the ‘lights aren’t working properly’ trope, the mansion is said to be far from civilisation and the only road that leads to it floods at night due to high tide, turning the estate into an island. For a story that majorly unfolds over just one night, scenes of brothers bonding, a wife planning on a surprise for her husband, and the team coming together to sponsor their youngest member’s education feel forced.

Aside from the scares, where the film shines is in its technical aspects. The lead cast’s performance is quite good and scenes involving their actions switching from fear and horror back and forth are compelling. After Iruttu , Vimala Raman once again scores in the horror genre despite her limited screen time. After a while, the film completely relies on Vasanth’s character and the actor pulls it off well. As was the case with Tarun Teja’s short film that Asvins is based on, sound designer Vijay Siddharth has done exceptionally in setting up the mood of the film. Despite a story that could’ve been more detailed and fleshed out, Asvins is a technically strong psychological horror film that does justice to its genre and that’s a win in the books of horror lovers.

Asvins is currently running in theatres

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'Asvins' movie review: An effective folklore-horror elevated by brilliant sound design

With Asvins, debut director Tarun Teja adds folklore and chimerical elements to the horror genre giving it a rewarding twist. The union of mythology and ghastliness in the film especially leaves our hearts rightfully thumping for most parts of the runtime. Asvins revolves around a motley group of YouTubers who visit London to shoot a black tourism video.

They enter a haunted house to make a documentary, but they become victims of a 1000-year-old curse revolving around the Hindu deities Asvini Kumars. The rest of the film explores how they break themselves free from the complicated curse.

Asvins is split into five different chapters, just like a horror novel. The prologue of the film tells the story of the curse and introduces us to the non-linear narrative. The cinematography and impeccable sound design puts us in the middle of all the action and giving us first-hand experience of the horror. The writing of Tarun Teja gets outstandingly elevated by Vijay Siddarth, whose background score and sound design are the soul of Asvins. The adrenaline rush in Asvins is majorly delivered by the sound, which hits us even before the eerie visuals.

A minor setback in the film would possibly be the story. Although there are multiple fables stitched into the film, the attempt to milk out the entire potential from folklore and mythology feels wanting. Perfect casting is one of the biggest plus points of Asvins. Vasanth Ravi’s previous films Taramani and Rocky, which featured him as an intense performer, seem to have prepped him for this rather demanding role. His countenance is perfectly apt for spectral and monstrous sequences.

His tall build, his excessively large, expressive eyes, and his blood-curdling screams perfectly complement the ominous world of Asvins. Vimala Raman, on the other hand, leaves a terrific mark with her brief yet significant portion.

Asvins in many ways is a psychological horror and the film also leaves an important message about the mind. In one of the last frames of the film, a character says, “Everyone is as strong as their strongest mind.” I saw that as a disclaimer by the makers declaring that their film isn’t for the faint-hearted, well, they clearly aren’t wrong!

Director: Tarun Teja Cast: Vasanth Ravi, Saraswathi Menon, Vimala Raman, Muralidharan Rating: 3.5/5

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Asvins Movie Review : A high-concept psychological horror thriller that engages only in parts

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Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

Arvind Venkataraman 277 days ago

the movie concept is excellent and technical cinematography is excellent, the focus is on creating jolt scares rather than story telling or plot building. A little more gripping search in the finale would have been nice. Having the team together through the plot would have given some better bounce dynamics, ended up being a mono acting psycho thriller in the end. <br/>Keep the audience thinking and guessing may have stretched a little beyond and into the realm of confusion to be later figured out. The narration to build up to climax ratio could have been better handled. <br/>Editing nightmare - Nightmare editing - technicians have done well<br/>Actors excelled with the help of strong director and visionary shot composition (shot composition is actually creepy) <br/>Story telling could have been made more obvious. Ending also wasn't clear as to what happened to the rest of the trapped people.

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Asvins Reviews

Asvins is quite interesting in terms of ideas, but the main issue is that they don't come together as a whole.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jul 11, 2024

Despite the shallow story with tried-and-tested tropes, Asvins impresses with its technical aspects and as a scary movie that does justice to its genre.

Full Review | Jul 11, 2024

A good atmospheric horror often always evokes dread with a kind of effort that's never visible on screen. Tarun Teja's Asvins is a technical coup, but take that away, and what we're left with is laboured and unaffecting plotting.

The story ends up spoon-feeding every bit to the audience repeatedly, taking away any cleverness, which then destroys any chilling emotions.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5 | Jul 22, 2023

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Home » Review » Asvins review: Vasanth Ravi is brilliant in this half-good horror thriller »

Asvins review: Vasanth Ravi is brilliant in this half-good horror thriller

Though the generic first hour of Tarun Teja’s directorial disappoints, latter half offers viewers a terrific exploration of duality

Srivathsan Nadadhur

Last Updated: 11.34 PM, Jun 22, 2023

Arjun, Ritu, Grace, Varun and Rahul are a group of YouTubers, who, as part of a black tourism project, seek to explore a largely dreaded, haunted mansion in the UK. The mansion, formerly owned by an archaeologist Aarthi Rajagopal, has been abandoned for many years. Will the bunch come out unscathed after their dangerous pursuit?

Asvins is a two-hour horror thriller born out of a barely 10-minute long short film helmed by Tarun Teja during the first lockdown three years ago. Named after the revered deities who find a mention in the Rig Veda, the film, while exploring duality, forges a unique blend between mythology and horror. However, to score brownie points from horror enthusiasts and widen its commercial appeal, the director undermines the potential of his strikingly original premise.

The narrative structure of Asvins is fairly conventional - the protagonists are headed to a desolate, haunted mansion in the UK, unaware of what fate has in store for them. Post intermission, the film takes us through the backstory of the mansion, explores the motive behind the evil forces and focuses on the protagonist’s efforts to overcome them.

The foremost challenge of a mainstream film storyteller is to preserve his core idea while keeping the exterior relatable - it’s a sacrifice one has to make to widen the reach of his product. The basic intent of Tarun Teja, with the first hour, is to explain how his pivotal characters are trapped in the mansion across various levels - physically, psychologically and how there’s no hope in sight.

It’s the (slightly indulgent) sound design and the innovative, partly raw cinematography that capture your attention initially. From the biblical motifs to the visual elaboration of the protagonists ‘being in deep waters’ through the path leading to the mansion, you sense the storyteller’s enthusiasm to lend a distinct personality to his ambience.

Even amidst the director’s eye for detailing on the technical front, the storytelling leaves a lot to be desired. Asvins stays true to the tropes of a horror film and struggles to break any new ground. Beyond the technical finesse, the first hour is the same-old wine - silences, eerie whispers, jump scares, the long-haired ghost with an evil laugh.

The repeated attempts to spook you don’t quite bear fruition. As an audio-visual experience, the film is ‘eventful’ but the narrative roams around in circles. However, once the basics are taken care of - you witness the director’s brilliance in full flow vis. post-intermission. Tarun Teja’s layered visualisation of duality and his portrayal of the protagonist’s psychological battles are jaw-dropping.

The director is successful in building a maze of a narrative where the protagonist finds it difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion. Within his limitations, he succeeds in transporting you to a basic, but well-crafted parallel universe. The intriguing detailing within a ‘good versus evil’ battle keeps you thoroughly invested. Asvins, even while dealing with abstract ideas, flourishes in moments where the focus is to stay true to the story and not please its target audience.

Vasanth Ravi’s supremely authoritative performance is deservedly complemented by the smart colour grading - with the use of greens, blues, and reds - and Vijay Siddharth’s chilling background score. The former singlehandedly spearheads the second hour - he never oversells the emotion, remains vulnerable and you root for him no matter what. Vimala Raman is aptly cast as the archaeologist in her brief yet impactful appearance.

Muralidaran, Saraswathi Menon, UdhayaDeep and Simran Pareek chip in with assured performances though their character arcs could’ve been fleshed out better. At times, the film tries too hard to impress with its soundscape- more like an enthusiastic kid with a bag of tricks. The open-ending is apt and helps the film stay in the mind of a viewer long after it’s over. The literal translation of the Tamil dialogues into Telugu is jarring in places.

Asvins is a tale of two contrasting halves. The uninspiring first hour is followed by a compelling half post-intermission, adorned by the technical finesse and a fabulous performance by Vasanth Ravi. The superb visualisation of its universe and its soundscape create a lasting impression. Though the film isn’t perfect by any means, it introduces audiences to a promising new-age storyteller - Tarun Teja.

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Asvins Review: Is Vasanth Ravi's horror film worth watching? Read critics comments

Asvins First Review: Vasanth Ravi and Vimala Raman's Asvins movie got an amazing response from the press show on June 21st in Chennai. Asvins, which is a horror thriller gets an outstanding response. Critics say 'Technically Brilliant'

Asvins is to be released this Friday, June 23; the movie is directed by Tarun Teja and produced by Bapineedu. The horror thriller features Vasanth Ravi and yesterday the makers had a press conference, where they showed the film to many media people in Chennai. "Congratulations to everyone for fulfilling director Tarun's dream," Vimala Raman stated during the occasion. During the lockdown, I appreciated Tarun's video. Tarun possessed all of the qualities that a director should have. It's an honour to be a part of this endeavour.

About Asvins: The video begins with reciting a centuries-old story about a cursed town. A devil stood between two idols. The two idols must be joined in the present to preserve the planet. One of the idols is housed at the late archaeologist Aarthi Rajagopal's residence. A group of YouTubers visits the estate to film a documentary on the mystery surrounding Aarthi's death and disappearance. In the process, they unintentionally unearth a centuries-old mystery, bringing a dormant monster to life. Will they make it through the ordeal?

Also Read: From Adipurush to Shamshera: Top 7 worst trending Bollywood movies

Later the film was shown to media people in Chennai, and many loved it after watching it. Few of them shared their opinion on Twitter. "Caught the Press show of Asvins. Those who know me know I'm not a fan of horror films, as I don't believe in paying money to get scared. Asvins, however, was a very interesting watch, thanks to great acting, powerful sound design and a gripping screenplay. Await detailed review!" says Jayabhuvaneshwari.

Technically sound film Karthik AK. Prepare yourself for an awe-inspiring blockbuster that will leave you breathless, believe me! This year's next big item in Kollywood. Congratulations, Vasanth and Tarun."

Also Read: Neeyat trailer: Vidya Balan returns to cinema with classic murder mystery after 4 years

"Has directed a high-concept film with a brilliant technical team (excellent sound design and cinematography)." The UK location is an added bonus. Vasanth Ravi has played a physically challenging part, and the laborious effort is palpable!" adds Rajasekar. "Asvins Brilliant can watch it for the thrills, screenplay, acting, and BGM can safely say, no repetitive music," Ashok Surya remarked. Future theme music expert. Congratulations to the director, music director, and actors."

Asvins First Review
Vasanth Ravi
Vimala Raman

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Directed by Tarun Teja Mallareddy

A group of Youtubers who accidentally unleash a 1500-year-old evil that crosses over from the realm of darkness to the human world.

Vasanth Ravi Vimala Raman Saras Menon Muralidaran Udayaraj Sarah Cohen Suguvannan Priyanka Iyer Malina Atul

Director Director

Tarun Teja Mallareddy

Producers Producers

BVSN Prasad Praveen Daniel Yogesh Sudhakara Mallineni

Writer Writer

Editor editor.

Venkat Rajen

Cinematography Cinematography

Edwin Sakay

Executive Producer Exec. Producer

Sylvin Gerard

Production Design Production Design

Composer composer.

Vijay Siddharrth

Sound Sound

Hari Haran Sachin Sudhakaran Harish

Costume Design Costume Design

Sri Venkateswara Cine Chitra

Alternative Title

Thriller Horror Mystery

Horror, the undead and monster classics Terrifying, haunted, and supernatural horror Show All…

Releases by Date

23 jun 2023, 21 jul 2023, releases by country.

Theatrical A
Digital 15 Netflix

110 mins More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by joshrowley ★★

Dumb; engaging; nonsensical; underwhelming; well-crafted; well-shot.

Review by Manoj Karthick ★★½ 1

First half - Stonk 📈 Second half - Bonk 🔨

Review by Moresbi ★★★★

"Ra-shas-ha" (wicked!)

"Asvins", while definitely with its shortcomings, felt pretty good to me.

The plot was quite ambitious, if more than a bit farfetched. Concept is also bold. A tough go at how it all fits together, I thought the structure and workings of the movie may warrant a rewatch.

I thought the acting was a bit inconsistent but with some well achieved moments.

The mythical story is interesting and cool but I'm not sure properly translated/executed. I had a bit of trouble both with the chapters (names) and some of the connections between the plot/story. Sound department was amazing, IMO. Very active, diverse, effective and even inspired, it was really a strength. Liked the overall shooting/cinematography. Plenty of angles…

Review by Kibriya⚡ ★★★ 5

Whoever sound engineered/edited this needs a raise and needs to be hired by prime movie makers and fix the Tamil film industry audio lip sync problem. As to this film technically amazing, good first half but the second half lost me. An underrated Tamil horror film that needs praise.

2023 Ranked

Review by The Wandering Soul ❤️‍🔥

Probably the best usage of Sound in Horror Genre since Hitchcock.

Review by Alicecharles ★★★ 1

Savukku Shankar Viduthalai aanal meendum Kaidhu 😂

Review by Nikhil Das ★★½

Technical elements can't save the film everytime, This film is an example for that. It had a brilliant start, jumpscares worked(some got me) but too many of them ruined the narrative. Cinematography looked excellent, Lighting and sound design were the best aspects but story was messy. I really liked the folk horror concept but the storytelling completely failed in making the viewer engaging and there were plotholes and doubts by the end. The performances too I really didn't like them. Ambitious attempt but just didn't work out for me

Review by Avantikaa ★½

i can't beleive that a few jumpscares did a number on me lmao RATCHASA MAAMU, I HAVE COME TO BARGAIN. 😭 v good use of sound and light but FLOP SCRIPT AND ACTING SORRY IT HAD POTENTIAL BUT WTF

Review by luna 🖤 ★★★½

was scrolling netflix and found this, saw it had less than 500 reviews so I was immediately down to try.

I have to say it surprised me. TERRIFIC sound design and wonderful camera work!

I do feel like we missed out on quite a lot of things despite this being almost 2 hours? had a few issues with the flow of the story. jumpscares weren’t anything groundbreaking but they were good!

Review by Snowflake ★★

Terrific sound design, unfortunately lacks compelling script!!

Review by Thorfinn Karlsefni ★½

Peak first half , Pee second half.

Review by Santanu Patra ★★★½ 4

me and my sister were watching this movie and i ate too much mutton kosha so i said to my sister if I fall asleep , wake me up and she didn't . A few minutes ago, she narrated me everything about the movie in detail. Actually she liked the visuals and sound effects .

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Asvins Movie Review: This Dull Atmospheric Horror Trades Tension For Technical Finesse

Director: Tarun Teja Mallareddy

Writers: Tarun Teja Mallareddy, Yogesh Sudhakara Mallineni

Cast: Vasanth Ravi, Muralidaran, Vimala Raman

Five YouTubers and their cameras in a sprawling, cursed colonial mansion deep in the middle of the night and an island in the United Kingdom. What could go wrong? Literally a million things could, as horror junkies can imagine. Tarun Teja’s Asvins begins on this chilling note, just as the effective short it’s adapted from did. But the film doesn’t go the The Blair Witch Project (1999) way with its inventive use of the found-footage genre nor does it take the Poltergeist (1982) route, serving us a good old helping of the heebie-jeebies in a classic haunted house. It is instead stuck in a strange space in between, giving us superlative experiments with technical form, but with a tedious screenplay that has close to no emotional core.

It might be tempting to dismiss Asvins at first glance for placing his mood piece in a haunted house, an overused jewel in the crown of classic horrors. But like many fans of the genre would agree, there is nothing more deliciously creepy than a haunted house classic when it’s done right. Tarun’s Asvins places five of his young protagonists on a tidal island in London, with spotty mobile signals and ominous darkness. The YouTubers — Arjun and Ritu (Vasanth Ravi and Saraswati Menon) are a couple looking to make a new life in London, Varun is a teenager with a flair for sounds, Rahul, the leader of the team is Varun’s brother, and Grace, a cameraperson — plan to scour a creepy mansion overnight and get out by sunrise. It sounds like a good plan, but of course, they are paid frequent visits by its resident murderer and deceased archaeologist Aarthi Rajagopal.

But Asvins doesn’t want to be just another haunted horror mood piece. So, we get a compelling subplot following the Hindu twin gods Aswini Kumaras and a glitch in ancient history that provoked the devil. The film also spends much of its runtime delving into the dualities of the world — “Everyone has two minds and two lives. And in the end, you’re only as strong as your strongest mind,” says Arjun, who has this uncanny ability to hear whispers in a room that nobody can.

While these dualities are stunningly depicted through its use of camera and light work (its use of green is an especially ingenious touch), it doesn’t really pay off through its plotting. The writing, for one, is strangely affected by convenience. And it is also on such a basic level that it ends up moving us far away from their reality. Rahul introduces audiences to the term ‘Black Tourism’ by lecturing his sound engineer just minutes before reaching the mansion. You’d think a group of ghostbusting YouTubers might have done their research well before flying miles away from home to take up a sinister gig.

Every horror film is powered by a solid emotional centre to help identify with their often vulnerable realities on screen. But in Asvins , every relationship or connection is already established even before we see it play out. So, the resulting tension is so recklessly negligible that no amount of jump scares and incredible sound ends up terrifying us. In its opening sequence, where five young people are running around different corners of a mansion to hang on to their dear lives with only skewed camera angles to show us what’s scaring them, we catch a glimpse of a film that Asvins could’ve been — a film that coaxes our imagination to run amok. The film instead trades this raw tension for technical grandeur.

Asvins review: The first half lets you down, but the second half works big time

Vimala Raman's brilliant performance and Vijay Siddharth’s excellent BGM manage to make an impact in Tarun Teja’s horror thriller.

Published:Aug 10, 2023

The cast of 'Asvins'. (Supplied)

An engaging show!

Asvins (Tamil)

Cast: Vasanth Ravi, Vimala Raman, Saraswathi Menon, Muralidharan, and Udhayadeep
Director: Tarun Teja
Producer: BVSN Prasad
Music: Vijay Siddharth
Runtime: 1 hour 51 minutes
Cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Emraan Hashmi, and Revathy
Director: Maneesh Sharma
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Music: Pritam Chakraborty
Runtime: 2 hours 35 minutes

Director Tarun Teja comes up with quite an impressive plot in his film Asvins and looks to narrate a horror story in a style that is significantly different from the usual pattern adopted by makers of such films.

While the makers seem to have made a considerable effort to serve something unique and interesting to fans of horror films, the fact remains that only one portion of Asvins works and the other fails miserably in their objective.

Before going into the details, here is the synopsis:

Ashvini Kumaras and Black Tourism

Asvins ‘ background is based on mythology. As the title suggests, it revolves around the Hindu Gods of Ashvini Kumaras, also known as Ashvins.

For those who do not know, Ashvini Kumaras are twin Gods who travel by a chariot and are known for their abilities to heal.

A poster of director Tarun Teja’s ‘Asvins’. (Twitter)

As the film begins, we are told that a farmer who lived years ago had two twins. However, the children die and the farmer prays to Ashvini Kumaras to revive them. Pleased with his penance, Ashvini Kumaras revive one of the twins and bring him back to life. They bless the boy and hand over two identical idols to him.

The gods tell the farmer that the idols, which appear like humans but with the heads of horses, are powerful and will ensure that the child will not die in any unnatural way as long as he has it with him.

Soon after their departure, an evil power that knows the significance of the horse idols looks to gain possession of one of them.

It appears to the boy as a human and promises to revive his twin brother if he gives it one of the idols. The young kid, who longs for his twin brother, agrees and hands over one of the idols to the dark power.

With this background information offered, the story shifts to the present day where five YouTubers leave for a mansion on an island in the UK to make a documentary to promote Black Tourism.

Black Tourism is tourists expressing a desire to travel to places historically associated with death and tragedy.

The mansion that they are to document is uninhabited after the death of an archaeologist called Aarthi. What the YouTubers find there is what Asvins is all about.

Attention: Strictly no entry for individuals under 18! Step into the cinemas to experience the world of Asvins on June 23rd in Cinemas, 18+ only!!!⁰ @SVCCofficial @BvsnP @sakthifilmfctry @praveen2000 @iamvasanthravi @sakthivelan_b @taruntejafilm #Asvins #AsvinsonJune23 pic.twitter.com/XQRPlRNakx — Vasanth Ravi (@iamvasanthravi) June 20, 2023

Also Read: Rare feat: ‘Devara Aata Ballavararu’ film set erected in 22 hours

A story of two halves.

The cast of director Tarun Teja’s horror film ‘Asvins’. (Supplied)

Director Tarun Teja’s Asvins can be described as a film of two halves. While the first half lets down audiences, the second half works big time.

Although the first half begins on a strong note, the plot soon loses steam and evokes boredom. This is because of two factors.

One, the visuals, for the most part, are presented to the viewer from the point of view of the character in the scene. Although interesting at first, this form of presentation turns monotonous after a point and induces an element of boredom.

The second factor that makes you lose interest is the predictable developments.

However, the story picks up pace again in the second half as the pieces begin to fall into place. The makers have something refreshingly new to offer in the second half and look to make up for the lapses in the first half.

Also Read: Rajisha Vijayan on her role in ‘Madhura Manohara Moham’

Brilliant performances.

Vasanth Ravi, who plays the central character of Arjun, delivers quite a nice performance. There are quite a few shades of grey that he has to portray in the film and he does it with practised ease.

But the performance of actress Vimala Raman, who appears for a brief time in the film, actually takes your breath away.

A poster of ‘Asvins’. (Twitter)

Coming up with a brilliant performance, she lives her part and puts the element of fear back in your heart. One reason why the second half works better than the first is because of Vimala Raman’s performance.

Another actor who delivers a commendable performance in Asvins is actor Udhayadeep, who plays one of the five YouTubers named Rahul.

Technically, the film is brilliant on almost all counts. Be it the location, the sound, or the visuals, the director couldn’t have asked for more.

The background score of Vijay Siddharth, in particular, is exceptional. Tunes befitting the scene and the mood seem to have been used judiciously and that is one of the reasons why the film manages to make an impact.

The music director must share credit with his sound designers Sachin and Hari for their outstanding work in the film.

Also Read: The rise and decline of ‘Baahubali’ star Prabhas

In all, Asvins is a reasonably well-made engaging horror thriller that works, if you have the patience to sit through right till the end.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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What I Like in Asvins

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Tired Tropes, Considerations and Trigger Warnings

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What I Dislike about Asvins

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Zeth received his M.A in English with a focus in Creative Writing at CSU, Chico. As a human writer, he published in the 9th volume of Multicultural Echoes, served on the editorial board of Watershed Review, and is a horror reviewer for Haunted MTL. All agree he is a real-life human and not an octopus in human skin. Fascinated by horror novels and their movie adaptations, Zeth channels his bone-riddled arms in their study. Games are also a tasty treat, but he only has the two human limbs to write. If you enjoy his writing, check out his website.

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Alien: Romulus Review

Alien is back from the (evil) dead.

I’d like to invite anyone surprised to hear that director Fede Álvarez and Alien are a match made in space hell to stop reading this and watch his 2013 remake of The Evil Dead (but, like, come back after.) It was the first time in 20 years the Necronomicon was opened, and horror fans pinned the survival of the beloved franchise on the young director’s efforts. That faith was rewarded with one of the most effective horror remakes ever , and that ability to both honor and modernize a sacred text of the genre is the most obvious explanation for the success of Alien: Romulus. Like a kid in a Freudian nightmare of a candy store, Álvarez bellies up to a feast of Alien iconography and cryptozoology with abject glee, even and especially in scenes of bone-crunching mayhem. Alien: Romulus distills the franchise into its most functional, focused form. And once it starts cooking, it doesn’t let up.

Top to bottom, Alien: Romulus displays exemplary production design which, while nodding to what’s to come in the future-set Aliens, owes far more to the totemic textures of Ridley Scott’s original movie. The industrial futurism of Michael Seymour’s original sets is wonderfully replicated in the malfunctioning Renaissance station, colored by red warning lights and the spindly blacks of H.R. Giger’s Xenomorphology as they weave into that aesthetic as threateningly as ever. Alien: Romulus also represents what’s undeniably the franchise’s most cohesive blend of computer-generated and practical techniques employed to bring its locations, creatures, and injury effects to life. The saying goes that the best CG is the kind you don’t notice, and the team here has achieved a largely seamless blend of all those elements. The irony here is that I have to immediately contradict myself: there are a few times – especially in the third act – where you can very much tell Álvarez is cutting to closeups of fake-as-hell xenomorph heads being blown apart. But those moments, or times when you can clock a miniature being used, do as much to evoke the franchise’s first two movies as any iconic one-liner or recreated shot.

Alien: Romulus Gallery

Álvarez really lets Romulus breathe through its first act, taking time to establish the central relationship between Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and android Andy (Daniel Jonsson), who live as siblings in indentured servitude on Weyland-Yutani’s Jackson’s Star colony. Desperate to leave the colony’s perpetually sunless gloom – which Álvarez renders as a metal hellscape befitting of a Terminator flash-forward – Rain and Andy reconnect with their old scavenging buddies, the crew of the Corbelan IV. Rain’s resourceful nature and protectiveness of her synthetic sibling get the audience on her side quickly and, as a performer, Spaeny does great work believably grounding Rain in the moment-to-moment horror of a young adult making their first foray into the big, scary world and finding it’s worse than they could’ve imagined.

Rain is heavily solution-focused, which gives her plenty of hero moments as the movie goes on, but Álvarez and co-writer Rodo Sayagues’ script doesn’t hold much space for her to change along the way, or to at least highlight what makes her so resilient in the first place. Jonsson winds up with the trickiest tightrope to walk in his performance, constantly balancing childlike hesitation with cold efficiency, collating what information he should offer and which of his bedrock directives he should follow. But Jonsson holds the core of Andy well once that conflict becomes central to the plot. The accompanying unpredictable shifts in Andy’s personality serve not just to ratchet up the tension, but also as a mirror by which the human characters see themselves reflected.

As for the crew of the Corbelan – sibling pairs Tyler (Archie Renaux) and Kay (Isabela Merced), and Bjorn (Spike Fearn) and Navarro (Aileen Wu) – Álvarez and Sayagues employ archetypes which will be instantly familiar for Alien fans. Tyler’s steely reserve evokes Dallas, Bjorn’s edge and bandana call up both Alien’s Parker and Aliens’ Vasquez… you get the idea. While numerous films in the franchise flirt with slasher conventions, Alien: Romulus commits harder to the subgenre’s quintessential structure than ever before. As such, it’s wise not to get attached to anyone who speaks mostly in jokes or exposition. That structure occasionally lets the audience get ahead of the plot, but Álvarez throws enough curveballs and misdirects to offset this.

Álvarez establishes the ensemble economically, especially during the Corbelan’s trip up to the Renaissance, where cuts to each character reveal how they react in stressful situations, reinforcing those archetypes just before the acid hits the fan. Merced gets the most personalized material, spending much of the movie separated from the main group and playing catchup in increasingly awful fashion. While these cutaways do function well as their own little Alien vignettes, it should be noted that as they crop up through act two, they splinter the focus a little and lead to Romulus’ only real pacing hiccups. That’s not to say there’s no utility to the way that time’s spent, though: Kay’s agenda is more complicated than her friends’ which opens the door not only to Romulus’ most brazen theme work (the nature of which I’ll leave vague), but for late twists that kick off the movie’s audacious, cacophonous, and unbearably tense final showdown.

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Alien: Romulus rarely shies away from the chance to celebrate its forerunners, mostly for the better but, in one significant case, definitely for the worse. But let’s focus first on what works, and works well: Álvarez understands exactly how and when to deploy Alien’s most iconic imagery. Though the scavengers’ initial exploration of the derelict Renaissance is a quiet, tense affair, just below the surface, you can feel Álvarez’ hand establishing the space like a kid breathlessly showing off all his toys before settling on which one he wants to share with you first. Duct systems, airlocks, stun batons, motion sensors, a dead synthetic, maybe the odd tweak from flame- to freeze-thrower here and there. But Álvarez doesn’t spend too much time fetishizing these inanimate objects; they’re purely functional and so don’t feel like they cross the line of being fan service for the sake of fan service.

Romulus even finds space – plenty, in fact – to incorporate elements of Creative Assembly’s excellent Alien: Isolation game . Whether it’s the registration points which Álvarez deploys (moments which wind up serving as devilishly clever nods to The Godfather ) or the flares which get used to clever practical and defensive ends, it’s emblematic of an attitude that all Alien is good Alien, an ethos that drives this whole movie forward and unlocks its most shocking narrative turns. Of course, Romulus also brings its own new toys and tricks, the most significant of which is zero gravity. It’s baffling to consider that the franchise really hasn’t mined zero G more in the past, and it’s used well here not only to spice up some xenomorph encounters, but repeatedly as a ticking clock obstacle the scavengers have to work around due to the Renaissance’s malfunctioning gravity drive.

And yet, like Weyland-Yutani has been known to do, Alien: Romulus can’t seem to abandon some ideas which, on their face, seem destined for messy ends. As I mentioned, Romulus handles most of its exposition quite elegantly early on, but Álvarez overplays his hand and commits to, as executed here, a deeply flawed vehicle by which to deliver that information once we’re on the Renaissance station. I’m dancing around the details for spoilers’ sake, but I’ve never been more sure that you’ll know exactly what I mean. This choice by no means derails Romulus – the movie racks up plenty of good will in other ways – it just feels like a wholly unnecessary evil and the only part of the movie that regularly breaks suspension of disbelief. Which is saying something… this is a movie about genetically perfect killer aliens, after all.

Evoking the genetic f***ery that always spells doom in these movies, Alien: Romulus is a lean, mean, chimeric beauty. Fede Álvarez proves that his Evil Dead remake was no fluke: The director seamlessly keys into the narrative and aesthetic touchstones of the series and marshals them to breathtaking ends. Romulus occasionally takes a turn down a dead end hall pace-wise – and unfortunately its most audacious bridge to the franchise’s past is extremely rickety – but those missteps are forgivable considering how confidently and judiciously Álvarez handles them elsewhere. Helped along by a talented ensemble of young actors and reference-quality production design, Alien: Romulus’s back-to-basics approach to blockbuster horror boils everything fans love about the tonally-fluid franchise into one film, and it’s one that you’re going to need to start making time for the next time you plan on marathoning Alien and Aliens.

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‘Alien: Romulus’ Review: The Primal Shock and Awe Is Gone, but It’s a Good Video-Game Horror Ride

Cailee Spaeny stars in the seventh entry in the franchise, directed by Fede Álvarez as a nerve-jangling greatest-hits throwback. It works.

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ALIEN: ROMULUS, 2024. © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

There’s now a contradiction built into the very idea of a new “ Alien ” sequel. “ Alien: Romulus ” is the seventh entry in the franchise, and each time we line up for another one of them, even when it’s as encrusted with “mythology” as “Prometheus,” the hope is that we’ll get to experience a taste of the shock and awe that “Alien” achieved 45 years ago. “Aliens,” in 1986, conjured enough of that sensation to register as a classic — and though “Alien 3” (1992) is reviled by everyone in the known universe, including its director, David Fincher, I’ve always found, in its maternal-bad-dream-as-art-film way, that it exerts a slow-burn queasy power.

Reviewed at AMC Empire, New York, Aug. 12, 2024. MPA Rating: R. Running time: 118 MIN.

Production: A 20th Century Studios release of a Scott Free Productions, Brandywine Productions production. Producers: Ridley Scott, Michael Pruss, Walter Hill. Executive producers: Fede Alvarez, Elizabeth Cantillon, Brent O’Connor, Tom Moran.
Crew: Director: Fede Álvarez. Screenplay: Fede Álvarez, Rodo Sayagues. Camera: Galo Olivares. Editor: Jake Roberts. Music: Benjamin Wallfisch.
With: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn Aileen Wu.

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‘Alien: Romulus’ Is an Amusement-Park Ride Based on a Movie

By David Fear

“A haunted-house film set in a spaceship” — that’s how Ridley Scott ‘s groundbreaking science-fiction/ horror mash-up Alien was characterized when it was released in 1979. It’s not a bad description, actually. Then James Cameron came aboard for Aliens and upped the velocity factor, essentially turning the 1986 sequel into a roller coaster dipping and corkscrewing on an extraterrestrial planet. These templates set the twin standards for everything else the franchise has given us: Filmmakers either set the dial to creepy-crawly chills or breakneck thrills. Even after everyone’s favorite Xenomorph paired up with Predator ‘s in-house interstellar hunter or Scott got dorm-room-stoner philosophical with his prequels Prometheus (2012) and Alien: Covenant (2017), the movies toggled between those two speeds. It was usually some combo of original recipe and extra crispy.

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So the five of them, along with Andy, locate what turns out to be an empty space station dubbed Romulus. When two men and android board it with the intention of scavenging supplies for their trip, they become trapped in a medical storage room. The temperature starts going up, which means that formerly frozen specimens start to thaw out. Care to guess what the specimens are? We’ll give you a hint. They like to hug faces. And, you know, implant embryos in human hosts that then burst out of their chests.

Rain and Navarro rush in to save them, just in time to notice that a lot of skittering creatures are running, jumping, and trying to knock up their new visitors. They also find Rook, the ship’s resident synthetic who’s been ripped in half. He may look familiar to you — and please indulge us as we pause to state that the digital deep-faking of deceased actors, no matter how integral those performers were to a beloved film, is at best a distraction and at worse a travesty. Seriously, filmmakers: Stop doing this. It’s an insult to everyone involved.

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This is where Alien: Romulus , having largely stuck to the slow-burn pace of Alien ‘s memorable opening half hour in between bits of action, shifts fully into horror-movie mode, and you’re reminded that Alvarez is one of the few working directors who understands how to take advantage of scenario’s like this. (Seriously, what is Don’t Breathe but an Alien film with Stephen Lang’s Blind Man subbing in for H.R. Giger’s Freudian-nightmare of a beast — right down to the forced-fertilization plot point?) Yet you can still feel the film slipping into fan-service territory, with the writer-director being the number-one fan being serviced. It’s clear he loves Scott’s first foray into interstellar terror wisely but also too well, and the amount of Easter eggs here outnumbers the extraterrestrial-killing-machine eggs three to one. Having been handed the keys to franchise kingdom, Alvarez isn’t trying to leave his own mark on the series. He’s simply trying to do a cover version with as much fidelity as imaginable.

No one can blame him, given that the 1979 movie is indeed a potent example of genre hybridization and a perfect cinematic organism. Yet the longer you suffer through underdeveloped characters (only Rain and, ironically, Andy feel fleshed out and get real arcs; it helps that both actors understand the assignment) and sequences that feel closer to winks, nudges, and future Romulus video-game levels than actual story beats, the more diminishing the returns. There is one climactic twist that feels unique, and though it’s still too little too late, you can feel Alvarez creatively stretching out with this warped conceptual gambit. Even that comes with a reference, of course, to Sigourney Weaver’s striptease and final-boss battle from the first film. Does it tick off the boxes of what we’ve come to expect from this series? Yes. Does it add up to more than The Chris Farley Show of Alien movies? Well … let’s just say no one may be able to hear you scream in space, but they will assuredly hear your resigned sighs in a theater.

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Review: Bringing things back to basics, ‘Alien: Romulus’ leans into the horror and the goo

A woman with a futuristic weapon stands in a smoky corridor.

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The beauty of the “Alien” franchise is that it has always allowed room for distinctive filmmakers to play with their own aesthetics and themes. Ridley Scott ’s taut, philosophical space-thriller “Alien” gave way to the sweaty, militarized machismo of James Cameron ’s “Aliens.” David Fincher brought industrial Soviet aesthetics and psychosexual tension from his Madonna music videos to the stylish “Alien 3” (though he disavowed his feature debut); even the darkly whimsical French auteur Jean-Pierre Jeunet put his quirky stamp on “Alien: Resurrection,” before Scott himself returned for the bloody, brooding prequels “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant.”

With “Evil Dead” and “Don’t Breathe” director Fede Alvarez now at the helm of “Alien: Romulus,” it’s no surprise that his version is a contained slasher flick drenched in goopy viscera, in which a group of scrappy youths are hunted down by an unknowable monster. Co-written by Alvarez and Rodo Sayagués, the screenplay for “Alien: Romulus” is ruthlessly efficient while touching down on recognizable themes from the series: pregnancy, female strength and the clash between human and artificial intelligence.

A director poses with a figurine of a scary, toothsome alien.

Meet Fede Alvarez, the Uruguayan director whom Hollywood trusts with its horror babies

After rebooting ‘Evil Dead’ and following up with ‘Don’t Breathe,” the filmmaker returns with ‘Alien: Romulus,” which he approached as a Ridley Scott fan first.

Aug. 7, 2024

One could argue that “Alien” movies are like pizza — they’re good even when they’re not so great — and aside from a few head-scratching choices that will no doubt inspire reams of think pieces, “Alien: Romulus,” with its thrilling tactility and appealingly plucky cast, is a very enjoyable pie.

Cailee Spaeny , recently of “Priscilla” and “Civil War,” steps into Ellen Ripley’s Reeboks as our hero, Rain, who only wants one thing: to see the sun. She’s trying to make her way off the Jackson Mining Colony with her “brother,” a synthetic (or droid) named Andy (David Jonsson), and transfer to the farming planet of Yvaga. But the Weyland-Yutani corporation keeps moving the goalposts and she hasn’t fulfilled her quota of hours in the mine. Knowing that the company will never do right by her, she joins up with a group of friends to scavenge for cryopods in an abandoned ship floating overhead, in hopes they can make their way to Yvaga themselves.

Archie Renaux's character Tyler shows Cailee Spaeny's Rain how to use a futuristic weapon.

A group of teens robbing a seemingly deserted house, unaware of what dangers await them? This sounds a lot like Alvarez’s “Don’t Breathe.” Naturally, the ship, recently ravaged by similar events to “Alien,” is crawling with facehuggers and xenomorphs, and the friends are separated and picked off, bad decisions are made and all manner of unholy creatures come bursting forth from various bodily cavities.

At the center of the story is the relationship between Rain and Andy. She wrestles with the idea of leaving him behind when considering their plans, but then a security upgrade to his software, which allows him to access different parts of the ship (its two halves are named for Romulus and Remus, the twins of Rome), reboots him into something colder and more calculating. Initially programmed by Rain’s late father to do what’s best for her (and tell dad jokes), Andy’s new directive becomes finishing the mission for the company.

This doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Andy comes under the sway of a very persuasive new character left behind from the previous massacre, a chewed-up, half-destroyed synthetic called Rook with a surprisingly familiar appearance. With a performance constructed from a voice actor and facial scans, Alvarez has brought back to life a memorable but deceased actor from “Alien.”

The trend of reanimating dead stars in “lega-sequels” or “interquels” (the ghost of Harold Ramis in “Ghostbusters: Afterlife”; Peter Cushing in “Rogue One”) is both off-putting and ethically questionable, especially considering the ongoing fight of actors to control their own image against the looming threat of AI. Those questions aside, if the addition works at all in “Alien: Romulus,” it’s because they aren’t aiming for realism with this mangled droid. Still, it nags, especially given Alvarez’s commitment elsewhere to grungy practical sets and props. He’s also already got a fantastic standout performance from Jonsson, who alternates between wounded puppy dog and shrewd corporate proxy.

There are other surface pleasures to enjoy in “Alien: Romulus,” including the stunningly rich cinematography by Galo Olivares and the scuffed-up and worn interiors lit with glowing reds, shiny with extraterrestrial mucus. Benjamin Wallfisch’s score keens and groans ominously, sometimes dipping into synthy electronic moments.

Director Ridley Scott on his classic ‘Alien’ and filmmaking after the pandemic

Director Ridley Scott joined Times film critic Justin Chang for a conversation about “Alien,” the Week 4 winner of the Ultimate Summer Movie Showdown, He recalled casting Sigourney Weaver and the influence of “Star Wars.”

May 29, 2020

At the center of it all is Spaeny‘s Rain, the locus of the film’s intelligence. Her empathy complicates things, but her ability to read and interpret situations bests any synthetic calculation. Short, compact and young, Spaeny does not convey the lithe power of Sigourney Weaver or Katherine Waterston, nor the steeliness of Noomi Rapace, all who have taken up weapons against the xenomorphs in past “Alien” films.

But Alvarez gives Spaeny her hero moments, whether in her care of her comrades or destroying an invasive species, and she expresses the inner strength and utter determination to survive required of an “Alien” franchise installment. Sometimes, that demonstration of sheer humanity and grit is all that’s required to make one of these films sing.

Katie Walsh is a Tribune News Service film critic.

'Alien: Romulus'

Rated: R, for bloody violent content and language Running time: 1 hour, 59 minutes Playing: In wide release Friday, Aug. 16

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‘alien: romulus’ review: cailee spaeny is compelling in a flawed but pulse-pounding homage to the franchise’s origins.

David Jonsson, Archie Renaux and Isabela Merced also star in Fede Alvarez’s sci-fi/horror installment, set between the events of Ridley Scott’s original and James Cameron’s sequel.

By David Rooney

David Rooney

Chief Film Critic

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Cailee Spaeny as Rain Carradine in 20th Century Studios' ALIEN ROMULUS.

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10 recent horror movies that stephen king enjoyed, from barbarian to no one will save you.

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After MaXXXine, It's Time To Revisit This 30-Year-Old Cult Classic That Deserves More Love

The 40 best horror movies of the last five years, ranked, why late night with the devil just broke a huge shudder record.

King's Twitter showcases his horror expertise, offering praise for a variety of spooky movies.
His enthusiasm for horror is evident in his reviews, highlighting standout aspects of each film.
King's recommendations are insightful and varied, encouraging viewers to explore different horror genres.

Stephen King's Twitter is a font of knowledge for horror lovers, and his movie recommendations always carry a lot of weight. At 76, the master of horror is still a voracious connoisseur of all things spooky, regularly offering takes on the latest novels, shows, and movies the genre has to offer. His taste is broad-ranging and his enthusiasm for all kinds of filmmaking, from big-budget blockbusters to hyper-indie festival darlings, is contagious.

Of course, while he watches and reads a broad range of things, horror is his bread and butter and his one true love – he is, after all, the King of Horror for a reason. As such, it's most interesting to hear his take on new horror movies , such as King's praise for upcoming serial killer flick Strange Darling , especially from upcoming directors. A few recent movies have piqued his interest, so much so that he offered up public praise for them to get others to watch.

IT (1990),Stephen King Cameo in IT Chapter 2, Under The Dome

15 Best Stephen King TV Adaptations, Ranked (According To IMDb)

Several Stephen King novels have been adapted to the small screen, from The Shining to It and The Colorado Kid, to varying degrees of acclaim.

10 Civil War (2024)

"all muscle and no fat".

Alex Garland's latest, political horror-thriller Civil War , received mixed reviews for its ambivalent, even cautious approach to its themes of journalistic responsibility, good citizenship, and the nature of photographic ethics. Stephen King offered a different angle on the film, focusing less on its "red state and blue state" appeal, and getting back to basics by commending it as a piece of horror filmmaking instead.

" CIVIL WAR: Fantastic movie, " The Shining author wrote on Twitter . " The pacing is terrific, all muscle and no fat. Reminded me a little of THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE ," he continued, referencing a 19th-century war novel by Stephen Crane.

Civil War 2024 Movie Poster Featuring Fighters with Snipers Atop the Statue of Liberty

Civil War is a 2024 action thriller from writer and director Alex Garland. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, and Stephen McKinley Henderson, Civil War takes place in the near future and shows the United States entering a new Civil War after California and Texas attempt to separate from the country.

9 Infested (2023)

"gross".

When the man that brought you The Mist calls a giant creature movie "gross," you should probably believe him. And that's precisely what he called Sébastien Vaniček's Infested , a down-and-dirty spider horror flick set in a French apartment building suddenly overrun by what King called " spiders, some as big as puppies ."

Critics were positive about this particular arachnid-fest, inspired in part by the all-in-one-night thriller Green Room (2015).

Critics were positive about this particular arachnid-fest , inspired in part by the all-in-one-night thriller Green Room (2015). King agreed, in his avuncular and to-the-point fashion: " Scary, gross, well made ." (via Twitter )

Infested (2024)

Director Sébastien Vanicek makes his feature film debut with a story that follows Kaleb, who is about to turn 30 and has never been lonelier. He’s fighting with his sister over a matter of inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a bazaar and brings it back to his flat. It only takes a moment for it to escape and reproduce, turning the whole place into a dreadful web trap. Starring Théo Christine ( Suprêmes ), Finnegan Oldfield ( Final Cut ), Jérôme Niel ( Smoking Causes Coughing ), Sofia Lesaffre ( Les Misérables ) and Lisa Nyarko.

8 Barbarian (2022)

"it was crazy".

Barbarian was a sleeper hit when it was released in 2022. The twisting (and twisted) tale of an Airbnb stay gone horribly awry in an abandoned Detroit neighborhood, Stephen King wasn't alone in calling the movie crazy. This movie is guaranteed to keep viewers guessing 'til the end. When a fan on Twitter asked him for his opinion, King commented " That movie blew me away. It was crazy! Crazy GOOD! " (via Twitter )

In Barabarian, Tess (Georgina Campbell) travels to Detroit for a job interview, booking an Airbnb to stay at. When she discovers the rental is currently occupied by a man named Keith (Bill Skarsgard), who also supposedly booked the property, Tess agrees to stay the night while they sort things out. However, her reservations for Keith are the least of her worries - as she soon discovers the home is not what it seems.

7 MaXXXine (2024)

"terrific".

MaXXXine, the third and final installment of Ti West's trilogy , is a tour through the seedy side of Hollywood circa 1985. Pulling liberally from the works of Brian De Palma, Dario Argento, Mia Goth's Maxine Minx rifles through New World Picture's dirty laundry, looking to make it big outside of porn by starring in a horror sequel, The Puritan II.

Never one to mince words, Stephen King, whose work has touched on similar themes from obsessive fandom ( Lisey's Story, Misery ), to religious zealotry and purity culture ( Revival ), to a non-fiction book on Hollywood filmmaking ( Danse Macabre ), was s uccinct but definitive in his praise: " Maxxxine is terrific ." said King .

In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx lands her big break, but her rise to stardom is jeopardized by a mysterious killer targeting starlets. As the body count rises, secrets from Maxine's past threaten to surface, intertwining her quest for fame with a deadly game of survival.

A still of Mia Goth as Maxine in MaXXXine. She wears a green varsity jacket and red spray-painted eyeshadow.

MaXXXine's tribute to the horror genre prompts a revisit to Ed Wood, Tim Burton's underrated cult classic.

6 A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)

"the cat steals the show.".

A Quiet Place: Day One, the third installment in the franchise originally helmed by actor-turned-director John Krasinski and his wife, Emily Blunt, far exceeded critical expectations when it came out this June. As such, A Quiet Place: Day One topped the box office for several weeks.

This version is a prequel to the high-concept quasi-art horror original film , about alien invaders whose evolved sense of hearing means the last vestiges of humanity must tiptoe through life in order to survive. Here, Sam (Lupita Nyong'o), a cat-loving cancer patient, has to duke it out with the aliens with only her wits and her cat for company.

King's thoughts sum up the reason for its success: " A QUIET PLACE DAY 1: The rare "big Hollywood film" that is both intimate and textured."

King's thoughts sum up the reason for its success: " A QUIET PLACE DAY 1: The rare "big Hollywood film" that is both intimate and textured. (And the cat steals the show.) " (via Twitter )

A Quiet Place: Day One

A Quiet Place: Day One is a spin-off of the A Quiet Place franchise conceived by John Krasinski. The film is set at the beginning of the invasion as humanity scrambles to survive, before the events of the original film, with Lupita Nyong'O leading the cast, directed by Michael Sarnoski.

5 In A Violent Nature (2024)

"when the blood flows, it flows in buckets.".

In A Violent Nature, Chris Nash's full feature debut after his segment in ABCs of Death , is an ambitious and somewhat strange blend of meditative arthouse slow cinema and retro slasher throwback. It tells its boilerplate tale of teens getting smashed, sliced, and diced in the woods through its silent killer's eyes , following his lumbering footsteps through beautiful pastures, only to punctuate long stretches of verité style contemplation with noteworthily nasty practical blood and guts.

King wryly recommended the movie on these terms (and with his usual black humor): " IN A VIOLENT NATURE: I f you need a slasher movie, this one will do the job. It's leisurely, almost languorous, but when the blood flows, it flows in buckets. The killer in his mask looks like the world's most terrifying Minion. " (via Twitter )

In a Violent Nature

In a Violent Nature is a 2024 horror-slasher film written and directed by Chris Nash that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024. A group of campers in the middle of the wilderness stumble across a fire watchtower and discover a locket buried beneath its charred ruins. However, by unearthing the locket, they've invited the wrath of its prior owner and now must survive the rampage of a supernatural killer looking to retrieve his possession.

4 The Coffee Table (2022)

"the coen brothers' darkest dream.".

" There's a Spanish movie called THE COFFEE TABLE on Amazon Prime and Apple+ ," wrote Stephen King in May on Twitter . " My guess is you have never, not once in your whole life, seen a movie as black as this one. It's horrible and also horribly funny. Think the Coen Brothers' darkest dream ."

La Mesita del Comedor ( The Coffee Table in its American release), is indeed a black comedy. Directed by Caye Casas ( Killing God ) is the shaggy dog story of a family just trying to build a new coffee table. To go into further detail would be a disservice, but if King lauded its combination of inky black humor and shock, that's good enough for us.

The Coffee Table

Jesus and Maria, a couple in difficulty, become parents and decide to buy a coffee table to celebrate the arrival of their son, but this ends up changing their lives.

2019-2024 marks a strong time for the horror genre, and the best horror movies of the last five years showcases exactly why.

3 No One Will Save You (2023)

"truly unique.".

Hulu's No One Will Save You is a masterclass of slow-burn psychological horror, where the monsters don't come from under the bed or in the closet, but from the sky. Kaitlyn Dever stars as a shut-in who struggles to cope with the world outside. Her life is horrifically upended, however, when the outside world comes to her in the form of an attempted alien abduction. It got lots of praise for its tense atmosphere and inventive execution.

Stephen King evidently agreed: " NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU: Brilliant, daring, involving, scary."

Stephen King evidently agreed: " NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU: Brilliant, daring, involving, scary. You have to go back over 60 years, to a TWILIGHT ZONE episode called "The Invaders," to find anything remotely like it. Truly unique ." he said (via Twitter )

No One Will Save You

No One Will Save You is a sci-fi horror film by writer-director Brian Duffield created for Hulu. Kaitlyn Dever stars as Brynn, a young woman who struggles to connect with the world and spends her time at home honing her creative talents. However, Brynn's peace is disrupted when her home is suddenly the stage of an alien invasion, forcing her to break out of her shell enough to fend off her would be extraterrestrial assailants.

2 Late Night with the Devil (2023)

"absolutely brilliant.".

Even for all the criticism the production of Late Night with the Devil received for its use of AI generated graphics, the film was still well-received as a pulpy paean to late night television in the era of Satanic Panic. Pulling from a range of tacky sensationalist gimmicks often seen on the likes of The Geraldo Rivera Show or 20/20, a late night host (David Dastmalchian) gets more than he bargained for straining for ratings.

" LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL: I got a screener ," King reported about a week after its SXSW debut in 2023 (via Twitter ). " It's absolutely brilliant. I couldn't take my eyes off it. Your results may vary, as they say, but I urge you to watch it when you can ."

Late Night With the Devil

Late Night with the Devil is a horror thriller starring David Dastmalchian as Jack Delroy. Delroy is a late-night talk show host in 1977 trying to keep his broadcast on the air. But when he tries to communicate with the devil through a young girl live on the air, things don't go according to plan.

Written, directed, and edited by Colin and Cameron Cairnes, Late Night with the Devil is one of 2024's best horror movies.

1 Night Swim (2024)

"those creepy bunny slippers".

Of all of Stephen King's recent endorsements, the film that needs the boost the most is Bryce McGuire's little-loved, Night Swim , a tale of a haunted pool that eats people and a former baseball star (Wyatt Russell) whose family is going to fight it at all costs. While the film wasn't an outright failure, many critics struggled to determine how deeply this kitschy film's tongue was in its cheek (though others have reclaimed the film as a bonafide camp object).

Stephen King 's earnest affection for the film fell into neither category, another example why the Master of Horror keeps the genre fresh and the blood pumping: " I loved THE NIGHT SWIM (Amazon Prime). It's like a lost, low-budget Steven Spielberg film from Spielberg's early period ...say, after DUEL but before JAWS. Simple story, but...the cat on the diving board! And those creepy bunny slippers! " (via Twitter )

Based on the 2014 short film Night Swim is a horror-thriller film that follows a woman being terrorized by a spirit in her swimming pool. Kerry Condon and Wyatt Russell star in the film, handled by Atomic Monster and Blumhouse Productions.

COMMENTS

'Asvins' movie review: Vasanth Ravi's horror film has a half-decent
'Asvins' movie review: Vasanth Ravi's horror film has a half-decent story with impressive scares ... Asvins is a technically strong psychological horror film that does justice to its genre ...
Asvins
Jul 11, 2024 Full Review Sruthi Raman Film Companion A good atmospheric horror often always evokes dread with a kind of effort that's never visible on screen. Tarun Teja's Asvins is a technical ...
'Asvins' movie review: An effective folklore-horror elevated by
Asvins is split into five different chapters, just like a horror novel. The prologue of the film tells the story of the curse and introduces us to the non-linear narrative.
Asvins Movie Review: A high-concept psychological horror thriller that
Asvins Movie Review: Aspiring YouTubers, an abandoned bungalow, and a demonic spirit — this seems to be the one-line for most of the horror flicks that we get to witness in the current era, and ...
Asvins (film)
Asvins is a 2023 Indian Tamil-language psychological horror film written and directed by Tarun Teja in his directorial debut. The film stars Vasanth Ravi and Vimala Raman with Muralidaran, Saraswathi Menon, Udhaya Deep and Simran Pareek in supporting roles. It is an adaptation of Tarun Teja's own short film of the same name. The film was released theatrically on 23 June 2023.
Asvins
Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jul 11, 2024. Despite the shallow story with tried-and-tested tropes, Asvins impresses with its technical aspects and as a scary movie that does justice to ...
Asvins Movie Review: An effective folklore-horror elevated by ...
With Asvins, debut director Tarun Teja adds folklore and chimerical elements to the horror genre giving it a rewarding twist. The union of mythology and ghastliness in the film especially leaves ...
Asvins review: Vasanth Ravi is brilliant in this half-good horror thriller
Asvins is a two-hour horror thriller born out of a barely 10-minute long short film helmed by Tarun Teja during the first lockdown three years ago. Named after the revered deities who find a mention in the Rig Veda, the film, while exploring duality, forges a unique blend between mythology and horror.
Asvins (2023)
After long time tamil cinemas had a thriller and horror story but they messed up, just went to watch the movie with imdb rating which was 9 after 3 days of release and thats why posting a review so that you can be aware of what you are watching.overall 4.5/10. I would say wait for OTT release to watch this film.
Asvins Review: Is Vasanth Ravi's horror film worth watching? Read
Asvins First Review: Vasanth Ravi and Vimala Raman's Asvins movie got an amazing response from the press show on June 21st in Chennai. Asvins, which is a horror thriller gets an outstanding response. Critics say 'Technically Brilliant'. Team Newsable. First Published Jun 22, 2023, 4:13 PM IST | Last Updated Jun 22, 2023, 4:25 PM IST.
‎Asvins (2023) directed by Tarun Teja Mallareddy • Reviews, film + cast
"Asvins", while definitely with its shortcomings, felt pretty good to me. The plot was quite ambitious, if more than a bit farfetched. Concept is also bold. A tough go at how it all fits together, I thought the structure and workings of the movie may warrant a rewatch. I thought the acting was a bit inconsistent but with some well achieved moments.
Asvins Movie Review: This Dull Atmospheric Horror Trades Tension For
Asvins Movie Review: This Dull Atmospheric Horror Trades Tension For Technical Finesse. A good atmospheric horror often always evokes dread with a kind of effort that's never visible on screen. Tarun Teja's Asvins is a technical coup, but take that away, and what we're left with is laboured and unaffecting plotting. Director: Tarun Teja ...
Asvins Review
Asvins - Not for the faint-hearted and rational-minded Meera Chithirappavai Asvins, featuring Vasanth Ravi in the lead role, is a fascinating concoction of mythological elements intertwined with horror and psychology. The film embraces chaos as its defining style, seeking solace in the realms of abnormality and darkness. At its core, Asvins ...
Asvins (2023)
Asvins: Directed by Tarun Teja Mallareddy. With Vasanth Ravi, Muralidaran, Vimala Raman, Saras Menon. A group of Youtubers who accidentally unleash a 1500-year-old evil that crosses over from the realm of darkness to the human world.
'Asvins' Tamil movie review
The music director must share credit with his sound designers Sachin and Hari for their outstanding work in the film. Also Read: The rise and decline of 'Baahubali' star Prabhas Verdict. In all, Asvins is a reasonably well-made engaging horror thriller that works, if you have the patience to sit through right till the end.
Asvins Telugu Movie Review
Kollywood actor Vasanth Ravi's latest movie, Asvins, has hit screens today. Check out our review to know whether this horror flick succeeded in making the viewers scared or not. Story: Indian vlogger Arjun (Vasanth Ravi), along with his group, goes to a haunted mansion in London as part of his profession.
Asvins review: Vasanth Ravi is compelling in a horror film that lacks
Asvins review: Vasanth Ravi is compelling in a horror film that lacks coherence. Director Tarun Teja's Asvins begins with a legend of the twin gods from the Rig Veda, who possess the power to ...
Asvins, a Film Review
Asvins (2023) is an Indian Tamil-language supernatural horror film directed by Tarun Teja Mallareddy, earning its place as his directorial debut. The film stars Vasanth Ravi, Muralidaran, Vimala Raman, Saras Menon, Udhaya Deep, and Simran Pareek. As of this review, the film remains a Netflix exclusive. This film is technically a feature film adaptation of Tarun Teja Mallareddy's short film ...
Asvins review: Vasanth Ravi is compelling in a horror film that lacks
ReviewDisappointingly, the narrative of 'Asvins' follows one of the most boring, overdone tropes - that of a group of friends visiting a haunted place, leading to trouble. Director Tarun Teja's Asvins begins with a legend of the twin gods from the Rig Veda, who possess the power to heal and even resurrect the dead. This leads one to think that Asvins is a mythological horror film.
Asvins on Netflix : r/horror
Asvins on Netflix. Was on the prowl for a new horror film and came across this hidden gem on Netflix. Honestly blown away by this movie. Really great jump scares and a unique plot. Highly recommend anyone looking for a new movie to watch tonight! Didn't realize anyone still paid for Netflix. Watching it right now from your recommendation!
ASVINS Public Review
watch ASVINS Public Review | Vasanth Ravi | Tarun Teja | ASVINS ReviewAsvinsCast: Vasanth Ravi, Vimala Raman, Muralidaran, Saras Menon, UdhayaDeep and Simran...
Asvins (2023)
Asvins (2023), Horror Psychological Thriller released in Tamil Telugu language in theatre near you in . Know about Film reviews, lead cast & crew, photos & video gallery on BookMyShow.
Alien: Romulus Review
Rain is heavily solution-focused, which gives her plenty of hero moments as the movie goes on, but Álvarez and co-writer Rodo Sayagues' script doesn't hold much space for her to change along ...
'Alien: Romulus' Review: A Good Video-Game Horror Ride
'Alien: Romulus' Review: The Primal Shock and Awe Is Gone, but It's a Good Video-Game Horror Ride Cailee Spaeny stars in the seventh entry in the franchise, directed by Fede Álvarez as a ...
'Alien: Romulus' Is an Amusement-Park Ride Based on a Movie
Latest entry in the horror/sci-fi franchise uses the 1979 classic as a back-to-basics touchstone — and ends up being just an overly reverent tribute. 'Alien: Romulus' Review: New Sequel Goes ...
'Alien: Romulus' review: Retro sequel leans into horror goo
Review: Bringing things back to basics, 'Alien: Romulus' leans into the horror and the goo Cailee Spaeny in the movie "Alien: Romulus." (20th Century Studios)
Did any one watched ASVINS movie? : r/tollywood
SiddipetModel. • 1 yr. ago. Not bad. Decent story. The execution, cinematography, acting, jump scares, costumes etc are all great. Sound design is the best part. They killed it, especially in 3D sound. I heard it's a Tamil movie and dubbed in Telugu. Dubbing dialogues is not bad.
Alien: Romulus review: This 'clever, gripping and sometimes awe ...
Since the first two films in the 1980s, the sci-fi horror series has been a very mixed bag. But this latest gets back to basics, and makes for a superbly scary monster movie.
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David Jonsson, Archie Renaux and Isabela Merced also star in Fede Alvarez's sci-fi/horror installment, set between the events of Ridley Scott's original and James Cameron's sequel.
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Alex Garland's latest, political horror-thriller Civil War, received mixed reviews for its ambivalent, even cautious approach to its themes of journalistic responsibility, good citizenship, and the nature of photographic ethics. Stephen King offered a different angle on the film, focusing less on its "red state and blue state" appeal, and getting back to basics by commending it as a piece of ...

‘Asvins’ movie review: Vasanth Ravi’s horror film has a half-decent story with impressive scares

Asvins (Tamil)

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Asvins Movie Review : A high-concept psychological horror thriller that engages only in parts

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