PopHorror Let's Get Scared
When I first saw the trailer for Who’s Watching Oliver, I immediately wanted to watch the film. The main character himself intrigued me the most. I expected the film to be sinister and gory. Was I right with these assumptions?
https://youtu.be/Z-xx20Tahic
Who’s Watching Oliver is directed by Richie Moore as well as co-written by himself along with Russell Geoffrey Banks and Raimund Huber. Banks and Sarah Malakul Lane star in the film.
(Synopsis provided by IMDb.com):
The story revolves around a mentally unstable loner lost in a life forced upon him. By night, Oliver (Banks) aimlessly wanders the streets and bars on what can only be described as a truly shocking and humiliating killing spree. His only savior and possible way out of a life he is desperate to escape comes in the form of the beautiful Sofia (Lane) with her sweet eccentricity and naïveté to the danger she has put herself in.
One of the things that I love about this film is the beginning. It starts off very light with upbeat music, then gets very dark very quickly. It makes you forget for a minute that you’re watching a horror film, then knocks you back into that gritty setting! It reminded me of the upbeat music in the very disturbing film, The Last House On The Left (1972), that makes you forget that the film you’re watching is actually quite brutal.
Each of the characters played an important part in the story. Oliver was a mix of Norman Bates and Jeremy Renner’s portrayal of Jeffery Dahmer. He has a very awkward and quiet demeanor, but don’t let that fool you because when he snaps, he really snaps. Plus, Russell Geoffrey Banks absolutely hits the nail on the head with both sides of Oliver!
His love interest, Sofia, was such an odd character. I was very confused in the beginning because of the way she approached Oliver and immediately started telling him about her dream and messing with his hair. It seemed like she already knew him. The synopsis mentions her “naïveté” and I don’t think that’s entirely accurate. Without spoiling too much, I will say her approach on the subject was anything but naive. I really wanted to know more about her character.
It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen a really despicable character who I just hated. Today, that character was Oliver’s mother. Unfortunately, I don’t know the name of the actress who plays her, but she played the part beautifully. It was a perfect way to inspire sympathy for Oliver by making her as disgusting as possible.
I’ll admit, I have very mixed feelings about the ending. I’m happy that it went in the direction I wanted it to, but I wasn’t happy that it ended on that part without exploring the aftermath of the situation more.
Final thoughts:
Who’s Watching Oliver was a fun and disturbing film with plenty of gore, which is always a plus for me. It also has very interesting characters and a story that kept my attention the entire time. Who’s Watching Oliver is definitely recommended to those who love disturbing horror films!
