Scalper

Granted, I haven't watched the 2021 movie "Night Caller", so I don't know how much of a direct continuation this 2023 movie titled "Scalper" is of the 2021 movie. Nor do I know how much information I am missing out on by not having seen that movie, in order to properly enjoy "Scalper". The storyline and script for "Scalper" is written by Chad Ferrin, whom also directed the movie. In fact, Chad Ferrin also wrote and directed the 2019 movie "Night Caller", so I assume that would make for a well-planned continuation of the storyline from "Night Caller" here in "Scalper". I have to admit that while the movie was fair enough, the storyline was a bit bland and generic. Writer and director didn't really deliver anything that proved to be overly innovative or groundbreaking. And as the narrative progressed without much of anything thrilling going on, I was gradually losing my interest in the movie. The cast ensemble in "Scalper" is good, and there are some familiar faces on the cast list, with the likes of Jake Busey and Bai Ling. I noticed that some of the cast members in this 2023 movie are returning to reprise their characters from the 2021 movie "Night Caller", and that is nice I suppose, despite I haven't watched "Night Caller". What happened to Jake Busey, when did he turn into sort of a clone of Donald Trump? There were some nice enough effects in "Scalper", and the effects helped to make the movie a bit more bearable to sit through. I was lead to believe that "Scalper" was a horror movie, when I sat down to watch it, but it was actually more of a thriller. And a boring on at that. This is not a movie that will grace my screen a second time, nor is it a movie that I will recommend for horror fans to rush out and get to watch. Unless you are a newcomer to the horror genre, then this movie just simply was too bland. My rating of "Scalper" lands on a three out of ten stars.