REVIEW: 1920, not meant to be watched alone

SCENES WORTH CHECKING OUT

There are plenty of scary moments in 1920, and they will actually scare you if you watch it alone at home.

The first ghostly killing right at the start of the movie is really good, where an architect experiences weird things and gets inquisitive. Of course, these kind of characters are a must in horror flicks. The architect doesn’t feel very bold when his legs goes through and gets stuck in the staircase, the large window in front of him begins to crack, shatters and he is found dead the next morning, with shards of glass stuck in his body.

Another whacked-out scene is when Arjun returns from to Palanpur, only to find a possessed Lisa munching greedily on a cat. Yum!

The effects in the movie are good, and along with background score, ensure that most of the scary scenes manage to spook you out.

TAKE A BOW, VIKRAM BHATT

The direction of 1920 is quite good, and Vikram Bhatt has paced the film really well. Extracting quality performances from his actors, he has been sharp with the execution and has made sure that 1920, far from dragging, keeps things interesting at all times.

He teases his horror-loving audience with the camera moving hungrily near the house….for about five seconds, and before you can jump up all-knowingly and shout 'Evil Dead!', the scene is over, as if nothing ever happened.

You can also see traces of Prince Of Darkness, in the scene where the mirror attempts to swallow all things not evil, and of course, during the possession and exorcism scenes you can’t help but think of The Exorcist.

The ending is a bit hard to digest, making you wonder if one faith/belief/religion can do what another cannot.

Unfortunately for 1920, it comes close on the heels of Phoonk, the supernatural thriller from RGV, which has reportedly spooked the audiences well. Nevertheless, 1920 is a movie Vikram Bhatt and his cast may be glad to add right on top of their resume. Box-office collections notwithstanding.

VERDICT

Well-paced and slickly executed, with fine direction and competent performances, 1920 is a film that is Hollywood-ish as the final product and yet maintains an Indian touch. Definitely worth a watch!

RATING (3/5)

READ: Bhatt is it about him?