Minore (2023) Film Review – Greek Sci-fi Horror [FrightFest]

Posted on by Jim Cox
Minoire (2023)

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Minore is a 2023 Greek sci-fi horror comedy, written and directed by Konstantinos Koutsoliotas, with additional writing from Elizabeth E. Schuch. Although mostly known as a visual effects artist who has worked on dozens of large projects, Konstantinos is also notable as the writer/director of the fantasy drama The Winter (2013) and fantasy thriller The Fear of Looking Up (2019). Whilst Elizabeth had also worked as a writer on these films along with Konstantinos, she is also known as the writer/director of fantasy horror The Book of Birdie (2017).

On a tiny Greek Island port, life for its residents seems to be playing out as normal. However, as the town is besieged by a mysterious, monstrous being, a mismatched group of musicians, criminals, bodybuilders, and elderly women must band together if they have any chance at surviving this intrepid encounter.

Minoire (2023)

From the very beginning, Minore’s plot undoubtedly takes inspiration from John Carpenter’s classic horror thriller The Fog. As this murky mist crawls up from the ocean and envelops the small town, the similarities between the two films are rather apparent. Nevertheless, unlike The Fog, Minore also takes inspiration from the likes of H.P. Lovecraft with its creature design, represented as a giant eye attached to a flailing mass of tentacles. It certainly has the cosmic horror aesthetics down.

Despite this, at the forefront of Minore’s attention is a huge cast of characters, taking ample time to introduce every single person and deliver a significant backstory to each. While this can slow the film’s pacing significantly, this conscientious introduction to the protagonists certainly aids in drawing the audience into its fleshed-out world. The blending of many different, somewhat interconnected stories undoubtedly relays a realistic, tight-knit community with unique dynamics between each other.

Minoire (2023)

Whilst being touted as a horror comedy, the film’s comedic aspects are pleasantly subdued. Only making an occasional appearance and conveyed in an incredibly dry manner, Minore’s comedy in no way oversteps the mark and intrudes on what is primarily a serious tone throughout.

Being the definition of a mixed bag, the special effects in Minore are both some of the high and low points of the film. Featuring some effective practical gore effects, amazingly presented in all their gruesome glory, the film also features numerous implementations of CGI effects throughout. Ranging from well-implemented to inferior, certain uses—such as the creatures—are understandable due to the impracticality of attaining these shots with mechanical effects. On the contrary, examples such as all muzzle flashes being added in post-production are discernibly amateur in comparison to the amazing realism captured with the practical effects.

An incredibly character-driven narrative, Minore is an example of how a well-crafted story can effortlessly draw the audience into a rich world full of interesting characters, and have the elements of horror take a back seat, yet still deliver a thrilling experience. With its attentive character dynamics, stunning cinematography, and remarkable practical effects, the film is an amazing representation of Lovecraft-esque narrative and creature design. Although its somewhat poorly implemented CGI effects certainly hold the film back visually, they are hardly an element that sours the production overall.

score

We watched Minore (2023) at FrightFest 2023 

FrightFest 2023

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