Horns

“Horn” is based on a novel by Stephen King’s son, Joe Hillstrom King. The story revolves around a man who is accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend and soon becomes cursed. He is called a devil and soon begins to grow horns, but the horns have a curious side effect. They make everyone’s darkest secrets and desires come to the surface. Ig Perrish (Daniel Radcliffe) soon begins to use this new power to hunt down the real killer.

Now, the plot itself really doesn’t sound that bad, and I have not read the book, so I will attempt to restrain my disgust for film to the celluloid version. Yes, this is a disgusting and perverse film which manages to make us lose interest in the plot and wonder if Daniel Radcliffe will ever be able to emerge from the shadow of Harry Potter. Certainly this film does not do anything to enhance his stature. Rather it makes him look desperate for a job. Perhaps he is a fan of the book, or perhaps the director sold him on the unique story line, but considering the director’s credentials is made up of slasher flicks, I would expect Radcliffe to have known better. Perhaps he just needs a new agent. Either way, fans of Harry Potter will forever mourn the death of his innocence.

Warnings for parents should be radioactive. The film is, like many Stephen King novels, packed with such vile language that it is hard to follow the conversions. One Web site that counts such words numbered over 70 uses of the F-word and a plethora of other vile words. Considering the run time of the film, this factors to the most severe curse words every minute. Frankly, it doesn’t make the language sound realistic but incomprehensible. There must be seven adjectives for every noun, so that I could not even understand what they were trying to say.

Additionally, the film leaves no perversion untold. In one scene, two police officers reveal themselves to be secret homosexuals who then begin to make out. As the camera pans away, the car can be seen shaking, as they are apparently copulating. Of course, sex and some nudity are also prevalent in the film, as all the young boys seems to lust after Juno Temple’s character. A list is unnecessary, but it includes a rape scene. [Note: Survivors of sexual assault should especially avoid this film, as scenes may trigger an anxiety attack.]

Next we come to violence, and there is no shortage of this either. One scene graphically depicts a man’s head blown off, but this is just a small taste of the gore, including the murder of a woman who had just been raped. The excessive violence and gore is a staple of Stephen King movies, but his son seems to believe that he must outdo his father, or perhaps it is the fault of the director whose expertise has been in the slasher flick market.

Finally, we come to blasphemy. If Ig becomes a devil, then he soon embraces it, literally. In order to exact revenge for his girlfriend’s death, he embraces the idea of becoming a demon. The movie seems intent upon mocking the Biblical worldview.

Now, if these reasons are not enough to avoid the film, bear in mind that everyone in this film is unlikeable. We literally get to hate every single character. It is also predictable. The real culprit is all too obvious to anyone familiar with the movie genre. Consequently, rather than keeping my interest with mystery and humor, it just repulsed me with crude attempts at humor and a predictable outcome.

The lesson here is that a unique idea does not make a good film. The story must be driven by believable characters whom we care about. No matter how different the story may seem, it is marred by poor execution, excessive shock value, and a predictable ending. I recommend everyone stay away from this film.

Violence: Extreme / Profanity: Extreme / Sex/Nudity: Heavy

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

• Neutral
• Negative
• Young people