• PDI Press

    PDI Press

    BETTY WHITE VS THE STUPID WORLD: The Movie

    PDI Press
    January 17, 2022 2

    Betty White Vs the Stupid World (Chapter Seven)

    PDI Press
    January 16, 2022

    Betty White Vs the Stupid World (Chapter Six)

    PDI Press
    January 15, 2022 3

    Featured

    BETTY WHITE VS THE STUPID WORLD: The Movie

    John E. Meredith
    PDI Press
    January 17, 2022 2
    • PDI Press Catalog
    • PDI Press Writers
      • Fiction
  • Columns A-D
    • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
    • ABCs of Horror
    • All Binge… No Purge
    • Anything Joes
    • Beautiful Creatures
    • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
    • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
    • Cahiers du Horror
    • Dispatches From the Field
    • Drive-In Saturday
    • Dungeons & D-Listers
  • Columns F-P
    • The Final Girl
    • First Looks… Second Thoughts
    • The Flesh is Weak
    • Innocence and Experience
    • Lost in Translation
    • Marvel at the Movies
    • Muppets 101
    • Page to Screen
    • Popcorn Cinema
    • The Psycho Drive-In Podcast
    • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
  • Columns S-Z
    • Schlock & Awe
    • Shakespeare on Film
    • Shot for Shot
    • Sick Flix
    • Unnatural Selections
    • Versus
    • Video Word Made Flesh
    • We Got Lists
    • Women in Horror
    • The Xeno File
    • Zombies 101
  • Reviews

    Reviews

    Predator: Killer of Killers (2025)

    Movies
    June 8, 2025 6

    From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (2025)

    Reviews
    June 7, 2025 16

    Until Dawn (2025)

    Reviews
    June 5, 2025 8

    Featured

    Predator: Killer of Killers (2025)

    Paul Brian McCoy
    Movies
    June 8, 2025 6
    • Books
    • Comics
    • DVD/Blu-ray
    • Movies
    • TV
    • Series
  • Interviews

    Interviews

    Interview with Indie Horror Master, Chris Bickel

    Interviews
    July 13, 2018 397

    David Black: Carnies, Carnage, and the Creative Chaos of Darkness Visible

    Interviews
    March 7, 2017 223

    Jaiden Kaine joins the Marvel Universe as new Luke Cage baddie, Zip

    Interviews
    September 29, 2016 8

    SDCC 2016 Interviews: The Cast and Creators of Batman: The Killing Joke

    Interviews
    July 28, 2016 61

    SDCC 2016 Interviews: The Cast and Creators of Syfy’s Van Helsing

    Interviews
    July 27, 2016 3

    Wondercon Interview: The Cast of Damien

    Interviews
    April 16, 2016 3

    Featured

    Interview with Indie Horror Master, Chris Bickel

    The Final Girl
    Interviews
    July 13, 2018 397
  • News

    News

    Regular Show: The Complete Series DVD is here!

    News
    February 9, 2025 19

    “PATER NOSTER AND THE MISSION OF LIGHT” UNLEASHES TERRIFYING UNDERGROUND HORROR – A PSYCHEDELIC CULT MOVIE EXPERIENCE COMING SOON!

    News
    November 15, 2023 74

    Breaking Down The Upcoming DC Studios Slate

    Shot for Shot
    February 1, 2023

    Featured

    Regular Show: The Complete Series DVD is here!

    Paul Brian McCoy
    News
    February 9, 2025 19
    • Trailers
  • Psychos
  • Shop
Breaking
  • Predator: Killer of Killers (2025)
  • From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (2025)
  • Until Dawn (2025)
  • Havoc (2025) / Novocaine (2025)
  • RSS
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Who We Be
  • Contact
    Home
    Reviews

    The Strain 1.12 “Last Rites”

    Paul Brian McCoy
    ReviewsTV
    October 5, 2014 2

    It’s the penultimate episode of The Strain Season One, and it’s another mixed bag of useless, obnoxious Eph (Corey Stoll) behavior, pointless dead-end diversions in the plot, some stupid behavior by supposedly smart characters, two very cool action sequences, a couple of nice character moments, and another Hell Toupee.

    On the plus side, Gus’ (Miguel Gómez) story continues to be the most engaging and interesting, as he hijacks Alonso Creem (Jamie Hector) — the guy who bought his stolen car a few episodes back — for money and weapons before he makes his getaway from the city. But greed gets the better of him and before too long, he and Creem are in over their heads as a shipping container’s worth of hungry vampires swarm them.

    Holy crap! The Master is importing help!

    Strain-112-01

    Which brings us to the most squeal-worthy moment in weeks, as Quinlan (Stephen McHattie) and his Black Ops Vampire Killing Squad arrive to save the day, slaughtering the vamps and then kidnapping Gus — leaving Creem standing alone and confused. I can only assume that the whole “putting a bag over your head and carting you off” is because of Gus’ history with Eichhorst (Richard Sammel), but the look of confused disbelief on Creem’s face was a priceless way of ending that scene (although you’d think they’d take the time to exterminate as many other containers of vamps as possible before hitting the road).

    The other strong moment this week is Eichhorst’s assault on Abraham’s (David Bradley) Pawn Shop, where not only are our heroes forced to abandon the relative safety of the reinforced basement, but the long-missed Gabriel Bolivar (Jack Kesy) returns to lead the charge, draining Mama Martinez (Anne Betancourt) and effectively putting an end to a narrative line that was spiraling into nowhere. As one would expect, Nora (Mía Maestro) chooses to step up and behead her mother — because it has to be done — but somehow the act lacks the emotional impact that it should have.

    Strain-112-02

    I don’t think it was a problem with the performance; instead I think it falls back on the writing. Mariela’s death is more of a relief than a dramatic moment. Although, hopefully this will kick-start Nora’s character development —  you know, with one episode to go this season.

    On the down side, this week has a lot of sloppy writing and useless moments.

    At the top of that list is the return of Dutch (Ruta Gedmintas) and her almost totally useless plan to save the day (that will never work thanks to Eph’s apparently uncontrollable uselessness). It seems that while she would have had to directly access Eldritch Palmer’s office computers to restore New York’s entire internet, she can access the weekly test of the Emergency Broadcast Network from the roof of the pawn shop with an “NSA-level hack.” Really what this plan does is provide an opportunity for Dutch to provide an info dump about her character and for Fet (Kevin Durand) to flirt with her.

    Strain-112-03

    It was truly cringe-inducing.

    But not as cringe-inducing as the wig and age make-up that Young Abraham (Jim Watson) wears in our flashback to 1967 Albania. Whoever is in charge of the hairpieces on this show is dropping the ball.

    The flashback story is intended to tell the tragic tale of Abraham’s wife — who we all know as the worm-filled heart he keeps in his basement — and it is another case of clichés overpowering any sort of emotional impact. It doesn’t help that Young Abe’s plan for tracking down the Master is just hackneyed and stupid. He decides to climb down a well with a rope, well past mid-day, where he finds a nest with too many vampires for him to face. And because it’s so late in the day Eichhorst is able to pull up the rope, stranding Abe in the bottom of the well, and then go turn Miriam (Adina Verson) into a monster.

    It’s so boring and predictable that there is absolutely no dramatic impact. Again.

    Strain-112-04

    Even when she has returned to their home at nightfall — with two unknown vampire children (???) — we don’t get to experience the emotional confrontation, instead cutting away to the aftermath of Abe amongst the corpses. We do get to watch as he plunges his hands into her chest and pulls out the still-beating vampire heart, because we really needed to see that part of the story.

    That’s sarcasm.

    If there was any moment in the story we didn’t need to see, it was that. We already know he cut out her heart and kept it. We would have been better served by seeing his struggle with killing her in the first place or getting some sort of dramatic interaction between them before the scene ended. If you’re going to embrace vampire clichés, why not embrace the ones that provide real connections to the characters?

    Strain-112-05

    The only interesting and original interaction anyone has with a vampire this week is Eldritch Palmer (Jonathan Hyde) and the horribly unscary Master (Robert Maillet & Robin Atkin Downes). Palmer is on death’s door and holding out hope that the Master will arrive in the nick of time and sweep him off his feet into a life of vampirism. Again, the horrible design of the Master undercuts any drama, but Hyde is totally devoted to this role and sells it with every line.

    As we cut to the closing credits, Palmer stands in the pouring rain, apparently restored by a taste of the Master’s blood, while Mr. Fitzwilliams (Roger Cross) watches ominously from inside. It’s a nice moment both narratively and visually for The Strain, allowing director Peter Weller to really shine, despite the dullness of a lackluster script.

    (Visited 224 times, 1 visits today)

    Related

    Corey StollDavid BradleyJonathan HydeKevin DurandThe Strain

    FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
    Previous ABCs of Horror Day 04: C is for Craven
    Next ABCs of Horror Day 05: C is for Cronenberg
    monsterid
    Paul Brian McCoy
    Co-Founder / Editor-in-Chief / Dreamweaver
    Paul Brian McCoy is the Editor-in-Chief of Psycho Drive-In. His first novel, The Unraveling: Damaged Inc. Book One is available at Amazon US & UK, along with his collection of short stories, Coffee, Sex, & Creation (US & UK). He recently contributed the 1989 chapter to The American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1980s (US & UK). He also kicked off Comics Bulletin Books with Mondo Marvel Volumes One (US & UK) and Two (US & UK) and PDI Press with Marvel at the Movies: 1977-1998 (US & UK), Marvel at the Movies: Marvel Studios (US & UK), and Spoiler Warning: Hannibal Season 1 - An Unauthorized Critical Guide (US & UK). Paul is also unnaturally preoccupied with zombie films and sci-fi television. He can be found babbling on Twitter at @PBMcCoy.

    Related Posts

    Swamp Thing: The Complete Series Blu-ray

    Paul Brian McCoy
    DVD/Blu-ray
    February 11, 2020

    Advance Review: Ant-Man (2015) Blu-ray

    Paul Brian McCoy
    DVD/Blu-rayMoviesReviews
    November 29, 2015

    Daily Top Ten

    • i-spit-on-your-grave-09The Final Girl: I Spit on Your Grave (2010) by The Final Girl
    • nightmare-07Freddy’s Sweater: Revisiting A Nightmare on Elm St… by The Final Girl
    • Superman-II-headerSuperman II (1980) by John Clark
    • Uzumaki_3Uzumaki (2000) by Matthew Fantaci
    • Punisher_RedA Work in Progress: The Punisher (1989) by Paul Brian McCoy
    • night-specterAnything Joes: Backstock Blacksite – Night… by Greg Engle
    • Alien POVThe Darkest Hour (2011) Blu-ray Review by Paul Brian McCoy
    • AT606-visionAdventure Time 6.06 “Breezy” by Dave Hearn
    • Evil-Dead-13-08Lost in Translation 132: Evil Dead by Scott Delahunt
    • Hannibal – Season 2Hannibal 2.05 “Mukozuke” by Amanda Lafond
    400x400 GI Joe Funko Banner

    Weekly Top Ten

    • i-spit-on-your-grave-09The Final Girl: I Spit on Your Grave (2010) by The Final Girl
    • AT606-visionAdventure Time 6.06 “Breezy” by Dave Hearn
    • DS-headerDungeons & D-Listers: Deathstalker (1983) by Alex Wolfe
    • ballerina-headerFrom the World of John Wick: Ballerina (2025) by Paul Brian McCoy
    • MacbethShakespeare’s Macbeth (2010) by Paul Brian McCoy
    • hills-have-eyes-02The Hills Have Eyes (1977) vs The Hills Have Eyes (2006) by Corin Totin
    • one-eye-headerPOPCORN CINEMA 23: THEY CALLED HER ONE EYE (aka,… by John E. Meredith
    • nightmare-07Freddy’s Sweater: Revisiting A Nightmare on Elm St… by The Final Girl
    • babylon-5-blu-ray-04Babylon 5 Complete Series Blu-ray Review by Paul Brian McCoy
    • predator-killer-of-killers-headerPredator: Killer of Killers (2025) by Paul Brian McCoy

    psychodrivein

    We came here to chew bubblegum and write intelligent reviews and commentary on cult TV and movies! And we're all out of bubblegum!

    Today at https://psychodrivein.com Predator: Kill Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Predator: Killer of Killers (2025)

With Predator: Killer of Killers, Predator fans are feasting, baby!!
—
Read more of Paul’s review at the link in our profile!

#Predator #PredatorKillerOfKillers #KillerOfKillers #DanTrachtenberg #LindsayLaVanchy #DamienCHaas #LouisOzawa #RickGonzalez #MichaelBiehn #JoshuaWassung #MichoRobertRutare
    Today at https://psychodrivein.com From the World Today at https://psychodrivein.com

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina (2025)

I can’t wait to see more Ballerina films. Seriously. I want one right now.

—

Read more of Paul’s review at the link in our profile 

#Ballerina #JohnWick #FromTheWorldOfJohnWickBallerina #AnaDeArmis #KeanuReeves #IanMcShane #AngelicaHuston #GabrielByrne #DavidCataneda #LenWiseman #ShayHatten #ChadStahelski #NormanReedus #LanceReddick
    Today at https://psychodrivein.com The Psycho Dri Today at https://psychodrivein.com

The Psycho Drive-In Podcast 05: Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2 

Join Paul and John in the fifth episode of the Psycho Drive-In podcast, where they delve deep into the universe of Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill.
—
Listen to the guys at the link in our profile!

#PsychoDriveIn #ThePsychoDriveInPodcast #KillBill #QuentinTarantino #LadySnowblood #Arena #FemalePrisonerNumber701Scorpion
    Today at https://psychodrivein.com Until Dawn (20 Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Until Dawn (2025)

If you’re going to be Until Dawn in name only, why not just be that original horror idea and let someone else actually adapt Until Dawn as it was? 
—
Read more of Nate’s review at the link in our profile!

#UntilDawn #DavidFSandberg #PeterStormare #EllaRubin
    Today at https://psychodrivein.com The Psycho Dri Today at https://psychodrivein.com

The Psycho Drive-In Podcast 04: Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning (Part One)

In this week’s Psycho Drive-In Podcast, Paul and John delve into the world of espionage and high-octane action with a focus on Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning.
—
Listen to the guys at the link in our profile!

#PsychoDriveIn #PsychoDriveInPodcast #MissionImpossible #MissionImpossibleDeadReckoning #ArmyOfShadows #TheBourneLegacy
    Today at https://psychodrivein.com Havoc (2025) / Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Havoc (2025) / Novocaine (2025)

Both Havoc and Novocaine are fairly enjoyable escapes and reminders that action cinema can be some of the most gleefully transporting sensory experiences.
—
Read more of Nate’s reviews at the link in our profile!

#Havoc #TomHardy #GarethEvans #Novocaine #JackQuaid #AmberMidthunder #ForestWhitaker
    Today at https://psychodrivein.com The Psycho Dri Today at https://psychodrivein.com

The Psycho Drive-In Podcast 03: Sinners

In this episode, Paul and John discuss their recent film binges, and review Sinners.
—
Listen to the boys at the link in our profile!

#ThePsychoDriveInPodcast #PsychoDriveIn #Sinners #RyanCoogler #MichaelBJordan #JackOConnell #HaileeSteinfeld #MilesCaton #DelroyLindo #WunmiMosaku #LiJunLi
    Today at https://psychodrivein.com Anything Joes: Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Anything Joes: S02E28 - File Card Focus: Recoil

Greg and Jaren take a deep dive into the world of Recoil?
—
Watch the @AnythingJoesPod guys at the link in our profile!

#AnythingJoes #GIJoes #FileCardFocus #Recoil
    Today at https://psychodrivein.com Thunderbolts* Today at https://psychodrivein.com

Thunderbolts* (2025)

But damn, the Thunderbolts* really got to me.
—
Read more of John’s review at the link in our profile!

#Thunderbolts #MarvelStudios #Marvel #FlorencePugh #SebastianStan #DavidHarbour #HannahJohnKamen #JuliaLouisDreyfus #LewisPullman #OlgaKurylenko #WyattRussell
    Follow on Instagram

    Look Who's Talking

    Shawn EH
    Shawn EH - 5/4/2025
    Thunderbolts* (2025)
    Yep, very well done; avoiding the big flashy battle that these heroes (can any of you fly?)...
    Ideonova
    Ideonova - 12/26/2024
    Page to Screen: F. Paul Wilson’s The Keep
    Not living up to the source material? What source material? The book is a predictable, at times...
    Fred L. Taulbee Jr.
    Fred L. Taulbee Jr. - 8/17/2024
    Cahiers du Horror 03: Frank Henenlotter and The Brain that Wouldn’t Die
    I need to see that again. Maybe make it a double feature with All of Me. Steve Martin is someone you...
    RSSTwitterFacebookinstagramtumblr

    Archives

    Large_rectangle_336X280
    • PDI Press
      • PDI Press Catalog
      • PDI Press Writers
        • Fiction
    • Columns A-D
      • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
      • ABCs of Horror
      • All Binge… No Purge
      • Anything Joes
      • Beautiful Creatures
      • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
      • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
      • Cahiers du Horror
      • Dispatches From the Field
      • Drive-In Saturday
      • Dungeons & D-Listers
    • Columns F-P
      • The Final Girl
      • First Looks… Second Thoughts
      • The Flesh is Weak
      • Innocence and Experience
      • Lost in Translation
      • Marvel at the Movies
      • Muppets 101
      • Page to Screen
      • Popcorn Cinema
      • The Psycho Drive-In Podcast
      • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
    • Columns S-Z
      • Schlock & Awe
      • Shakespeare on Film
      • Shot for Shot
      • Sick Flix
      • Unnatural Selections
      • Versus
      • Video Word Made Flesh
      • We Got Lists
      • Women in Horror
      • The Xeno File
      • Zombies 101
    • Reviews
      • Books
      • Comics
      • DVD/Blu-ray
      • Movies
      • TV
      • Series
    • Interviews
    • News
      • Trailers
    • Psychos
    • Shop
    • PDI Press
      • PDI Press Catalog
      • PDI Press Writers
        • Fiction
    • Columns A-D
      • A Fistful of Dollar Comics
      • ABCs of Horror
      • All Binge… No Purge
      • Anything Joes
      • Beautiful Creatures
      • Big Eyes Smart Mouth
      • Big Sleeps and Long Goodbyes
      • Cahiers du Horror
      • Dispatches From the Field
      • Drive-In Saturday
      • Dungeons & D-Listers
    • Columns F-P
      • The Final Girl
      • First Looks… Second Thoughts
      • The Flesh is Weak
      • Innocence and Experience
      • Lost in Translation
      • Marvel at the Movies
      • Muppets 101
      • Page to Screen
      • Popcorn Cinema
      • The Psycho Drive-In Podcast
      • Psycho Essentials: The ’80s!
    • Columns S-Z
      • Schlock & Awe
      • Shakespeare on Film
      • Shot for Shot
      • Sick Flix
      • Unnatural Selections
      • Versus
      • Video Word Made Flesh
      • We Got Lists
      • Women in Horror
      • The Xeno File
      • Zombies 101
    • Reviews
      • Books
      • Comics
      • DVD/Blu-ray
      • Movies
      • TV
      • Series
    • Interviews
    • News
      • Trailers
    • Psychos
    • Shop
    Type to search or hit ESC to close
    See all results
    Username
    Password
    Remember Me
    Lost password?
    Create an account
    Username
    Email
    Cancel
    Enter username or email
    Cancel