Title: Kiss of the Damned<\/p>\n
Screened At: SXSW 2013<\/p>\n
Directed By: Xan Cassavetes<\/p>\n
Starring: Jos\u00e9phine de La Baume, Milo Ventimiglia, Roxane Mesquida, Michael Rapaport, Anna Mouglalis<\/B><\/p>\n
Heavy on the sex and seduction, light on the character and plot development, \u201cKiss of the Damned\u201d offers up curious characters and an intriguing world, but leaves it at that, making the experience entirely one-dimensional.<\/p>\n
In an effort to help him finish up his latest script, Paolo\u2019s (Milo Ventimiglia) agent sends him out of the city to a quieter location. While there, Paolo finds distraction in the form of Djuna (Jos\u00e9phine de La Baume), a beautiful woman who happens to be a vampire. Even after being warned of her monstrous nature, Paolo is still completely in love and the pair vows to spend their lives together. However, that\u2019s when Djuna\u2019s sister, Mimi (Roxane Mesquida), steps into the picture and she\u2019s eager to tear their romance and the entire vampire community to shreds.<\/p>\n
\u201cKiss of the Damned\u201d kicks off like \u201cTwilight\u201d for adults. Paolo and Djuna magically catch each other\u2019s gaze and, after a single meal, are so completely in love that even after Djuna hysterically kicks Paolo out of her home, he\u2019s desperate to come back from more. Per the typical idyllic vampire romance, the scenario is wholly ridiculous, but there\u2019s enough honest chemistry between Ventimiglia and de La Baume to keep their budding relationship engaging.<\/p>\n
However, once we reach the end of the first act and there\u2019s no clear goal or direction to the narrative, patience starts to wane. Once we tap the intrigue of Paolo and Djuna\u2019s relationship, Mimi\u2019s entrance is rather refreshing, but the character is entirely one note. The sisters are the antithesis of one another – Djuna\u2019s the straightedge animal-eater and Mimi is the evil human killer. That point is made very clearly and quickly, so when Mimi doesn\u2019t get a single additional layer to her, the character significantly loses appeal.<\/p>\n
But that doesn\u2019t keep writer-director Xan Cassavetes from trying to make her antics the driving force of the narrative. Presumably, had she never entered the picture, Paolo and Djuna could live happily ever after, making Mimi the ideal villainous. The problem is, we\u2019re given zero access to Mimi on a deeper level and there\u2019s absolutely no justification to any of her evil plans. Even though Mimi is part of the vampire community and is supported by one of its leaders, Xenia (Anna Mouglalis), she\u2019s still out to decimate both. Whereas most villains get something from hurting the protagonists, Mimi\u2019s behaviors have negative results all-around \u2013 for her victims and herself.<\/p>\n
Considering Mimi\u2019s destruction is at the core of the narrative, \u201cKiss of the Damned\u201d winds up feeling like a pointless experience, but Cassavetes does find some success in creating a relatively captivating vampire world. They live in gorgeous homes and have a seemingly endless supply of funds, but the negatives of their bloodsucker status are never undermined. They don\u2019t sparkle in the sunlight; they burn to death. The thirst for blood doesn\u2019t just give them a constipated look on their faces; it\u2019s so powerful it can demolish months of human blood sobriety. Had Cassavetes amped up the finer details of their lifestyle and provided a more comprehensive look at the society rules, perhaps the world would have been worth spending the time in while also appropriately framing and validating Mimi\u2019s actions.<\/p>\n
But she doesn\u2019t so we\u2019re left with Djuna and Paolo, and their charm only lasts so long. Djuna loses her fight and turns into a wet blanket while Paolo plays the role of devoted lover so well, it\u2019s too exaggerated to be believable anymore. They\u2019re supposed to be the film\u2019s protagonists, but simply strutting around, complaining about Mimi\u2019s behavior doesn\u2019t qualify them as active heroes. They do nothing to drive the story forward and can\u2019t even claim responsibility for the film\u2019s biggest payoff.<\/p>\n
With no one to root for, a villain with no motive, and a world with few rules, it\u2019s hard to justify \u201cKiss of the Damned\u201d as a worthwhile watch despite good intentions and some glimmers of a thoughtful execution.<\/p>\n
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