The directors cut is actually a pretty good flick that is certainly much more than just an excuse for makeup. The subtext of the film is really about homosexuality. Once you key into this you see Barkers intentions are pretty clear and while it’s no masterpiece of cinema if you’re a fan of makeup and horror as a vehicle for bigger ideas this is a solid watch.
Midian and the Button Face Killer are super cool and showcase rad slightly cheesy monster effects. The world-building around Midian is pretty intriguing and close to being epic, but this movie falls short in that aspect. The larger-than-life adventure story beats do not work that well and mostly serve to be convoluted. This may be an example of a movie where the studio cut could improve what the filmmaker presented, because watching the director's cut it certainly seemed to run 20 minutes too long.
Clive Barker's Nightbreed of course benefits from the writer-director's considerable imagination, but things fall apart in the last act, sadly. First things first. Setting the story in Calgary and rural Alberta is an unusual and appreciated move, and casting David Cronenberg in the not-inconsiderable role of the creepy psychiatrist treating the protagonist is perhaps a stroke of genius. The twist, I suppose, is that the community of freaky monsters living under an abandoned cemetery are really not as monstrous as the humans in the story, and without them, Nightbreed is more dark urban fantasy than horror. My first impression of Craig Sheffer was in fact that he looked a lot like David Boreanaz, and between what happens to him supernatural-wise and the underground city of demons, big Angel vibes came off this thing. So that third act... The movie just devolves into the kind of shoot-em-up action movie climax that was already on its way out in 1990, with an over-the-top small-town police chief chewing up the scenery, and ultimately, a sequel-aspiring ending that leaves one a little dissatisfied. Suddenly, it feels like a TV pilot that was never picked up. I watched the Director's Cut which does have one LESS late-game villain intro, but the effect is the same.
Monster design and makeup are really cool but the editing and story are a disaster. Like CSSCHNEIDER said, something seems to be missing. The main character is a blank slate, completely devoid of personality. There is no setup where they show what kind of person he is. I don't think they even said what he does for a job or anything like that. He is literally just some guy who is having some bad dreams.
I've heard they may be releasing a director's cut Blu-ray through Scream Factory in 2014. I would be willing to check that one out to see if the editing is better.
Like most all of the Clive Barker I've been exposed to this contains a great concept terribly executed. The story is awful, the FX atrocious and the acting worse. I feel like when I watch any of Barker's offerings that I'm missing something, as if there are massive gaps in the story or missing scenes. They never feel complete, even something as good as Hellraiser.
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dajmasta94
The directors cut is actually a pretty good flick that is certainly much more than just an excuse for makeup. The subtext of the film is really about homosexuality. Once you key into this you see Barkers intentions are pretty clear and while it’s no masterpiece of cinema if you’re a fan of makeup and horror as a vehicle for bigger ideas this is a solid watch.Oneironaut
I thought I'd enjoy it more but it was still pretty good. Cool monster effects and Cronenberg was a fun villain.DerekFME
This movie is by no means perfect, it's riddled with flaws but it tries so hard I'll happily overlook them. Especially as it has such visual flair.lopan017
Amazing monster effects.mcmakattack
Hooptober XBased on a Clive Barker Story
Midian and the Button Face Killer are super cool and showcase rad slightly cheesy monster effects. The world-building around Midian is pretty intriguing and close to being epic, but this movie falls short in that aspect. The larger-than-life adventure story beats do not work that well and mostly serve to be convoluted. This may be an example of a movie where the studio cut could improve what the filmmaker presented, because watching the director's cut it certainly seemed to run 20 minutes too long.
Siskoid
Clive Barker's Nightbreed of course benefits from the writer-director's considerable imagination, but things fall apart in the last act, sadly. First things first. Setting the story in Calgary and rural Alberta is an unusual and appreciated move, and casting David Cronenberg in the not-inconsiderable role of the creepy psychiatrist treating the protagonist is perhaps a stroke of genius. The twist, I suppose, is that the community of freaky monsters living under an abandoned cemetery are really not as monstrous as the humans in the story, and without them, Nightbreed is more dark urban fantasy than horror. My first impression of Craig Sheffer was in fact that he looked a lot like David Boreanaz, and between what happens to him supernatural-wise and the underground city of demons, big Angel vibes came off this thing. So that third act... The movie just devolves into the kind of shoot-em-up action movie climax that was already on its way out in 1990, with an over-the-top small-town police chief chewing up the scenery, and ultimately, a sequel-aspiring ending that leaves one a little dissatisfied. Suddenly, it feels like a TV pilot that was never picked up. I watched the Director's Cut which does have one LESS late-game villain intro, but the effect is the same.essaywhu
Monster design and makeup are really cool but the editing and story are a disaster. Like CSSCHNEIDER said, something seems to be missing. The main character is a blank slate, completely devoid of personality. There is no setup where they show what kind of person he is. I don't think they even said what he does for a job or anything like that. He is literally just some guy who is having some bad dreams.I've heard they may be releasing a director's cut Blu-ray through Scream Factory in 2014. I would be willing to check that one out to see if the editing is better.
ThomasFTB
That was just silly.Kasparius
This is a petition to get a director's cut released:http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/nightbreed/
pshapiro
Cool, original genre film. Was definitely set up for a sequel that was never to be. The ending is a little cheesy because of the sequel set-up.CSSCHNEIDER
Like most all of the Clive Barker I've been exposed to this contains a great concept terribly executed. The story is awful, the FX atrocious and the acting worse. I feel like when I watch any of Barker's offerings that I'm missing something, as if there are massive gaps in the story or missing scenes. They never feel complete, even something as good as Hellraiser.thestuman101694
The only thing that's actually "forbidden" in this film is an interesting plot development.greenhorg
Basically the Avatar plot, but with random looking monsters. ('Dances with Monsters'?)Not to accuse Nightbreed of having a plot. This isn't so much a movie as it is an excuse for monster make-up.