Arrow in the Head reviews One Point O

One Point O (2004)

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Directed by:	Jeff Renfroe/Marteinn Thorsson
Starring:	Jeremy Sisto/Simon J
	Deborah Unger/Trish
	Lance Henriksen /Howard
	Udo Kier/Derrick

RATING

PLOT-CRUNCH:

Recluse computer programmer Simon J. (Sisto) sees his sad existence go to paranoia hell when he begins to receive strange, empty packages inside his home. The next thing you know, odd phone calls kick in, somebody hacks into his computer, he begins hallucinating and people in his building start dropping dead. Simon J. gradually loses his marbles and we lose ours along with him. ARROW SINGS: "Be excited, be, be, excited! "

THE LOWDOWN:

As shown at...

Are you infected?

Am I the only one who’s slightly frightened by this big bad world of consumerism, “Big Brother is watching" and technological advancements for the good (yeah, right!) of mankind? If, like me, you sometimes crave to escape the madness that we call civilized society, you know, to get back to the basics by fleeing to a deserted island with two hot chicks, a portable hut and a pair of leaf-made underwear, then "One Point O" should push your “wake up call” buzzer and send you to buy a plane ticket OUT OF HERE.

This bleakly shot, Cronenberg-like, genre lobotomy basically took what’s presently happening in our society and jacked it up to a scarier, yet highly feasible, plateau. Throughout this mind-bender, I was right there with the lead character of Simon J. (Sisto), feeling his paranoia, his anxiousness and his confusion. Damn, was I bamboozled during this ride! The fact that I pretty much live like this dude amplified my involvement in the storyline. Like him, I’m more often than none, cooped up in my sunlight-free and dingy apartment, always working in front of my computer, craving some kind of…wait a minute…that’s my own shit going on…I’m getting off track here. Sorry about that, champs! Back to the movie! All that to say, since I connected to the protagonist, that made the severe and, at times, mind-numbing events that unraveled, so much more powerful.

Another big plus was the amazing genre-friendly cast on hand. I personally highly respect Jeremy Sisto. Not only for his talent, but also for his knack for not going for the easy paycheck. He often seems to choose projects that stimulate him as an artist first. Kudos to you, bro! Yes, Sisto owned this movie and his multi-layered performance is what kept me in the loop throughout, even when the flick’s substance would lose me in its shuffle. The always charismatic Bruce Payne, the kooky and loveable Udo Kier (GREAT MAN!) and the God of character acting, Lance Henriksen, further added classy horror flavor to this macabre ice cream headache. Seeing Lance relish in a role again (let's face it, the man has lots of cha-ching work under his belt) made this Lance fan a very happy Lance fan!

On the “DELETE” side of the keyboard, the flick treaded the same ground too many times during its middle section. It became redundant and I was craving something new to happen already! I also felt like some of the film’s subplots were kind of useless and never really went anywhere (those cops, for example). Some snip-snip could’ve been done. Lastly, I’ll admit it...I didn’t fully grasp what the film was trying to say in places. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but for some odd reason, I wanted to understand everything with this one (especially the Unger and Sisto relationship…I’m still shaky as to what it was REALLY about). I have enough uncertainties in my every day life (like the ETA of my next paycheck), tonight, I wanted some concrete answers godammit!

But overall, "One Point O" was an eerily shot (the bizarre atmosphere found here truly got under my skin), clever (that motorcycle delivery dude was way kool), at times funny (Kier and his pet-head ruled) and sensual trip (all about that club scene). Moreover, it acted as a thought-provoking exercise in paranoia, symbolism, social commentary and mind-raping. Be afraid, be very afraid...the world we live in is THAT scary! GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!

ACTING:

Jeremy Sisto (Simon J), once more, solidified his position as today’s most prominent “Scream King” via this endearing and sincere show. Keep it up, man! Deborah Unger (Trish) played the same role that she tackled in "The Game" and "Crash" but hey, she’s hotter than BBQ Chips and her subtle demeanor did it for me. Eugene Byrd (Niles) was likeable and entertaining. Lance Henriksen (Howard) had a hoot with his small, yet memorable, part. He actually sang! Oh yeah! Udo Kier’s (Derrick) unique brand of charisma hit the mark once more while Bruce Payne (the neighbor) laid on the macho-ness thick as the sleaze ball. AWESOME CAST!

GORE:

We get sawed off craniums, plasma puking and blood here and there.

T & A:

We get a pair of breasts while the ladies get Sisto in his undies and Payne shirtless. It should be said that Deborah Unger makes out with another chick here. It should also be said that I enjoyed every second of it.

DIRECTING:

Jeff Renfroe and Marteinn Thorsson delivered a dream-like and somber flick. I adored the use of extreme close ups, the stylistic shots, the brilliant plays on sound and the moments of well-oiled tension. They also had talent when it came to catching the striking momentum of specific scenes. I’ll be on the lookout as to what these dudes will do next!

SOUNDTRACK:

The ditties here were incredible! We get a potent “violin” score by Terry Huud, a couple of slick techno tunes and a wonderful use of the entrancing song “Hun Jord” by SIGUR ROS. My kind of shite!

BOTTOM LINE:

"One Point O" bitch-slapped me silly and I thanked it for it! If it wasn’t Jeremy’s Sisto’s wonderful performance keeping me immersed, it was the smart pokes at our civilization, the oppressive/surreal aura of dread, the occasional laughs or the weighty plot turns keeping me in the loop. Granted, the flick did drag during its second block and it all could’ve been tighter, but I still came out of the theatre, a content and even more paranoid member of society. Somebody will be double locking his doors, brewing a pot of coffee, drinking cartons of milk, pulling an all-nighter, listening to "Hun Jord” and keeping a kitchen knife under his pillow…and that somebody is ME! This world BLOWS!!

BULL'S EYE:

This flick was shot in Bulgaria on a low budget.

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