Years after her sister disappeared, a woman finds new evidence that leads her to the occult and a sinister force.
A hit and miss from many perspectives, but with a lot of potential. Shelby Oaks‘ found-footage first act sets the tone, pace and rhythm of the film you think you are about to watch. The second act begins, though, following a formulaic narrative, revealing the credits and unfolding the confrontation set up in the initial act. There are pros and cons in both acts, let’s have a look.
The thriller/drama is real and intense: A woman who lost her little sister and sacrificed her happiness, spending years looking for her. Years later, evidence resurfaces in the most morbid and dramatic way, and the hunt for the truth begins again. That storyline, in and of itself, makes up for a suspenseful film and a very relatable heroine. This is the second-best aspect of the film. It is relatable! Mia (Camille Sullivan), as said, sacrificed everything in the process, and producer/co-writer/director Chris Stuckmann managed to depict that quite well.
On the other hand, while the myth of the horror is appealing, its manifestation is unreal and a tad dull. Its removal would have been an asset to the film. Imagination and the use of offscreen can do things that digital VFX will never be able to. The demon and its various forms disrupt the thriller/drama’s nightmare and remind you that this is a film with VFX.
The best thing that happened to this film and to Stuckmann is Camille Sullivan herself! She is excellent in this role and every other role she’s been in. If it weren’t for her, the film would have scored lower. If you want to see her, though, in a film that will blow your mind in the end, go for Hunter Hunter (2020): https://kaygazpro.com/hunter-hunter-2020-drama-horror-mystery/.
NEON decided to invest in the film, and the one and only Mike Flanagan is also one of the many people who is wearing the producer’s hat. Shelby Oaks is a crowdfunded film, and congratulations to Stuckmann for making it. It’s not easy to make a film. Anything that can go wrong will probably go wrong. But he found the money, he cast Sullivan and the rest of the wonderful actors and actresses, and he made it. To me, there is a lot that doesn’t work, from script to screen, but at least he made it.
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