[Movie Review] THREE BLIND MICE - Nightmarish Conjurings

One thing the horror world seriously lacks is nursery rhyme-inspired monsters, such as giant blood-thirsty mice. Under the direction of Pierre B. and penned by Lucas Kelly, THREE BLIND MICE follows the tumultuous journey of young Abi (ensnared by the claws of drug addiction) as she discovers there are monsters inside and outside her body.

In an attempt to steer her towards recovery, Abi’s family forces her into an isolated cabin, only to discover that the woods harbor an infestation of three giant blind mice. As the plot unfolds, viewers are in for a series of nail-biting cat-and-mouse chases (peppered with moments of decent gore). However, amid the rodent-themed chaos, THREE BLIND MICE finds itself ensnared in a trap of mediocrity, offering up a tale that lacks the depth and narrative coherence needed to truly captivate its audience.

The opening thrusts us into a suspenseful scene, with a breathless and battered young woman fleeing through a dimly lit forest. She obviously fears for her life as mysterious creatures lurk in the shadows, which casts an eerie sense of dread. The not-so-little villains of our tale (the titular Mice) boast impressive makeup and costume design. However, their faces bear a closer resemblance to trolls (or even the characters from Wrong Turn) than the cute critters we typically associate with cheese and squeaks. Seeking refuge, she stumbles upon a seemingly safe haven, only to find it filled with unsettling human experimentation and an unexpected infestation of CGI rodents.

The central narrative revolves around Abi (May Kelly), whose journey begins with an intervention led by concerned family and friends, all gathering to confront her drug addiction. Abi vehemently denies everything, but her cries of innocence are ignored. In an effort to help her kick the habit, Abi, her family, her best friend, and a drug counselor (playing the role of a sort of British nanny) embark on a retreat to an isolated cabin deep in the woods. Little did they know that Abi didn’t just pack her baggage; she brought along a hefty serving of meanness, generously dishing it out to everyone in her path.

As the plot unfolds, we’re treated to a small dose of gore, with the mice displaying a penchant for blinding their victims using whatever tools are handy, such as a nail, their fingers, or even corrosive acid. These squeaky villains may lack sight, but they have no trouble tracking down Abi and her cabin mates. With withdrawal symptoms intensifying and the terrifying mice on the prowl, Abi’s coherence slowly dwindles. In a twist on the classic cat-and-mouse game, the mice have the upper hand (or perhaps we should say paw) this time around.

These giant mutant mice prove to be resourceful backwoods survivalists and concoct creative ways to maim and eliminate their prey one by one. The film initially dabbles in Abi’s journey to overcome her drug addiction but swiftly shifts gears to focus on kills and chase sequences (with a smattering of exposition in the third act). It’s as if the movie is in a hurry, racing to get through the gore, leaving us with a sense of Last Mouse on the Left.

While THREE BLIND MICE offers a unique and quirky blend of horror, some creative elements, and a peculiarly twisted concept, it often scurries too quickly from character development and narrative depth to embrace its more gruesome and chaotic side. The film’s exploration of addiction through the lens of a nursery rhyme may leave you scratching your head, but it’s undoubtedly a tail of its own making. So, hickory-dickory dock, you might find some entertainment in this gnaw-some thriller, but it’s far from a cinematic mouse-terpiece.

THREE BLIND MICE arrives on digital and DVD release on October 17.