The Rage (2007)

Written by John Bisson and Robert Kurtzman
Directed by Robert Kurtzman

Robert Kurtzman has become the journeyman effects artist of his day. Sure, the company he left behind, KNB Effects, was the biggest and most well-respected effects houses in all of Hollywood history, but after a fall out with his former partners and separating to form his own company, Precinct 13, Kurtzman has carved a niche for himself. He's always been the different one, in 1997 he got money together and made the brilliant effects-driven Wishmaster, and here he is 10 years later doing a similar project. This time, instead of going through a studio, Kurtzman has decided to go completely independent and make the movie on his own. Don't worry, he's helped by a lot of old friends and even his own family to make a gore-dripping story about a mad scientist in America.

Dr. Viktor Vasilienko (Andrew Divoff) cures cancer in his native land of Russia, but he is driven mad beyond belief when they cover up his cure and shut him up. To the Russian government, it's easier if they keep everyone sick. So Dr. Vasilienko comes to America, this time to work on a different serum, a rage virus, that will turn everyone into unstoppable killing machines that want to feast on flesh. At the beginning we are treated to his encounter with one of his creations, who escapes and bites him on the neck.

On the other side of the woods from where Dr. Vasilienko has been bitten, Uncle Ben (Reggie Bannister) has taken Louie and Sadie (Kurtzman's kids) out fishing, where they will eventually meet up with the monsters that Dr. Vasilienko has created. A pack of vultures has become infected with the rage virus as well as the monster Dr. Vasilienko has created, and you know it's not long until Kurtzman decides to kill his own kids on screen.

Yes, it's that type of movie. Really, if you have any desire to watch it though, you should really know this already. The Rage is a droopy, gloppy mess designed by horror fans specifically for horror fans. The filmmaking has an amateurish look to it, but the mania with which the gore is distributed is the main focus of this film. And don't worry, the gore is pretty heavy when it flows. This is one of those films that is only fun for an experienced horror fan to watch, so they can laugh at Reggie Bannister's cameo or marvel at how Andrew Divoff can take even the cheesiest of characters and give them some emotional weight, even under a few pounds of make-up.

What I liked the most about this movie is the fact that Kurtzman didn't just make a film showing off his skills as a physical effects artist. He puts the face of his company first thing forward, also showing off his skills working with green screen, CGI, and the integration of physical effects and CGI working together in the same scene. Sure, some of those vulture puppets were completely fake, but that's totally beside the point of this movie. The point is, this movie has Rage infected Vultures. Isn't that all that should really matter? Not a great film by any means, but at the same time, it will be a ton of fun for any true horror fan or gorehound, outside of that, I'm not sure how many people would really like this movie.

6.3/10