B movies certainly have their loyal fans. There’s nothing wrong with turning the mind off for two hours on a Saturday night and getting lost in a monster movie. A Hard Place has the potential to garner a following, with some familiar names among the cast members, but it tries to do too much in under 90 minutes that it collapses under its own weight and lore. This is a shame, since it has some pretty impressive special effects and an interesting overall concept.
The film stars Lynn Lowry as Zenia, the leader of a group of criminals that includes Fish (Rachel Amanda Bryant), Hurt (Kevin Caliber), and Candy (Jennifer Michelle Stone II). The beginning of the movie looks like a cheap zombie feature, featuring The Crow’s Bai Ling, of all people, but we soon realize the characters are merely watching the movie on a drive-in movie screen. In fact, the zombie movie even reoccurs later in the film. The film really gets started after the criminals seek refuge in the forest after their heist doesn’t go quite as planned.
Because this is a horror movie, after all, audience members will likely suspect that something lurks in the woods. In this case, it’s a group of tree-like monsters called the Guardians, who rule the day. Think of them as a bunch of angry Groots or Ents from Lord of the Rings. That said, they look really cool, and this film’s special effects and creature designs are its strong points, as opposed to a lot of the clunky acting and one-liners.
Not longer after the Guardians besiege the criminals, the ragtag group is saved by a gang of rednecks called the Caretakers, who rule the night and wage war against the Guardians. It’s soon clear, however, that the Caretakers, led by Henrietta (Felissa Rose), have their own nefarious intentions. Meanwhile, other than the ringleaders Henrietta and Zenia, none of these characters stand out. They’re all mere fodder for snarling creatures, and they certainly die in bloody ways. Again, this film is somewhat saved by its gore and special effects.
While the war between the Caretakers and Guardians is interesting, there’s too much lore to cover in under 90 minutes. It’s squandered potential, along with the fact that there’s little to no characterization, This film contains a lot of wooden acting, though, to say the least. That said, Rose, who delights in whatever she’s in, and Lowry, at least provide some counterweight to the cringy dialogue.
A Hard Place certainly has potential. It does feature several deaths and doesn’t skimp on the bloodshed. Considering its budget, it also boasts some great creature designs and practical effects. That said, the movie is bogged down by the world and lore it tries to establish and flat characterization. Simply put, there are better B movie creature features out there.
