Shot in Virginia, Minnesota during a grey, gloomy February of 2015, the ominous and mysterious sounding, I Am Not A Serial Killer tells the story of a troubled sixteen year old called John Wayne Cleaver.
From the offset, all the signs are there that this is not going to be your average Disney flick. If you’ve read the 2009 novel by Dan Wells (the first in a trilogy) then you will know the outcome already.
For those not clued up on the plot (and I hadn’t known anything about it before seeing it), the movie begins with such a beguiling premise that you’d struggle to nestle it into a genre category. The most obviously telling signs are that this is a brooding indie drama, but it also packs enough punch to make it a captivating sci-fi horror. It’s a low-budget piece of work, but you don’t ever get the sense of poor quality due to a lack of funds.
Max Records (who was quite brilliant in Spike Jonze’s 2009 fantasy drama, Where The Wild Things Are) plays the troubled sixteen year old with homicidal tendencies who has to hunt down and destroy a supernatural killer and suppress his own inner demons. For the most part, he’s a likeable, intelligent character. He gets bullied by his classmates, but is smart enough to rise to the challenge of flooring them with his menacing demeanour and quick wit. This likeability factor makes you face questions as a viewer: should you be on his side when his aura gives off an obvious darkness?
The visuals are terrific, and this is mainly due to the brooding cinematography which captures the icy chill of a small midwestern town plagued by a sense of foreboding. Performances are also strong, but because of its subject matter, you never really feel like you are sympathising with anyone except the victims and John’s mother who struggles with her son’s role helping her in the family mortuary.
Much like Victor Salva with his atmospheric 2001 horror, Jeepers Creepers, Director Billy O’Brien takes great pleasure in spending time setting up the story without revealing too much detail. The initial sightings of terror are unsettling and confusing, but there is a good helping of humour sprinkled into the script to help counteract the wintry midwestern bleakness. The sound design is admirable, and the synthy, funereal, John Carpenter-esque score will give you the chills.
Fans of Back To The Future will welcome seeing Christopher Lloyd as a pivotal character here, although in comparison to the 80’s Hollywood blockbuster, his portrayal here is in stark contrast. So be prepared – if you are expecting a typecast role, you won’t get it!
Although the subject matter is certainly dark, O ‘Brien resists turning his movie into torture porn material, although there is some gore (mainly of the human biology kind), and he does opt for a somewhat disturbing and clunky murder scene involving a helpless pensioner which, although isn’t necessarily graphic, will unsettle some viewers. This, for me, is where the movie temporarily nosedives. In the first hour, the menace is handled with intrigue, atmospheric flair and even comedy. In the second hour, the horror is just somber and depressing.
Fortunately, the flagging second half is saved by a well executed battle scene (with some decent CGI) and a bold finale. I Am Not A Serial Killer is a film worthy of investigation, particularly if you are a fan of moody indies, and it’s a movie that gets under your skin and stays with you for days after.
I Am Not A Serial Killer is in UK cinemas and on demand from Dec 9
