Sometimes you just have to give credit where credit is due. “Skull: The Mask” began with some lofty ideas that were never going to be realized with the budget these filmmakers had. But that being said, this Brazillian fantasy and horror movie has loads of homemade effects. Additionally, buckets and buckets of blood, tonnes of sharp things to peoples’ heads, intestines dropping to the floor, and hearts being ripped from chests leave a lasting impression. Is it the type of gore that makes you look away briefly or grit your teeth? No, more often than not, I laughed like some kind of depraved idiot. But this film sure was fun.
Beginning at a sacrificial altar to tell the back story of the mask in question, Skull: The Mask sets the overall tone for the rest of the film before scurrying forward into the future where a museum artifact manager acquires the mask for a client. Locked in a box, she of course takes it home before its planned exhibition. Her girlfriend Lilah (Greta Antoine) waits for her to be asleep before setting up an extremely detailed ritual. The Mask is shown to have some kind of higher power thinking that drifts its victims into a series of dream visuals as the mask itself grows stronger.
A Mash-Up Of Michael Myers and Map to the Stars
When the Mask finally finds an appropriate face to attach itself to a killing spree ensues. Between long tentacles that shoot out and inhabit a body so it can wield a large sword, imagine something akin to Michael Myers, wearing a skull mask and gumboots running around the city. When I say running, I mean walking quickly and when I say imagine Myers, I mean imagine him if he were much much messier with his killing sprees. Then throw in Some kind of Cronenberg monster and you have a mental picture of this villain.
Performances are a little hammy in places. The narrative, a mixture of English, Tupi, German, and Portuguese seems to have been lost in translation in places. Some of the dialogue was a little scatty. The motives behind those who are seeking the mask are fairly standard. Also standard is the completely inept police operations that force an agent to go rogue. Despite this, the story is one of the main highlights of Skull: The Mask. A perfect blend of all the usual character types is introduced and each is more entertaining than the next.
Skull: The Mask Review
Skull: The Mask premiered on Shudder on May 27th, 2021 and if you love a good story, mystical evil artifacts, and practical effects in abundance, make sure you check out this epic rendition from director-writers Armando Fonseca and, Kapel Furman.
If you’re a fan of spatter horror films and need more of them to watch, check out Evil Lurks (Shudder.)
I give Skull: The Mask
3.5 graphic newsreels out of 5
The executioner. A pre-Columbian god is known as Tahawantinsupay, blending into the crowd at a nightclub.
- Skull: The Mask was acquired as a screener for review by Mother of Movies.
- Directed and written by Armando Fonseca and, Kapel Furman.
- For more from Armando Fonesca and, Kapel Furman watch Uptake Fear.
- Starring: Tristan Aronovich, Lívia Inhudes, Eduardo Semerjian, Ivo Müller, Greta Antoine and, Natallia Rodrigues.
- Love movies with practical effects? Have you seen The Furies?
- Need more indie films? Chattanooga Online Film Festival 2020 / Proper Binge
- Distributed by Raven Banner Entertainment and Shudder. Produced by Infravermelho Filmes.
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