FILM REVIEWS

Aenigma (1987)

DVD

Reviewed By

AmandaByNight

It’s not unusual for a prolific filmmaker to have his share of successes and failures and Italian splatter master Lucio Fulci is no different. But his status remains unwavering, even after his death in 1996. Aenigma came towards the end of his most successful phase, one he enjoyed for well over a decade, yet it also marks the beginning of his lesser (and last) stage. And although it’s by no means flawless, Aenigma stands as one of the maestro’s best late efforts.

Basically a Carrie rip-off mixed with a bit of Patrick, this movie begins with a group of teens pulling a nasty prank on geeky Kathy (Milijana Zirojevic), which results in her being hit by a speeding car. She slips into a coma but somehow has either unearthed or acquired the power to possess another body. Enter the gorgeous Eva (Lara Naszinski from Red Sonja) a new girl at Kathy’s school. She’s as troubled as Kathy but far more rebellious which makes her a perfect choice to act out her evil bidding. And since Eva’s so hot, why not start an affair with Dr. Robert Anderson (the beyond-gorgeous Jared Martin from The New Gladiators) so Kathy can also live out her long repressed desires?

Aenigma is an entertaining little horror movie, if not as envelope pushing as Fulci’s earlier efforts such as Zombi and The New York Ripper. Even with a gross snail attack this could be called ‘Fulci-lite’. Its tone is more akin to his sadly underrated Black Cat, where he works on a more emotional level. In fact, this film has quite a poignant ending, which only strengthens the film over its many pitfalls, including awful dubbing, a weak script and the complimentary out of context lighthearted moments.

Image’s DVD release is a truly bare bones endeavor, offering only a nice widescreen transfer and a trailer, yet it’s a film that’s worth rediscovering in any package.