The Collection

If it was funny, it would be a fine absurdist comedy. If it wasn’t so stupid and overacted, it would be fine horror, but in this form it’s just cheap, gratuitous torture porn (where “cheap” doesn’t refer to the budget) that in the absurdity of its “traps” beats even the most stupid parts of the Saw series. If in the end the roof of the abandoned hotel opened to reveal that the genius Collector had built an improvised space launch centre so he could escape to Mars on a rocket, I wouldn’t have been very surprised. The first part wasn’t precisely a showcase of screenwriting art, but at least it had a good atmosphere and an evil feeling. This one is a bad joke that serves only to satisfy the lowest instincts of the genre. For me, no doubt. (26.01.2013)

Der Sammler war cool, aber das hier ist leider Mist. Wo der erste Teil hauptsächlich auf eine bedrückende und intime Atmosphäre setzte, bietet der zweite Teil mehr Action, Schießereien und persönliche Kämpfe. Dadurch hat die Fortsetzung die größte Stärke seines Vorgängers verloren. Außerdem sind die tödlichen Fallen hier sehr übertrieben und der Sammler selbst wirkt wie der fähigste technische Ingenieur mit der Gabe der perfekten Vorausplanung. Musik und Brutalität sind in Ordnung, aber der Film stützt sich nicht nur darauf. Für mich ist "The Collection" daher die erste große Enttäuschung dieses Jahres. Verdammt! (04.01.2013)

Though I was downright horrified at the opening disco carnage, what I ended up with was a pretty solid B-movie parade of flying limbs and squashed bodies so bizarre and nonsensical that it fulfils my idea of relaxing brutal entertainment to the tee. Such a sloppy and in many ways unfinished script may be extremely inappropriate to serve to a mass audience, but the basic scheme remains interesting, the villain remains scary, and the new setting, though incredibly profane and much less atmospheric to the detriment of the effect, is a safe bet in the hands of the right executioner. There is no limit to the exaggeration this time (the first one was quite realistic in comparison) and it’s a shame that the script circles around all the disgusting and noble motivations of the rescue mission instead of focusing more on the meaning of "The Collection" and all its aspects. If they had stuck to the more intimate concept of the first episode and worked more on the psychology and criminal motives, I would have liked to watch some more. As it is, it's just a grey B-movie with a final scene I'd rather not understand. 60% (18.03.2014)

In the case of the film "The Collector", I liked the idea that it is a movie where it is only about the blood, the effects. With the film "The Collection", I was expecting a little bit more, some kind of storyline that would develop. The ending leaves the door open again, and I am curious whether the creators will venture into it. I assume they won't, but anything is possible. (31.01.2014)