Jacob’s Hammer – Movie Review

by | Jul 12, 2016 | Movie Reviews, Reviews | 0 comments

jacobs-hammer-posterJacob’s Hammer
Written and directed by Angie Bojtler
Starring: Helen Holman, Luis James Farouk, Diane Rimmer
SGL Entertainment
July 26, 2016
Reviewed by Jess Landry

This gory psychological horror film Written and Directed by Angie Bojtler will leave you in a state of disbelief! No one sees Jacob. It’s not allowed. Sadie keeps him hidden. It’s best that way. She’s always done that. Ever since…..well….ever since. She loves him very much. Maybe she loves him too much, because Jacob’s not like other little boys. There is something wrong with Jacob. Something, sometimes, only a mother can see. Sadie would do anything for Jacob. She will always protect him no matter what. After all, he’s only a child her child. He should be protected. Sadie needs to protect him. Always. Until. The night sweats and dreams she could deal with. Even the nightmarish apparitions she could live with. But when friends and family are ripped from life, ripped from her life, Sadie must confront the truth. Jacob is out of control. The ultimate evil is in her son. Perhaps, the ultimate evil IS her son. Jacob’s Hammer, when a mother’s love is no defense.

Much like the film’s long-winded synopsis above, Jacob’s Hammer is a bit of a mess.

The movie starts with two random people being murdered in the woods – something that’s not explained. It then segues to Sadie, mother of Jacob, who we quickly learn is protecting others from her Damien-esque son. After a few haphazard killings (and one yawn-inducing sex scene), Sadie is at her wit’s end, and there may be more to Jacob than originally thought.

Movies about evil children generally tend to have potential, and it’s certainly there for Jacob’s Hammer, however the one thing that prevents the film from being successful is the editing. It’s wacky – some scenes are too short, others too long. Because of this, the overall tension suffers. Moments that are meant to scare the viewer end up fizzling out before they even begin. The film itself is also way too bright – moody lowlights are typically used to set the dramatic tone in horror films, but the colours here are overly vivid throughout it all. And when the film reaches its climax, an upbeat, out-of-place song comes on and completely takes away from what little tension may have built up.

The best part of the film is Helen Holman’s performance as Sadie. Without much to work with, she delivers a believable romp as a mother struggling between doing the right thing and protecting what she loves. Also of note are the special effects – there’s a good amount of blood and guts at play, and none of the gags fail to disappoint.

Any potential that may have been present in the beginning stages of Jacob’s Hammer does not translate in the final product. Though Holman’s performance is good, it’s not enough to save the film from its biggest flaws: editing, cinematography and audio. Without those key components working together, all you end up with is a muddled mess.

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