Frightfest 2023: ‘Failure!’ Review
Stars: Ted Raimi, Merrick McCartha, Noel Douglas Orput, Melissa Diaz | Written and Directed by Alex Kahuam
Having debuted his 2021 film Forgiveness at Frightfest, director Alex Kahuam follows it up with Failure! another “one-take” horror that sees 56-year-old James (Ted Raimi) caught between a rock and a hard place. Due to a massive debt with his bank, James is given one hour to choose between selling his factory to prevent financial ruin or murder to protect his family.
The idea of films being shot in one take has become something of a gimmick in recent years – films even NOT shot that way have been made to look like everything has been shot on one camera with no editing. However, in the case of Failure!, being shot in one take is 100% true, so much so that you can actually see the clever way director Alex Kahuam gets around the constraints of the format, sweeping around the one-storey cabin the film is set in, with the films shaky camera work adding a grittiness to the action at times.
What also benefits the one-shot format is lead actor Ted Raimi. A man whose performances have always been anchored by his charisma and it’s that charisma that, in Failure! anchors the entire film. He gives his character, James, a mix of vulnerability and danger that keeps you guessing throughout the film – even when you know how things will play out, Raimi’s performance makes you question your preconceptions, which means Failure! never really feels like it’s adhering to any cliches of the genre.
Speaking of genre. Failure! is an intriguing film. It’s not out-and-out horror but the situation James finds himself in is horrific but in the most down-to-earth, realistic way – think something akin to the horror of THAT ear scene in Reservoir Dogs, something so horrific in what is essentially a heist movie.
There’s a sense of dread and danger running throughout the story – amped up by not only the performance of Raimi but also the way the characters interact with each other and the, honestly off-kilter, cabin-esque locale the film is set in. A locale that looks at once homely and unlived in at the same time – the home reflecting James in a way – he and the house look innocent, but there’s something “off” about both of them! And the fact that Kahuam shot the entire film inside this tight, restrictive set reflects the restrictive situation James finds himself in. On top of that, the use of a single shot, controlled in a constantly moving, fluid fashion very much feels like an insight into James’ mind – he has to remain just as fluid and “moving” to keep the entire situation under his control.
Ultimately Failure! is a film about fathers. How one father tries to live up to his own father and how a father can take care of his kids. With Raimi’s James stuck directly in the middle. Kahuam’s film truly asking “How far would you go to protect [and provide for] your family?” In James’ case, it’s pretty far!
***** 5/5
Failure! screened as part of this year’s Frightfest London.
