Josh Keown | Night Terror Novels 🧛🏻♂️’s review published on Letterboxd:
"He opened our eyes and blinded us at the same time. Gave us control without morals or mercy. It's unspeakable, the things a person will do not to feel powerless."
- Allie (Lin Shaye)
Abattoir is based on a graphic novel and, like so many of its kind, the translation from one medium to another is disjointed and more than a little messy.
If I'm honest, I think this has as much to do with the fact that Darren Lynn Bousman's filmography is equally as chaotic; from the gory violence of Saw's II to IV and Mother's Day, to the over-the-top extravagance of the horror musicals Repo! The Genetic Opera and The Devil's Carnival.
What we are left with is a Frankenstein's monster patchwork of 1940s/50s style noir and modern 'torture porn' - the issue being that there is a distinct lack of cohesion between the two.
Like many graphic novels, Abattoir was always going to be a challenge to translate to screen, and I don't believe Bousman was right for the role of director at all. Although he did come up with the original concept, his directing style is completely mismatched. If he hadn't been so egotistical and insisted on adapting this himself, this could have been given a worthwhile adaptation.
The final act is likely to divide viewers; for me personally though it was the strongest part. That said, however, a film is a sum of all its parts, and the forced dialogue, uneven performances and tonal inconsistency makes Abattoir a lacklustre affair.
VERDICT; I wouldn't recommend the film. I would, however recommend the graphic novel itself, if only for some great artwork by Bing Cansino.
Abattoir has an interesting concept, and one that deserves a much better adaptation than this.
2/5 or 4/10