124. Baghead; movie review

 

BAGHEAD

Cert 15

95 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong threat, horror

I have seen enough haunted house horror films to last me a lifetime, so I groaned inwardly at the prospect of another one.

However, Baghead has enough original elements to make it worthwhile - and it clearly had an impact at the box office, where it has taken millions.

Director Alberto Corredor's coup was being able to count Peter Mullan among its cast.

The gruff-voiced Scot plays the cursed owner of a former Berlin pub with a shape-shifting creature in its basement.

Baghead can bring back the dead for only two minutes before things take a very nasty turn but the chance of seeing a loved one becomes so intoxicating that nobody can stick to the limit.

The creature's guardian is whoever owns the building but Mullan's character tries to end the hex by killing her.

However, after his fatal failure, the deeds are inherited by his daughter (Freya Allen), who mistakenly thinks she can control her and make money from her powers.

Jeremy Irvine plays a widower who is so desperate to see his deceased wife that he will pay anything to be able to say his final goodbye.

Thus, the new property owner is tempted to cash in on his apparent grief.

Amid the horror, Corredor's film poses questions about temptation, greed and grief, focusing on the strange being in the basement.

It throws in legend and a dab of history to create a mix that sets it apart from the usual house-of-horror nonsense without being a must-see. 

Reasons to watch: Different take on haunted house horror

Reasons to avoid: Not very scary

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? Thomas Edison wanted to follow up his creation of the phonograph with a 'spirit phone' to talk to the dead.

The final word. Alberto Corredor: "Now that I've made my first feature I think that I owe it to myself to do a second horror movie so that I can action everything that I've learned." JB Hi-FI

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