Botched (2007)

After a botched diamond heist, Ritchie (Stephen Dorff) must make it up to his crime boss (Sean Pertwee) by stealing an ancient and priceless relic from a penthouse in Moscow. When Ritchie arrives in Moscow, he is joined by two bumbling brothers that deviate from the planned heist, forcing them to take hostages and hole up on the abandoned 13th floor when they think the police are onto them. Problem is, there’s someone else lurking about who is hell-bent on killing every single last one of the interlopers! Now the thieves must band together with the hostages in an attempt to survive the TERRIBLE killer…

Botched is a zany and fiercely entertaining movie that reminded me a lot of the film Severance. It’s a movie that has great comedic timing that was balanced perfectly with the heaps of gore. Botched also has a frenetically kinetic pace that keeps your eyes glues to the screen and keeps you guessing…just who or what are the characters up against? This film is one that even the most jaded of horror fans should have fun with!

The story, as mentioned earlier, is a perfect blend of black comedy and horror. It’s an over-the-top film that holds back its comedy just enough for it to still be scary, yet it has many moments of gut-busting laughs! The writing team of Derek Boyle and Eamon and Raymond Friel really know how to create an atmosphere that balances giggles and gore. The dialogue is also fun, clever and loaded with humor.

Another plus are the interesting and wacky characters, all played with gleeful fun by the actors. Dorff seems a bit stiff at times, but his performance is still adequate for the purposes of the film. The other actors were all entertaining to watch, especially when we were introduced to the terrifying killer, who very much looked like a towering Viking (played by Edward Baker-Duly). You really can’t miss this guy!

I also mentioned copious amounts of gore…and this film definitely delivers in that department!! We get a sudden decapitation, brains mashed via mace, a body severed in two, impalement, evisceration, fridges full of body parts, bodies on meat hooks, a sacrificial altar, rivers of blood and more! The effects are all quite excellent and gorehounds will be tickled blood red by the gruesome scenes in the film.

One thing to be aware of is that Botched mostly takes place in one locale – the abandoned 13th floor of a high rise. So if you’re looking for something with a bit more scope, I suggest you look elsewhere. However, first-time director Kit Ryan does a fantastic job of utilizing the drab hallways and dark rooms to his advantage. Though the film is considered low-budget, it still looks fantastic and almost as good as a large-scale studio production. The limited setting really worked for the particular story, and I don’t feel it hampered the film at all.

Botched is an exuberant movie that’s every bit as funny as it is gory. If you are looking for a fun horror film with a madcap edge, Botched is it! Check it out today!

Available from Amazon!