ONE TO WATCH: HORNS

From master-of-horror Alexandre Aja (Switchblade Romance, The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D) comes an offbeat thriller starring our very own Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe). After Ig Perrish (Radcliffe) is accused of murdering his girlfriend, he turns to the bottle for comfort. The whole town wants him dead (even his mother) and blames him for the murder, but Ig remains defiant. After a hard night of drinking he wakes to find horns growing out of his head. As curious as that may sound, he also discovers he can 'encourage' confessions and evil thoughts from the people he talks to. Ig uses this new found ability to find Merrin's true murderer.

Sound nutty? It is. Approach Horns as a regular horror movie and you will come away disappointed. Horns has neither the underlying tension of Switchblade Romance nor the balls-to-the-wall intensity of The Hills Have Eyes. Hell, it doesn't even bring big-time gore and guffaws to the table - it just isn't that kind of movie. Horns is a supernatural oddity with devilish undertones and emphasis very much on drama. It's a murder mystery with an Indie movie vibe and a magnetic lead turn from Radcliffe, who continues to embrace life after Potter. 

It's funny too. Laugh out loud funny at times. The humour certainly won't suit everybody but it was definitely on my level, with the town locals confessing the unlikeliest of sins to Perrish. Even Heather Graham makes an appearance, as a wannabe celebrity obsessed with the pursuit of fame. It's not all good. Tonally the film is a little awkward, and at times Aja's direction is as restless as our protagonist's quest for truth. Clocking in at just under two hours, Horns could have done with the occasional nip/tuck too, but for the most part this is an accomplished horror drama.

Horns isn't your typical horror movie and is all the more rewarding for it. If you're looking for something a little unusual this could be right up your street. With strong performances, dark humour and offbeat sensibilities, Horns is a satisfying Indie drama with an appetising wild side. Check it out.