Created by the team that gave the world Final Destination, it is no surprise that The Bell Keeper sometimes sounds like it is from another time. Thankfully, the premise is timeless. A group of friends head to a secluded campsite to film a documentary about its infamous past. They soon learn of its strange legend; ringing the bell located there at midnight will summon a murderer. Their plans to debunk the myth are met with a horrifying truth.
Clearly, The Bell Keeper does not have the same creativity that made Final Destination watchable. This is not a damning indictment since that franchise is praised for its inventiveness. The writing is a different story. The first issue is the film tries too hard to have stereotypical horror characters. Since they are well known tropes, there is no need to take time to explain what they are. There is no reason to have one character literally say, “I am the stoner.”
Caught between trying to be relevant and just another teen scream movie, the friends in The Bell Keeper range from unremarkable to annoying. The vast majority will not leave an impression while self-proclaimed great Final Girl Holly (Cathy Marks, American Horror Story) is cringe inducing. Whether it is mocking a female friend for liking the color pink or reminding the others – and in turn the audience – how virgin sacrifices are an example of how women were held down, she is quick to lecture everyone. When one person comments how Liam (Reid Miller, You) the stoner is a buzzkill, the sentiment is in the right place, just directed at the wrong person.
As noticeable as these things are, they are not necessarily deal breakers. People do not watch these types of horror movies for the characters after all. (Name three from the Final Destination franchise). It is all about the scares and kills. There are some neat moments including an early decapitation and some decent special effects. More so than other movies, it will come down to the pros and cons, and The Bell Keeper has a lot working against it, but it manages entertain.
The Bell Keeper comes to theaters and on demand Friday the 13th
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