Mary Mason (Katherine Isabelle) is a broke medical student looking to become a surgeon but when her financial woes catch up to her, it results in her applying for a dancing job at a gothic-like strip club. By the end of her interview she is offered $5K to perform an operation with no questions asked. Shortly after, Mary is invited to a party by her hard-ass professor and her residence surgeon instructor but when the film takes an Eyes Wide Shut twisted and dark turn, it encourages Mary to take her talents underground and enter the weird world of body modification to help improve her financial situation and utilize her skills on people who will appreciate them, though it’s not without its consequences.
Directed by the Twisted Twins, Jen and Sylvia Soska, American Mary is a surprisingly refreshing horror film and one that ended up being a lot better than I thought it would be. In fact, it’s a rather inventive film and one that horror fans can appreciate, at the very least, from the point of originality. I haven’t seen a film where body transformations are a focal point as a money making career and a means of torture, so that was cool.
American Mary is a sadistic film that has some great effects work, especially early on when we encounter a woman who has transformed into Betty Boop and another that wants to be exactly like a Barbie doll, exactly like one. This combination of horrific revenge thriller, creepy body transformations, and a “doctor” who is beginning to the feel the emotional toll of it all creates an engaging and captivating horror film experience that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed for the most part, a rare thing now a days.
Mary’s character is interesting because on the one hand, she is a nice girl with a conscious who wants to succeed and excel in her craft, but on the other hand she is this sexy Dr. Frankenstein-like surgeon who turns vengeful, grim and serious after an unfortunate event. She becomes this vicious tease who grows in notoriety through the film for her expert work with her sharp tools and she uses it to her advantage.
The movie will definitely make you squirm as the camera takes nice close up shots of Mary cutting into her patients or victims, making you feel completely uncomfortable but unable to look away because you know the results end up being a work of art, it’s like watching a master perform her craft.
There are a couple things I did have issu
es with throughout the film. The Soska’s introduce a detective into the mix who is investigating the disappearance of Mary’s professor and genuinely wants to help her. The issue is that the cop is British. I believe the film takes place in Seattle, so why is there a British cop and why is there a British cop in Seattle? It completely takes me out of the film and doesn’t make any sense since it’s extremely rare you come across a foreigner in a governmental role like a police office. Secondly, Mary’s confidant and the owner of the club, Billy (Antonio Cupo), develops a crush on her and we get to witness his fantasies with Mary, some good, some bad. It’s understandable that they wanted someone to appreciate Mary as a person but as the film progressed there seemed to be too much of a focus on Billy’s desires, I think some of it could have been trimmed or eliminated.
American Mary starts off as your sexy and standard horror fare and then takes a twisted turn that should please most fans of the genre. This inventive and unusual horror film has its weak points but the directing, script, effects and a fantastic performance by Katherine Isabelle in the lead role makes up for most of the film’s shortcomings. If you’re looking for a pleasant surprise, look no further than American Mary.
Rating: An oddly sadistic film that shows a lot of restraint, this is a horror that’ll take you down a path you’ve never been before (6.9/10)
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