I mean, if you respond to a Craigslist ad to document a serial killer, do you really expect the experience to go well for you?
In 15: An Exploration of Human Violence, a camera man and an attractive, female host respond to a Craigslist ad where a man named Edward Allen Payne is searching for a team to document his serial killer activies…and help him learn who he really is. It’s five days and five nights living in a serial killer’s house with him residing just down the hall. Things start to go wrong, but the catch is – you only get your payment of $5,000 if you make it to the end of the fifth night.
There are two very big flaws with this film that made it unfavorable to me.
1. Plot holes. There are a lot of key points in the film that either aren’t expanded enough or just not mentioned. A viewer, such as myself, can become easily confused trying to follow the story – which I did. I had to read another review at Rogue Cinema to learn an important part of the story. Jason Hawkins wrote the screenplay for the film and I don’t know if it was sloppy writing or if the paper didn’t translate over to the screen well. Just a lot of plot holes here.
2. Leslie Vernon connection. While 15: An Exploration of Human Violence is a found footage film, it plays off much in the same vein as Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. By this I mean, the comical, awkward serial killer is followed around by a camera team who document his every move. The concept was part of the reason why Leslie Vernon was so popular, but here it is a problem; mostly because it tries to take itself seriously. When you have a slightly ridiculous concept, taking yourself too seriously is just a really bad idea. It never comes across well to the viewer.
I’m not even going to go into the details about shotty filming, like when Edward kills a teen boy who is “all alone” but seven cars drive by. I’m also not a big rape scene fan and 15: An Exploration of Human Violence had one that is too long for comfort.
So was there anything I did like about this film? Three things!
1. During the movie, the camera man and the hostess go into the streets and conduct real life interviews, asking questions like why people are violent and why people enjoy watching violence. The interviews are all real, all shot in reality, and give a true opinion on what the average Joe thinks about violence. That was actually pretty cool. I would have liked the movie a lot more if it had more parts like that.
2. It was a solid effort. I try not to say a film is complete shit, because at the end of the day, I don’t have a film of my own that I can say, “Oh, mine is so much better.” The acting was great. The direction from Jason Hawkings was great. There were some inventive and unexpected, though underdeveloped plot twists. Clown masks and classical music were used expertly to make scenes even creepier. Again, it was a solid effort.
3. Exploitation buffs will like 15: An Exploration of Human Violence. Without spoiling anything, the last half hour of the movie should please exploitation film fans.
