“Ambition – the blackest of human desires. Everyone has it, but how many act on it?’
Horror is still my favourite genre but as my spare time has become more limited I have neglected horror films more and more. Most of the big ones I will watch at some point but I know there are a bunch of oddities on the fringe of the horror scene that I will always miss. It was a pleasure then to go full on weird with Starry Eyes.
Alex Essoe is Sarah. An aspiring actress in a shitty job, with shitty friends. An audition for a well known but mysterious production company promises Sarah the key to all the doors that have previously been closed to her, but at what cost?
First off, the film has a pleasingly effective vintage feel to it despite being set in the present day. Essoe does a brilliant job in a demanding role and that is reflected in the fact that the in demand actress has nine films coming out in the next three years. The whole cast do a decent job actually which helps to keep the more bizarre moments of the film grounded.
I have always found body transformation to be particularly creepy and this, coupled with the copious amounts of blood, gore and violence ensure that Starry Eyes is not for the faint hearted. The violence feels earned however and never cheap and Essoe sells the more extreme scenes in a way that makes them believable.
It is so difficult to create a horror film that is unique, powerful and frightening and while Starry Eyes never really scared me, two out of three ain’t bad. The subliminal messages about the vacuous nature of Hollywood are also on point, making the film feel almost meta at times.
Starry Eyes is certainly not for everyone but if you are a horror fan looking for something a little different then it would be a fine choice.