Review: Twisted Sisters (2006)

Director: Wolfgang Büld | 95 minutes | drama, horror, thriller, erotic | Actors: Fiona Horsey, Andrew Southern, Paul Conway, Eden Ford, Pietro Herrera

The films in Wolfgang Büld’s so-called “sex and sin” trilogy don’t have much in common. That is to say, there is sex in the movies and the necessary sinful acts in the form of violence and / or murder, but they are completely self-contained stories. Actors Fiona Horsey and Paul Conway do appear in every film, which is both a curse and a blessing. Paul Conway is not exactly a light on acting and it seems as if Büld gives him a flawless appearance in every film. On the other hand, this also adds an extra layer of pulp to the films and as a viewer you cannot escape the thought that Büld is dressing him so absurdly out of a sense of irony and playing those clichéd or bizarre roles.

However, constant factor Fiona Horsey is a welcome sight. Not only is she great eye candy, she also clearly enjoys moving through the films. And although she doesn’t act brilliantly either, she doesn’t even do very badly in dramatic scenes. If the script now also provided her with enough guidance, she might be able to hold her own in an adult erotic thriller. After all, ‘Twisted Sisters’ is not yet fully mature or satisfying.

Fortunately, director / writer / producer Wolfgang Büld has left out all sub-storylines in his third film to focus on a single starting point, but the film still falls short in a few important areas. The film is not surprising enough for a thriller and tension and psychological depth are unfortunately only limited to the last fifteen or twenty minutes. But it’s a start, and technically the film is another step up from part two of the trilogy. Büld uses jumpcuts, shot with mirrors as symbolism for the twin theme, exciting music, dramatic composition in scenes, creative (but sometimes artificial) camera angles, and all kinds of technical elements to reinforce the film.

The twin aspect of the film also gives Büld the opportunity – through the double role of Horsey – to have his lead actress appear on the screen even more than before, in a romantic and tender, or on the contrary kinky femme fatale. And that is a gain for the viewer. In addition, there is more “gore” in ‘Twisted Sisters’ than in the earlier films. Although often over-the-top and clearly fake, it gives the scenes a certain tension and sharp edge. In short, with some fine-tuning here and there, Büld could well make a good film.