Over the years, Eli Roth has proven that, contrary to some people's opinion, he knows horror...especially on a budget. Thanks to Aftershock, a movie that he co-wrote, produced, and stars in, it is now known that Roth's expertise lies far beyond the gory demise of a group of unknowing adolescents. Simply put, Eli Roth knows movies.
Adapting true accounts for the big screen, both Roth and director Nicholas Lopez effectively create a disaster movie that is just unique enough to actually work. As six "friends" dance the night away in a popular club in the heart of Valparaiso, the land beneath their feet begins to rumble. What follows is a horrendous nightmare of chaos and panic as rape and murder begins to fill the streets of the once prosperous town.
Capturing the raw emotion and actually taking some time to introduce us to our gang of six was a risky move for Lopez and company as Aftershock often times feels like two entirely separate adventures. The first half is filled with situational comedy as our male leads attempt to form relationships with the women who merely want to have fun. That is until the near half way point...that's when the real shit starts to go down.
Immediately audiences are thrust into a world of pandemonium as instinct overtakes reason and survival becomes everyone's main concern. The events fly by during the second half of the film as we watch a unique and horrid story evolve into one that truly dissects each character's inner psyche. Sure, instances arrive where things weren't quite as good as they could or should have been, but that's the joy of working with a small budget"”shit happens.
Many will assume that the film isn't a horror flick. And while it isn't officially an outright genre piece, it does posses enough terror and gore to safely be considered a strong presence, especially in the sense of midnight movie flair.
