‘Books’ not bloody enough for horror
In some ways, this is starting to feel like any other fall. Cooler temperatures. Changing colors. Even, somewhat miraculously, football.
And, hey, let’s not forget about mediocre horror fare.
Hulu hopes to satisfy some of your Halloween cravings for all things scary with “Books of Blood,” a telefilm that has a few frights but not enough going for it to recommend it to a wide audience.
“Books of Blood” has some interesting names attached to it, if none of them is in its rather unnoteworthy cast.
First and foremost is horror author Clive Barker, whose mid-1980s anthology of the same name — which put him on the map — serves as the basis for the flick. (It “dares to open those pages again,” proclaims some introductory text.)
Speaking of writers, Todd MacFarlane, best known for creating the “Spawn” comic book, is one of the film’s executive producers.
However, the one person who appears to be most responsible for how this movie took shape is TV veteran Brannon Braga — its director, co-writer and another of its many EPs. (Barker is another, by the way.) Although he has dabbled in horror, as well as other genres, Braga is best known for his work on science fiction with multiple “Star Trek” properties.
Braga is relatively successful beaming some spooky vibes into “Books of Blood,” even if it runs increasingly low on the kind of scares that make you squirm on the couch.
Relatedly, its first section is its strongest, “Books of Blood” consisting of three loosely connected stories.
That first story, “Jenna,” centers on Jenna Branson (Britt Robertson), who comes to live with her sister and her husband at their enviable seaside property following time spent at a medical facility. Among Jenna’s issues is misophonia, a disorder causing sounds all around her — even her hosts chewing their food — to give her great distress.
Sis is furious with Jenna for going off her meds, and the latter soon swipes some cash and hits the road via bus. A stop at an internet cafe leads to temporary lodging at the vaguely church-esque home of Ellie (Freda Foh Shen), who, like her husband, Sam (Nicholas Campbell), seems very nice.
However, Jenna — who despite listening to white noise via noise-canceling headphones that would seem to have been a wise investment for her — has a rough night of sleep, to say the least. Yet, despite what she sure hopes is merely a series of highly disturbing visions involving others in the house and more, she decides to spend another night. ( This is the kind of choice one makes if he or she is a character in a horror flick.)
About halfway through its runtime, “Books of Blood” moves to its second tale, “Miles.” Its namesake is a boy (Etienne Kellici) who, at 7, loses his battle with leukemia, leaving his mother, Mary Florensky (Anna Friel), distraught.
Mary is a renowned psychologist and a best-selling skeptic who debunks those whose theories and beliefs are not based in science. However, she nonetheless comes to believe in Simon (Rafi Gavron), who seemingly has the ability to communicate with the dead. Mary is so intoxicated by the promise of being able to talk to Miles that she champions Simon’s gift in public.
That ... feels like an unwise decision.
While it ties to characters we meet in the opening minutes of “Books of Blood,” the third tale, “Bennett,” is so slight in its storytelling that it’s barely worth mentioning. It’s namesake is portrayed by Yul Vazquez, seen earlier this year in the increasingly snooze-worthy HBO series “The Outsider,” based on the Stephen King book of the same name.
“Books of Blood” does save a nice surprise or two for its final stretch, but we’ll not say more than that.
Robertson (“Tomorrowland,” “For the People”) is the best “Books of Blood” has to offer in front of the camera, the actress making us experience Jenna’s pain and anxieties.
Behind the camera, Braga’s work is, well, uneven.