Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Borrower Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 17, 2021

Director John McNaughton made a strong impression with his filmmaking debut, 1986’s “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.” The potent horror movie launched the helmer as someone to watch, but it took some time for McNaughton to follow up his initial offering, returning in 1991 with “The Borrower,” which is also a genre offering, but lacks the illness of “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.” McNaughton attempts to get a little broader with his follow-up, ditching grit and shock value for a flatter take on violence, flirting with sci-fi touches for “The Borrower,” which tracks an alien serial killer’s experience mangling human prey on Earth. It’s not exactly a radical step forward for McNaughton, and his limited experience shows throughout the endeavor, which whiffs with dark comedy and seems genuinely confused when it comes to storytelling. It’s a scattered feature that never comes together with authority, though it does work as a highlight reel of practical effects, with gory encounters and strange visions easily becoming the best parts of this uneven picture.

An alien serial killer has been caught, presented with the worst possible punishment: he’s turned into a human. He’s been banished to Earth, forced to manage his own de-evolution as he enters a different world. Unable to control his corporeal breakdowns, the alien decides to take the stable heads of his victims, replacing his own exploding body part with a quick change, beginning with hunter Bob (Tom Towels). Venturing into the worst parts of Los Angeles to observe human life, the alien soon requires a change of heads, working through various victims as he crudely satisfies his bodily needs, working to stay alive. On the other side of town, Detective Diana (Rae Dawn Chong) is a former sex crimes cop now hunting the streets for criminals, encountering a nasty individual in Scully (Neil Giuntoli). Believing she managed to pull the creep off the streets, Diana soon learns Scully has escaped from custody, returning to his violent ways, forcing her deal with the harsh realities of the job.

“The Borrower” explores many subplots, but the primary one belongs to the dangerous alien, who’s been caught by his insect-like kind. However, instead of executing the monster, they send him to Earth with serious bodily instability issues, which pushes the creature to figure out a quick fix for his head-exploding problem. The writing (credited to Mason Nage and Richard Fire) commences an unusual odyssey for the character, who initially takes Bob’s head in front of the hunter’s son, Kip (Bentley Mitchum), making his way to Los Angeles, where a man with a pronounced neck wound doesn’t exactly stand out on the streets. “The Borrower” soon tracks the alien’s move from head to head, including time with homeless man Julius (Antonio Fargas) and Dr. Cheever (Tony Amendola), with each murder increasing anxiety within the local police force, who don’t fully understand what’s going on.

One side of “The Borrower” belongs to alien horrors. The other side follows Diana during her rounds, with the detective and her partner, Krieger (Don Gordon), working to find a connection with the headless bodies discovered around town. They also deal with the madness of Scully, a lunatic who manages to break out of a hospital, assaulting a police officer during the event. There are many crime stories going on in the picture, and while the alien adventures are presented with some sense of humor, Diana’s arc intends to be a more sobering understanding of violence and its brutal after-effects. The character confronts her days dealing with sex crimes and is flattened by the demands of her new job. All this history and brewing disillusionment gives Chong something to play, which is welcome, but Diana’s journey doesn’t intersect with the alien’s bloodbath in a meaningful way, leading to a major climatic showdown. McNaughton keeps things separate, enjoying the increasing goofiness of the head-removal business (which eventually abandons human participation, turning the movie into a cartoon) and the darkness of the police story, asking viewers to respond to genuine emotion and guffaw at escalating stillness.

The Borrower Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation delivers a passably detailed look at the grisly particulars of "The Borrower." Textures are largely intact, exploring gory makeup effects and rough skin surfaces. Tattered costuming and assorted police officer and punk gear is fibrous. Street exteriors are dimensional, offering a clear look at L.A. tours. Colors are defined, with hotter neon and store signage memorable, while the redness of Diana's outfits and lipstick offers some pop. Skintones are natural, and sickly hues from the changing heads register as intended. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is heavy and film-like. Source is in good condition.

The Borrower Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix struggles with the overall sound quality of "The Borrower," as the production doesn't exactly aim for quality work. Perhaps age plays a part in the slight muddiness of the track, which doesn't offer defined dialogue exchanges. Emotional emphasis isn't compelling, but unintelligibility isn't a major problem. Scoring cues and soundtrack selections supply a more powerful presence, with passable instrumentation. Sound effects are adequate, lacking snap with gunfire.

The Borrower Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director John McNaughton and producer Steven A. Jones.

• "Heads Up!" (7:58, HD) is an interview with special makeup effects artist Everett Burrell, who grew up in Los Angeles, making an easy transition to the film industry, including his first years with Roger Corman. Finding work with artist Kevin Yagher, Burrell proved his skills on movies such as "Trick or Treat." For "The Borrower," the interviewee shares memories of actor Tom Towles, spending a lot of time with the performer as they dealt with the makeup application and removal process. Director John McNaughton is fondly remembered as well. Burrell details a few of the head effects, working to perfect the look of human skin, also going into the design of the alien. He doesn't seem all that delighted with "The Borrower," but admits it's "pretty fun."

• Test Footage (6:46, SD) is a behind-the-scenes look at a video created to secure financing for "The Borrower," with actor Tom Towels joining the makeup effects team for an afternoon of laughs and garroting.

• Still Gallery (3:34) collects promotional images, film stills, BTS snaps, and poster and home video art.

• Original Storyboards are offered, but they're only accessible through a computer drive.

• And a Home Video Trailer (:57, HD) is included.

The Borrower Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Borrower" doesn't develop much suspense as it unfolds, but it does provide some enjoyable makeup effects, detailing goopy neck trauma and exploding heads, also including man-sized insects and assorted oddities. Gross-outs are fun to watch, with some care put into the horror elements of the production. It's the rest of the feature that remains frustratingly underwhelming, as the writing remains scattered, never coming together as a grand overview of alien and human violence, and asides with victims and bystanders (including Madchen Amick in one of her earliest film roles) slow the pace of the effort, almost reaching filler status as McNaughton loses contact with whatever central idea drew him to the project in the first place. He's never been a consistent helmer, but McNaughton seems genuinely bewildered by his creative mission with "The Borrower," offering a disorganized, almost rambling take on serial killer happenings.