The only thing torture porn has really been missing is a healthy dose of romantic comedy – or at least that’s the approach of Must Love Death.
Norman (Sami Loris) is dumped by his girlfriend and during his sulking decides it would be best to end it all; only he doesn’t have the courage to do it himself, so he agrees to be a part of a death pact/snuff film. However, between then and the big day, Norman meets Jennifer (Manon Kahle), a hopeless romantic that makes him feel like living again – until a misunderstanding has him racing to the soon-to-be bloody cabin in the woods. But poor Norman didn’t realize he struck his deal with a couple of psychotic rednecks (Peter Farkas and Jeff Burrell) that have different plans for his death and Jennifer is running out of time to save him.
The movie plays out much like a stage play – the framing is not really adventurous and the locations are generally stationary. On the other hand, it does jump back and forth between present and past, which was a little jarring without any indication of the time change the first couple of times. It does, nonetheless, work in forcing the story forward and creating some tension.
A major issue is the holes in logic and basic continuity throughout the film. They’re often not just noticeable, but distracting. Alternatively, writer/director Andreas Schaap makes a point to ensure audiences know the major hindrances for the characters, which is appreciated; for example, a close-up of keys sliding under a piece of furniture is sure to have consequences later.
Luckily, the bloodthirsty rednecks have more personality than anyone else in the film and tend to keep the scenes moving. Burrell is particularly amusing as he stages his game show, “Torture or No Torture.” He consistently breaks the rule about the fourth wall, talking or looking directly at the audience whether through a camcorder or not – these result in or precursor some of the better moments in the film.
Imagery à la carte 