11-11-11 (2011)

Streaming on Tubi!
Directed/Written by Darren Lynn Bousman.

Darren Lynn Bousman took a bit of flack late last year for his film 11-11-11. Rumors swirled that Bousman and Co. were working feverishly almost right up to its release in order to make the November 11 theatrical release date to get it out. The end result is not a perfect film, but I found 11-11-11 to be a noteworthy step forward for Bousman and a maturation of his skill behind the camera.

The title 11-11-11 refers to a specific date some believe to be significant to the fate of the entire world. The story follows Joseph Crone, an atheist and famed author of thriller novels as he returns to his childhood home in Barcelona, Spain to visit his brother (Michael “FINAL DESTINATION 2” Landes) and ailing father. As the fated date looms closer, Crone starts to experience visions of his deceased wife and child, as well as glimpses of hooded demons in the periphery and the numbers 11-11 everywhere he looks. Soon, Crone becomes obsessed with the numbers and convinced that the date 11-11-11, which is mere days away, is significant to his own fate and the fate of the world.

Though many might immediately think of Jim Carey’s THE NUMBER 27 film, I found 11-11-11 to be more akin to the subtle horrors found in EXORCIST III: LEGION or OMEN III: THE FINAL CONFLICT than anything else. Yes, the adherence to the 11-11 symbology is contrived, but this is much more of a study of a non-believer confronting something not from this world and a pretty effective one at that. Throughout the film, there is this tangible feeling that the characters in the story are messing with powers beyond their understanding. The danger is ever-present. Bousman amps up the tension in a believable manner as Crone becomes overcome by this 11-11 phenomena.

Fans of Bousman’s torture days on his SAW installments or the gaudy glam-horror of RETRO: THE GENETIC OPERA are bound to be disappointed at this somber and patient thriller. There is very little by way of gore here; instead Bousman relies on heavy mood and thick ambiance that oozes from the Barcelonan castles, mansions, catacombs, and cobblestone streets. Bousman soaks in the history of the land and relies on the gothic cityscape to convey a sense of old worldliness you just can’t get from a Hollywood set.

Having followed Bousman’s films since his SAW films, I admire the maturity and restraint the director shows with 11-11-11. The film has some difficulty with the ending, which is somewhat tidy and contrived while exhibiting some effects which alternate between effective and hokey, but the road getting there is filled with foreboding atmosphere and some scares that will genuinely make you jump. The lead, Timothy Gibbs, looks very much like George Clooney, which I found to be pretty distracting, but he does handle the melodramatic tones well, as do the rest of the cast.

I wish Bousman had time to sit with this film as it seems to need a bit more time on the editing block, and some transitional pick up scenes might have made for a more seamless story. But given the 11-11-11 deadline, Bousman pulled off something decent, though shy of great. The saving grace of 11-11-11 is that it takes full advantage of the cryptic Spanish surroundings and some clever scares helped save this one as well. If anything, this serves as a glimpse of the potential Bousman has and makes me excited for what is to come from this director.