It's been 12 years since Robert Englund last donned the razor fingered glove and striped jumper of the nightmare master Freddy Krueger - since then, while he has been shining in our hearts, he maybe has not been shining on our screens.
Kantemir is the latest instalment in what seems to be a run of roles for Englund that would make Wes Craven spin in his grave.
In fact, although it's not a completely duff film, it does somewhat draw a lot of parallels to Craven's "New Nightmare". A cast of actors are assembled to act out a play, and as time progresses they start to become the roles themselves including a lot of (literal) backstabbing.
Director Ben Samuels draws influence from surreal horror such as A Company Of Wolves or Gothic to deliver what is still a toddler-stage film for him.
As I said, it's not a complete botch, there is enough there to keep you watching but such a rich canvas could have used not only more experience but a complete re-write (especially the ending) - Keep an eye on Samuels as this could be one of his "early years" films before he becomes the next Ken Russell.
5/10 Masks
