Masters of Horror: Fair-haired Child

Well, first, there is no such word as "firstly." Second, the Masters of Horror gig gives a noted horror director the opportunity to make a film of about an hour in length, give or take. So, you can't expect a big budget or extremely well-developed stories. You only get a taste, a short story put on film. In the case of "Fair-haired Child" I found the underlying story well done. Unlike most films, you don't guess the second act's climax immediately, and the characters' motivations remain shadowed. That "hmmmm" factor, my favorite aspect of any suspenseful film, was present but not perfect because I really didn't care about any of the characters.

As for the acting, there were no big names involved, which is often refreshing. However, the abilities of the less-than-seasoned cast left a little to be desired at times. As such, the slow development of characters and story may leave some viewers initially bored, if not altogether frustrated. But the novel aspects of the story are worth the patience. You have to keep an open mind on this one, folks.

I'm neutral on the effects, as many were lacking where I wanted them. And the use of flashbacks was as annoying as the typical montages found in flics that lack good pacing. Here, at least, I realize the use of such a mechanism was to hide the proverbial ball, thus heightening the climax. But it would've worked just as well placing that info at the beginning of the film.

Overall, I give it somewhere between a 6 to 6.5 on the 10-scale. No great cinematography, no stand-out performances, but some novelty in the storyline. The pacing is annoying, even if Tank Girl is in it.