Exhibition Of Evil then goes back to the Curator, who is looking over a salt shaker. “Salt” sees a frustrated wife (Caroline Oakes) talking over dinner with her husband (Simon Berry). He’s so pedantic that when she brings him only the salt shaker and not both it and pepper, he goes off about how they also come together. All this even though he doesn’t want the pepper. Then the wife talks about running into their mutual friend and how her divorce is now finalized. The husband seems not to be paying attention to anything being said. Halfway through the one-sided conversation, the husband begins to cough, and it only gets worse as he keeps eating.
“Salt” is brilliant from start to finish. Director SN Sibley and screenwriter Georgia May swiftly establish the strained dynamic of the married couple. Oakes is delightful and charming in a slightly scary way; think Kathleen Turner in Serial Mom. Berry excels at a man who definitely deserves to die because of his negligence and holier-than-thou attitude. The dialogue, which is mostly a monologue from the wife, is funny, dramatic, and more than a little diabolical. Everything here works and works perfectly.
“The Haunted Man” stars Tony Marden as Tony, a conflicted filmmaker. Why is he conflicted? Well, the actress in his latest film just died, and now he’s struggling with what to do with the project. However, after talking things over with Dean (Stephen Kerr), it becomes clear that something far more sinister is happening.
“Like any anthology, some segments are stronger than others.”
This is the weakest entry in Exhibition Of Evil. It’s dull. Tony is not especially relatable or likable. It’s unclear why not getting insurance payouts and all from the death wouldn’t cover the issues with it now being in an unreleased state. There are lovely music cues and decent acting, but the ever-important hook is missing. That this is a slower tale about living with a haunt is nice, but given its brevity, it never quite takes off.
However, the final segment, “Passion,” sends viewers off on the right note. Dean (Ross Alan Doney) and Charlotte (Jessica Hunt) are f*****g their brains out in a car. But the camera shifts to an unseen person’s perspective. This man or woman promptly kills the two lovers. The murderer continues stalking prey, choosing to go after Amelia (Ella Palmer). Who is responsible for these slayings and why?
Writer-director Darren Ward directs with a Giallo flair. Even excusing the P.O.V. shots, the focus on gloved hands committing murder, and the dark red of the blood make this one. Those factors also make this a nail-biting affair. The killer’s costume design is fantastic, mixing noir and horror in a weird yet cool way. This entry is virtually flawless.
Like any anthology, some segments are stronger than others. What makes Exhibition Of Evil so good is that even its worst offering isn’t all that bad. The entire film is atmospheric, creepy, weird, and overall engaging. Horror afficandos will love this, and indie cinephiles will be pleased with the variety of directorial styles on display.
"…[has] a The Red Violin flavor."
