Jason Voorhees, The Predator, Swamp Thing, Twin Peaks. All Iconic characters and properties but what do they have in common? Derek Mears is the answer. Derek Mears is a stuntman and actor. His first role was in the demolitionist from 1995 directed by Robert Kurtzman. In this article I am gonna go through some of my favorite Derek Mears roles and explain what it is I like about that character. I will also give a short review of the movie or tv episode that his character is in.
The first one I am going to talk about is a short role but a fun one and that is Men in black 2. Where he plays an Alien thug. Growing up I watched a lot of men in black so this was my first experience with Derek Mears. Apart from this being my first time watching a movie with Derek Mears I also really enjoy the make-up by Rick Baker and crew. It is simple but cool looking. Just enough great touches and cool creativity to make it stand on its own. I like Men in black 2. Yes, the entire storyline cheapens the ending of the last one and that is a pet peeve of mine but still good plus the nostalgia is so high for me so it is hard to really criticate it. But it is a fun movie and J can’t work with anyone but K. I think it is a nice touch.
Then we move on to Hill Have Eyes 2. I haven’t seen this one but I have seen pictures and clips on youtube and I think it is a really cool work by KNB efx group and just a cool character. So let’s talk about it. In general I love this version of mutants in the remake and its sequel. Chameleon and the rest of the group look a lot more like you would think they would look based on the concept. I like the original look but these just look more like the concept. I also love the designs of the mutants by KNB. There Are just so many great touches and great creative designs with them.
Now move on to the big bad, Jason Voorhees. I could go on for hours about this version of Jason but I will keep it short. I just love surverlist Jason. Just the speed and power of him is horrifying. What I also love about Jason is that he sets traps. He got some brain behind that muscle. I find that combination very scary. Not only can he out run you and out muscle you but he can also outsmart you. Love that. I like his look even though it is far from my favorite.
The rest of the movie is ok at best. It is a friday movie. Nuff said. They tried something different with the missing sister storyline and it was great that they tried but it didn’t work. Becuse they focus to muc on stupid teen characters with no character. If I said that one of the characters’ whole arc is weed. I Wouldn’t be lying. Why try something new if you aren’t gonna explore it is beyond me but whatever.
Then we move on to the predator movie from 2010. In this movie he plays the classical predator. That means that his design is that of the classical predator from the original movie designed by Stan Winston. I really like the predators; it’s far from a fresh idea but it still feels fresh and that plays into Derek Mears portrayal of the character. Like it all stuff you seen before but it still feel fresh. The story is the exact same story as the original but there on the predator’s home planet instead of on earth. Wish is where the fresh part comes in. Yes it is a old idea but from a new perspective. I can’t really put my finger on why. The special makeup effects by KNB are really good. These creatures feel like something living and breathing like good special make up effects should. These movie also have some badass fight scene. The fight scene in the field with the samurai beats the fight scene with Arnold in the original. I also like the atmosphere of the alien home world.
Then we move on to grimm. I really like grimm. It is a great concept for these different creatures. That all of them are creatures but in human shape and then we have this guy that sees the creature version without transforming. This power is called being a grimm. In the show Mears plays krampus in the Christmas special and I just love this special. Krampus is a Christmas spirit from German folklore, so there is a great tie-in with grimm. Grimm is taken from the Grimm brothers which were authors from Germany. It is a great mix of creature and Christmas but it has enough story so it doesn’t become cotton candy so you can have and enjoy a good story.
Then we have Dead Snow 2 where he plays staravin which is a zombie russian soldier from world war 2. Great make up by spectral motion and it just a overall fun zombie movie. If you like gore and just want to have fun. WAtch this. Yes it is off putting if you don’t have a twisted sense of humor but if you have. It is a lot of fun. Mears character is also part of a really fun scene near the end that I love. It is pure gore goofy fun. They knew what type of movie they were making and committed and that’s just great when you see that.
Then we have last but not least. Twin peaks from 2017. I am not a fan of this. I wanted Twin Peaks and I got David Lynch. It didn’t feel like twin peaks, It felt like mulholland drive. Which would have been fine if it wasn’t called Twin Peaks. Plus it didn’t give me a satisfying countaniting nor ending. So fail. But i do like the scene with Derek Mears. So Bob possessing agent copper is at this place where they arm wrestle and he starts arm wrestle Derek Mears characters which is the big bad of this group. Not only does Bob beat him but he then punches him to death. The kill is just so awesome. His face caves in like a sock puppet with lots of blood but not too much so it is too over the top. Another awesome makeup effect by KNB. Fun fact, the guy that worked on the effect for KNB also played one of the predators in predators along side Mears.
So that was a run-down of some of Mear’s roles in his career as an actor so far. A great diverse group of horror characters from a great diverse group of sub genres of horror. Which is why I think he is so interesting. Because he has that diversity. A little bit of everything for everyone
Written by A Swedish Horror Nerd ( Elis Helmersson)
