Based on his own graphic novel, writer/director Paul Catalanotto has turned Edie into a visual audio tale. This is not a motion comic, nor is it an animated adaptation of the source material. It is a narrated reading of the comics complete with voice acting, sound effects, and all that jazz. As such, this 93-minute feature is not a film in the traditional sense. But no matter what it is, the only thing to consider is whether this horror revenge tale set in high school is any good or not.
Narrated by Chasely Jasper, the film focuses on Edie (Alani Linares), a senior in high school who’s crushing on Brice (Thomas K. Murphy) something fierce. But the star quarterback pays no mind to the cinephile. Her best friend, Taylor (Savannah Nguyen), has her back through thick and thin at the drop of a hat. Then, one day at lunch, Brice invites Edie and Taylor to the big party Tiffany (Naomy Gonzalez Sanchez) is having that weekend. While surprised, the duo readily accept, and with Edie’s mom working the night shift at the hospital, sneaking out is easier done than said. Edie and Taylor arrive a little late to the party, but they are instantly given drinks and made to feel welcome. Brice and Edie are all over each other, and eventually they retreat into the dark of the night for some privacy.
Among the trees, with just starlight to see by, the two are getting hot and heavy, but then everything goes black. When she comes to, Edie cannot recall the night save for a few glimpses of something gooey and green. When she does remember what happened, Edie goes to the police and reports Brice for raping her. Unfortunately, the police get conflicting stories, and there is little evidence to go on. All this turmoil awakens that weird green goo, and all of a sudden, she finds that she can meld organic matter, including people, into her very being. With this horrific power, Edie decides to get revenge on the boy who sexually assaulted her and the people who helped him cover it up.
“…Edie goes to the police and reports Brice for raping her…all of a sudden, she finds that she can meld organic matter, including people, into her very being.”
Edie is a fun and horrific story. The artwork, by Greg Woronchak, is detailed and gnarly. Rebecca Good’s coloring brings the horror of the real-world attack and of the disgusting powers Edie is granted to vivid and gruesome life. The twists and turns of the narrative are wild, and some are even wholly unexpected, but always make sense. The pacing is quite good, and the ending is about as perfect as one could hope for given the subject matter.
Linares is vulnerable and crazy and likable all at once. She imbues her role with true pathos and guilt. Nguyen is just as good, bringing out subtle inflection changes to highlight her character’s current mood. Murphy’s part might be a bastard and a half, but he performs it well, especially as the truth inches ever closer to the light. Sanchez is very snotty and annoying, exactly as she should be.
However, the film is not without its issues. While Jasper’s voice-over narration is quite good, was it necessary? If one were to read all five issues of the comic, there would not be a narrator. Yes, there could be some captions here and there describing certain parts or actions. But comics, like cinema, are a visual medium, and much of the action would be shown rather than told. The narration explains everything, even if there aren’t action texts within the panels. The other issue is with Edie: was she always this evil, or did the green goo change her? Yes, she experienced unbelievable trauma at the hands of somebody who should be given the death penalty, but Edie goes after more than just Brice. This angle of her true personality versus the green goo’s viciousness isn’t given quite enough weight.
Edie is a cool new spin on the rape-revenge storyline. While it has a few flaws, the voice actors are good, and the characters are interesting. The artwork is phenomenal, bringing the horror and gore to life in a visually compelling, gory way.
"…visually compelling, gory..."
