Wax (2014)

Good start, but then it gets ruined

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

It's a great old-time movie concept, a reporter having to stay overnight in a scary place, in this case, a wax museum. It's been done to great comic and horror effect in films of the 1940's and 1950's. Haunted houses, wax museums, and spooky islands raked in the bucks by using such a durable concept. In the case of Wax, the effect doesn't work as well; the film never really grabs the audience, losing the audience by trying to focus on too many threads, and a drab, dull protagonist (who at times reminded me of Brad Dourif and William Katt). Wax could have been helped by those earlier films; most of them came in at 65 minutes or so. Wax needs much editing...and a better ending.

Like so many Full Moon films before it, Wax starts out using the tired premise of the filming of a reality show. Journalist Mike is challenged by the producers to spend the night in a haunted wax museum in Barcelona. Mike carries a video camera around with him while being filmed by various cameras set up around the museum... All while being shown footage of serial killer and cannibal Dr Knox performing ghastly rituals to his victims. Director Víctor Matellano gets a few things right. For one, the atmosphere is extremely chilling and the gore scenes are certainly something to be proud of. Unfortunately, Wax quickly becomes one of those films where it is difficult to suspend your disbelief... As your average horror viewer will certainly start to question how and why and WTF?! as the story progresses. Maybe instead of writing roles specifically for cameos, more thought could go into tying everything together.

Young journalist Mike (a solid and likable performance by Jimmy Shaw) gets an assignment to spend one entire evening in a spooky wax museum. Initially believing to be alone inside the place, Mike eventually finds himself being terrorized by the malevolent presence of sadistic cannibal surgeon Dr. Knox (marvelously played with lip-smacking wicked relish by veteran actor Jack Taylor).Director Victor Matellano, who also co-wrote the compact script with Hugo Stuven Casasnovas, relates the entertainingly twisted story at a brisk pace, makes fine use of the creepy main location, displays a real affection for classic fright fare, and delivers plenty of tasty gratuitous female nudity and in-your-face nasty explicit gore. Geraldine Chaplin acquits herself well in a sizable supporting role as a television producer. Popping up in nifty bits are Lone Fleming as a forensic expert and Antonio Mayans as a gardener. Moreover, it's nice to hear the voice of legendary Spanish horror icon Paul Naschy for an automated wax figure. Sergio Jimenez Lacima's spirited shivery score hits the spine-tingling spot. Daniel Salas Alberola's sharp cinematography provides a pleasing polished look. A worthwhile shocker.