Odd George Romero film that barely was released originally and barely written up until home video is change of pace for the horror master, but its also a clear indication of Romero's limitations as a director. Feeling more like his misfire There's Always Vanilla/ Season of the Witch this is the story of a magazine executive who is being raked over the coals by everyone in his life. Waking up with a featureless mask for a face he decides to get revenge on those who wronged him. Feeling unremarkable and like almost any other independent film this is a cookie cutter film. Frankly had Romero not directed it I don't think it would have gotten any notice what so ever. The craft of the film has no spark and is extremely run of the mill and unimaginative. Watching it its clear that Romero directed it, there is something about the way his films look and feel,and comparing this film to his other films makes everything else he's done all the more surprising. Why do many of his other films work and this one doesn't? I don't know. Removing his Stephen King adaptations and zombie films I think its pure dumb luck that everything comes together. Here he's got an intriguing idea but how Romero tells the story just lays on the table like a dead fish. Its not a complete waste of a film, there are some interesting ideas about identity and the cast is good, but its also really dull. Lower tier Romero and for fans only.

George Romero has been remarkably inconsistent over the years, and BRUISER (unfortunately) points up one of his greatest flaws: he is overindulgent. (Even the highly-touted DAWN OF THE DEAD -the film for which he will be remembered when he's gone, it seems- suffers from this overindulgence.) BRUISER gets off to a slow and somewhat pedestrian start (the script is surprisingly derivative) and never seems to build any momentum whatsoever; it plods along at a snail's pace and even the "acts of retribution" lack any real power. Missing is the visceral violence upon which Romero's (deserved) reputation is based. It seems here that he's trying to somehow "rise above" his reputation as a gore meister- at the very moment he needed to push the envelope. Bad casting helps hurt this film as well; the lead has all the charisma of a wooden dummy. When he washes his face down the drain, all that's left is his personality... which he never had in the first place. Romero, while not a prolific filmmaker, has often done interesting work precisely because he's not part of the mainstream (I refer you to NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, THE CRAZIES, KNIGHTRIDERS, and MARTIN), and I'm willing to bet he'll do even more interesting movies in the future. BRUISER, sad to say, isn't one of them.

A man awakes one morning without his face - and he decides to take revenge on all people who betrayed him in a way.

This, in short, is the story of George A. Romero's first feature film since 1992's "The Dark Half", a decent if not really convincing adaption of Stephen King's story of the same title. And even though "Bruiser" is not a very spectacular or action- and goreloaded picture, it undoubtedly is Romero's finest film since his third zombie-epic "Day of the Dead" back in 1985.

It's a unique movie, rather quiet and sensibly developed: something You've see far too rarely in the last few years. The acting is also first rate, above all Jason Flemyng as the lead character. Peter Stormare is once again delicious, this time as the eccentric, sex-mad publisher of the "Bruiser"-magazine (you never really get to know what the magazine is all about, but it is obviously kind of a lifestyle magazine) and therefore Flemyng's character's boss. Stormare's enthusiastic acting is everything but annoying.

There is also some well placed humor in the picture, which has been present in most of Romero's films, only that this time it's more obvious than in his earlier pictures. The humor doesn't destroy the melancholy touch, though, that makes all of Romero's pictures so unique.

An audience who expects to see another "Dawn of the Dead" or "Creepshow" surely will be disappointed at first - but who ever said that "Bruiser" is a pure horror movie? It is more similar to "Martin" or even (in a metaphoric way) "The Crazies". One thing that's out of question is that Romero proves himself to be a real auteur, and it's always good to see new films from him - especially after an eight-year hiatus!

Highly recommended.