Sella Turcica Review
Written by: Suspiria_89
Let’s be honest, the horror genre has seen better days. Big studios have practically driven the genre into the ground with all of their remakes and gimmicky 3D films. But for me and a lot of other fans ToeTag Inc. is the light at the end of the tunnel. When it comes to modern day horror no one does it better than the guys at ToeTag. I had been highly impressed by everyone of their previous films so when I heard about Sella Turcica I absolutely couldn’t wait for it to be released. Well today I finally got to watch it and I must say it was everything I expected it to be and then some.
Plot: Sgt. Bradley Roback returns home after a mysterious accident leaves him paralyzed. Upon Brad’s return, his family remains unaware of the details of the accident and severity of his condition. As hours pass, Brad’s health terribly worsens barreling down to a gruesome conclusion that will change the family forever.
Sella Turcica is not only one of the best horror films I’ve seen this year, but it is also one of the most unique, original and emotional. When most horror fans here the words ToeTag Inc. they understandably think of shocking violence and gore. But Sella Turcica is very different than any of the other ToeTag movies. It does have some shocking gore, but it doesn’t at all rely on it. Sella Turcia is all about story and characters. The story is very well written and engaging and all of the characters are believable and very well developed which makes it very easy to form a emotional connection with the characters. The movie itself flows at a near perfect pace slowly building up to it’s shocking climax. The perfect pace helps give the movie a suspenseful, tension filled atmosphere that gives you a strong feeling of dread as you sense the upcoming chaos.
From a technical aspect the film is as about as perfect as a independent horror film can be. Director Fred Vogel did a great job piecing everything together and once again proves that he is one of the most promising directors in modern horror. The film is beautifully shot in HD and the camera angles are superb and at times voyeuristic. The acting is top notch and the entire cast did a great job. I was especially impressed with Damien Maruscak and Jade Risser. Maruscak perfectly portrays the paralyzed and suffering Sgt. Bradley and Jade Risser who had perhaps the most important role of the film did a phenomenal job playing Bradley’s concerned sister. Camille Keaton also gives a excellent performance as Sgt. Bradley’s troubled mother. It’s very hard to watch her character suffer as she sits back and helplessly watches her son deteriorate. Her performance is very emotional and you can really feel her pain.
Although Sella Turcica isn’t a death a minute horror movie, it does have some amazing gore effects. It takes awhile before it is delivered, but when it finally is delivered it is in true ToeTag fashion and will make even the most hardened horror fan squirm in their seat. Special effects artist Jerami Cruise shows us some of his best gore effects to date. No shitty CGI is present, all of the effects are done the old fashioned way.
Bottom line, Fred Vogel and crew are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to modern horror. If you want to see a fresh, emotional and all around well made horror film I highly recommend you check out Sella Turcica. - Matt