Schizoid

Directed by David Paulsen, Schizoid follows Marianna Hill’s Julie as she begins receiving anonymous notes of a decidedly threatening variety and, simultaneously, is alarmed to discover that members of her therapy group, led by Klaus Kinski’s Pieter Fales, are being murdered one by one. It’s a familiar setup that’s employed to predominantly (and disappointingly) underwhelming effect by Paulsen, as the filmmaker, working from his own screenplay, delivers a sluggish slasher that rarely strays from the formula generally associated with pictures of this ilk – although, in fairness, Paulsen has admittedly peppered the deliberate narrative with a handful of appreciatively oddball elements. (This is particularly true of Kinski’s typically irreverent turn as the often comically weird psychiatrist.) The increasingly tedious atmosphere is exacerbated by a curious lack of gore and repetitive narrative structure, and it’s clear, certainly, that the all-hell-breaks-loose finale is entirely unable to pack the visceral, exciting punch Paulsen has obviously intended – which does, despite strong work from an eclectic supporting cast that includes Craig Wasson, Joe Regalbuto, and Christopher Lloyd, cements Schizoid‘s place as a hopelessly forgettable horror effort that feels so much longer than its 89 minutes.

*1/2 out of ****