Everything I Needed to Know About Zombies I Learned from the Movies (2008)

Think about it…where did you learn about zombies? Most likely all you know about zombies you learned from the movies. The mother of all zombie movies, Night of the Living Dead, taught us plenty about gut munchers, like how they are usually slow shamblers who are drawn in hordes by flesh. They are the reanimated dead and have no emotions or recollections about their past lives, they can’t communicate and all they live to do is to feed their insatiable hunger for human flesh.

Well, what if everything we learned from movies about zombies was wrong?

In writer/director/producer’s Sherezada Kent’s five minute short film Everything I Needed to Know About Zombies I Learned From the Movies, she humorously explores our misconceptions about zombies.

The short begins with three people trapped in a basement during the zombie apocalypse. They finally decide to escape despite the zombie threat outside, but are surprised to find that their assumptions of zombies have made asses out of them.

Everything I Needed to Know About Zombies… is a delightfully fun short that put a big smile on my face and made this jaded horror reviewer giggle, which can be quite a feat for any horror comedy to do! I found the premise clever, charming and original. I was expecting just another smartass zombie short, but I was truly surprised at the direction this short took.

I also loved the acting in the film, especially from the three lead zombies. I can’t say any more without giving too much away, but I will say that for a low budget film the acting was pretty solid and extremely entertaining!

If you ever get a chance to see Everything I Needed to Know About Zombies I Learned From the Movies, I highly recommend you do yourself a favor and check it out!

Visit the film’s Myspace page!

Carriers (2009)

Am I sick of zombie movies? Well, truthfully, kinda. With the exception of a few entertaining ones this year (Zombieland!), I really wasn’t feeling the gut-munchin’ sub-genre in 2009. It’s not that I hate zombie movies (I in fact LOVE them) but nowadays it seems like everyone is churning out a formulaic film with the same gory set-pieces I’ve seen a billion times before.

So, I was kinda iffy on Carriers, even if “technically” isn’t really a zombie movie (like 28 Days Later, the victims are called the “infected” and have a virus). Like I really need another unoriginal post-apocalyptic movie to put me to sleep! Luckily, Carriers surprised me with its intelligent and emotional take on Armageddon.

Carriers tells the tale of four survivors, two brothers and their two girlfriends, who are making their way across the desolate American landscape after a virus has annihilated most of the population. The virus is extremely contagious and once you are infected and there is no cure and you’re as good as dead. There is not much else to the plot, which pits the survivors mostly against themselves and other humans who are simply trying to survive in a world gone topsy-turvy. There are no big chase scenes, no hordes of infected pursuing the survivors, but, to tell you the truth, I thought this take was refreshing. I liked how the action focuses on the drama that occurs between the still-living characters instead of on the infected.

You can’t go into Carriers expecting it to be another 28 Days Later, Land of the Dead or even Zombieland. It can barely be compared to zombie films, because it really isn’t one itself. There is no breakneck action and it is a very slow moving, quiet film whose intent is to show the horrors of being alone in a world where most people are dead or dying. Writers/directors Alex and David Pastor have created a movie that shows how frightening that loneliness really is.

The direction by the two directors is breathtaking. There are lots of shots of the wide-open road, desolate towns and stretches of empty land as far as the eye can see. When the characters enter buildings that may contain the infected or other squatters, the directors build dread and unease with the claustrophobic and dark settings. They even managed some effective jump scares scattered throughout the film!

The acting is top notch as well. You’ll recognize Chris Pine from this year’s Star Trek as tough older brother Brian as well as Piper Perabo as his girlfriend Bobby. His younger, Ivy League brother Danny is played by Lou Taylor Pucci and rounding out their rag-tag group is Kate, played by Emily VanCamp. Christopher Meloni plays a survivor looking for help for his infected young daughter, but other than a few other people the cast is extremely small. Most of the action is directed towards the four survivors, and they all do a fantastic job portraying a weariness that seems far too heavy for them to endure at their young age.

I know some will complain that nothing happens in the film, but I preferred the horrific drama unfolding with the survivors rather than suffer through another brainless (hehe) zombie/killer virus/end of the world flick. This movie will make you think, could I do that if my life depended upon it? It will make you ponder how scary isolation really is and make you wonder if you could leave your loved ones (or even kill them) if they became infected. How far would you go to survive? Carriers really shows the brutality of the human race but how that callousness comes with a price, even when it is necessary.

Carriers is not your typical horror movie, but in a genre over-saturated with insipid zombie flicks and over-the-top end of the world movies, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. A downbeat, bittersweet film to be sure, Carriers is something to check out if you want something a little deeper than the typical brainless horror movie.

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SyFy's Alice miniseries (2009)

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass have always fascinated me and I’ve always wanted to take the tumble through the looking glass and down the rabbit hole to explore Wonderland. So when I heard an adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classics was being done by the SyFy Channel, I was excited…as well as a little nervous. We are all familiar with SyFy’s uneven record when it comes to their films, but trailers for Alice actually looked pretty interesting and promising. And you know what? After catching the miniseries on SyFy the past two nights I was left pleasantly surprised! Alice has a great vision and gives the Alice in Wonderland story a marvelous modern twist!

Writer/director Nick Willing has modernized Alice, making the titular character a woman who chases after her mysterious love interest, Jack, after he gives her a mysterious ring and is shortly thereafter kidnapped by the sinister White Rabbit organization. She ends up falling through the looking glass and ending up in the strange world of Wonderland. Here, The Queen of Hearts rules with an iron fist and is kidnapping humans so they might be drained of their emotions, which are then used as liquid currency among the populace. The Queen uses the humans’ bottled emotions to control her populace and make them complacent. As Alice tries to hunt down the man she loves and return home, she encounters many different personalities that try to help or hinder her quest. On her side are Hatter and The White Knight, as well as “The Resistance” that wish to stop the Queen. Against her are The Queen of Hearts, her minions called “Suites”, evil Doctors Dee and Dum and many others who seek the ring that Alice possesses. Can Alice find Jack and return to her own world or will she lose her head in the process?

This was a delightful adaptation of a classic! I especially enjoyed the clever placement of characters from the original book and how they were updated for this modern take. For example, The Caterpillar is actually an old man (wearing a green coat that closely resembles the original Caterpillar’s skin) who is a leader of The Resistance against the Queen. We even get the flamingos from the book, but this time they are mechanical flying machines that look like a flying Vespa. The infamous Jabberwocky even makes a memorable appearance in its full glory! I loved the modern take on all the characters and appreciated how Willing kept them in the story while still twisting their appearances and characters.

The world that Willing has created is absolutely stunning – from the Queen’s casino where humans are being drained of their emotions to The White Knight’s fallen kingdom and everything in between, Alice is a visual treat! Sure, the CGI is a bit hokey-pokey when Alice is falling towards Wonderland or when they are riding the motorized flamingos, but none of it really affected my overall enjoyment of the miniseries and overall, I think they did a pretty decent job with all the special effects. I thought the Jabberwocky was especially impressive!

The story has a lot more going for it than one would think, too. With corrupt corporations, a wicked Queen, refugees and humans being basically milked of their emotions, not to mention all of the emotional turmoil Alice goes through with her family history and her long-lost love betraying her, this is one story that has quite a bit going on. Yet, it never once feels convoluted or weighed down. On the contrary, all of these different aspects make it feel more cohesive and seamless. Willing did a fantastic job updating the story for modern audiences and adding many pertinent, modern-day issues to it. Plus, he also kept the original humor and absurdity that laced Carroll’s original work.

Of course, the acting assisted in getting me invested in the story. Caterina Scorsone was fantastic as a modern-day Alice, kicking butt and taking names. She also showed the perfect amount of vulnerability without ever losing her edge. Kathy Bates was perfectly cast as the hot-headed Queen of Hearts, Andrew Lee Potts was adorable as Hatter (and a bit more helpful and even-keeled than Carroll’s Mad Hatter), Matt Frewer was entertaining as the cavalier yet confused White Knight and all the other actors did equally amazing!

I had my hesitations about watching SyFy’s Alice, but Willing has created a delightful yet dangerous Wonderland that’s all grown up. I dare say it might even turn out to be better than the wildly overblown look Tim Burton is going for in his adaptation (I still love you, Burton!). So have your own tea party and try to catch a repeat of the miniseries when it plays again on SyFy or when it is released on DVD!

Check it out on Amazon!

Interview with Artist Shane Ryan

Shane Ryan is an artist who crafts gritty, realistic tableaus of terror and is gaining popularity in the horror community. Hailing from Australia, Ryan specializes in intricate hand-drawn depictions of horror. Besides creating works on art on paper and canvas, Ryan also specializes in creating tattoo art. He has won prestigious awards for his art, such as the Guild Of The Golden Owl and Scepter Of The Goblin King Judges Award 2008. His bizarre and dark artwork has been selected for fine art shows both at home in Australia and in the US.

We recently had a chance to chat with Shane Ryan about his love of art, his influences and what draws him to the darker aesthetic. Read on for the interview!

Fatally Yours: How did you discover your talent for art and how long have you been creating art?

Shane Ryan: I started of drawing roughly at the age of 5, like most kids my age I began scribbling my favorite cartoon and comic book characters and have never stopped drawing since. I guess what began as a normal childhood activity quickly became a fascination and I was soon dragging my trusty crayons and scrap paper with me where ever I would go. Drawing is something that’s been with me my whole life pretty much but it wasn’t until I started school, particularly art and writing classes, that I truly discovered I had something a little special going on with my art skills. Especially when all my classmates started getting me to illustrate all there stories for them! I’d say I’ve been creating art for about 25 years now.

Fatally Yours: What inspires and influences your art?

Shane Ryan: There are so many things that inspire and influence my art, such as horror films, music from all styles and genres whether it’s Cradle of Filth, Circle of Tyrants, Hellraiser or some freaked out creepy opera. Music and art are closely related in what motivates their creators and I often find myself blasting tunes that fit the atmosphere and style of the piece that I’m working on or about to start, as well as true crime and the real sick shit that goes on in our world everyday…something mainstream artist’s seem to shy away from for some reason.

Fatally Yours: What draws you to the darker aesthetic?

Shane Ryan: The emotional reaction you can give people viewing your art for one. You just can’t get that sort of play on the human emotions from mainstream art. Ever since I saw my first horror film and the reaction it had on those watching it with me I knew that was what I wanted to achieve from art – to be able to grip people in intrigue and suspense and hopefully scare the crap out of them is a priceless reaction to see from something you’ve created. Also, I’ve always been interested in criminal psychology. That darker side that lurks hidden away in us all is something I’ve always been interested in exploring through my art work.


Fatally Yours: Would you ever consider creating a piece of art that wasn’t necessarily horror-themed?

Shane Ryan: Absolutely not…. no just joking! Dark horror subject matter is most certainly my chosen type of art and were I believe I excel, but I have done a number of non-horror pieces for commission for tattoo designs, fine art, murals, etc., ranging from traditional medieval fantasy art, street art, cartoony type stuff.  I’ve actually been working on a tattoo design at the moment which is a Harley Davidson, bikey themed piece which isn’t necessarily horror-themed but thankfully still has a dark undertone. As long as what I’m working on has some dark element to it I find I can put my heart and soul into it, but when I comes to drawing pixies and unicorns it’s just not happening.

Fatally Yours: Did you have any schooling or are you self-taught?

Shane Ryan: I have done some schooling in the past, namely arts at high school and visual arts at tertiary college, both though I never really learnt much from. My high school teacher couldn’t draw a stick man and anyone that showed more artistic talent and skill than her was treated with abandonment. As for my visual arts studies, the teacher there at least admitted there wasn’t much she could teach me but I still learnt some things from her, mainly mixing and using oils, how to use pastels that type of thing. Basically all the techniques I use today I’ve taught myself, so I defiantly consider myself self taught. I’m actually working with the Australian Arts Council to try and get self taught artist’s to be considered for the Australian Governments Art Start funding. As it stands the funding is only available for university graduates, which I feel is plain wrong not just because I’m missing out but because there are so many talented artist’s out there that are self taught and have just at much potential as any and more then some uni’ graduates. If any of your visitors/readers are self taught artist in Australia and would like to join me on my quest to get us funding let me know.

Fatally Yours: What have your latest projects been?

Shane Ryan: Lately I’ve been doing quite a few custom tattoo designs, which have mainly been horror orientated. One I’m especially proud of which is a full arm piece done in the style of my “Nightmares and Twisted Thoughts” pieces. The way it all come to together as one piece wrapping around his whole arm I’m particularly happy with and hearing back from the client how wrapped he is and that he’s still noticing things in the design that he hadn’t noticed at first is also a buzz. I’ve always enjoyed art where you see more in it the more you look into it and that’s what I aim for with these types of pieces. To hear I’ve succeeded in what I was trying to achieve with the design is very rewarding.

Fatally Yours: What makes your artwork unique?

Shane Ryan: Firstly pieces such as “Nightmares and Twisted Thoughts”, the structure and form of these pieces isn’t something you tend to see everyday. The way in which I form all the contorted heads in such a way that they almost have a abstract edge to them but still remain plausible in there form and structure is something I’ve always worked hard at doing and are particularly proud of being a unique part of my art style. Also I’d say my shading technique is something that’s fairly unique to my work which has often been mistaken in the past as air brushing, which is a compliment really but can also be frustrating when people won’t take your word on it.

Fatally Yours: What is the role of the artist in society? What is the place of your work in society?

Shane Ryan: An artist’s role in society in large is what the artist themselves believe it is. Whether it’s providing people with an insight into something they wouldn’t normally know about or understand, sharing your interpretation of issues and events, inspiring others to achieve or in my case freaking people out, teaching them not talk to strangers and to lock their damn doors at night I guess.

Fatally Yours: Which is more important to you, the subject of your painting, or the way it is executed?

Shane Ryan: For me personally both go hand in hand, you can’t have one without the other, I believe the subject matter is what first draws someone to your work and plays on the viewers emotions and imagination, but it’s the way that it’s executed that keeps them drawn in, the fine details draw people to look into the artwork further and is what I believe turns a good concept into a truly great work of art.

Fatally Yours: Do you prefer a perfect smooth technique or a more energetic expressive technique and why?
Shane Ryan: Most of the time I like to approach my work with a smooth fine technique as I’m a fiend for realism and fine detail rather then a more expressive look which to me lacks the realism I enjoy creating, although on some pieces I have tended to use a slightly more rough, expressive technique to capture a more gritty, grainy feel to the particular piece, such as both my “Tribe” pieces and “Unhappy Campers” which are the more macabre settings of my work and seem to be more at home in a less polished style.

Fatally Yours: How do you get the word out about your art?

Shane Ryan: The best thing anyone can do for getting their art out to the world is networking, networking and more networking. The more people out there you can meet and let know what you do the better, you never know who knows who, whether you do this in a psychical form attending art and films festivals, visiting galleries, talking with people in the industry, getting involved in group shows or through on line methods such as having a site for your art and networking using sites such as Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, linkedIn, forums that are relevant to your art style, genre magazines and, of course, doing interviews with awesome horror sites such as the one I’m doing now.

Fatally Yours: What are your favorite horror movies?

Shane Ryan: For films some of my favorites would be George A. Romero’s Dead films, Dario Argento’s Demons 1 and 2, slasher films from the 80′s such as Friday the 13th and Rosemary’s [Baby], Feast, but really I don’t have a sub genre of horror that I prefer or anything as long as it’s done well, and is freaky enough I’ll get into it, although these days originality is something that I find is lacking in the genre, the remake bandwagon that the genre seems to be stuck on at the moments certainly not helping and I believe is risking horror films becoming to predictable and thus mundane, so come on producers take a gamble and make something original and keep the industry alive.

Fatally Yours: Who are your favorite artists?

Shane Ryan: I’d have to say H.R Giger, whose detail and realism is just awe inspiring and has certainly been a huge influence on my work when it comes to creating works with intricate detail, and Clive Barker – his concepts and style I’ve always been a huge fan of ever since I first watched the original Hellraiser. But with the current boom in the horror industry, including the horror art it’s nearly impossible to have favorites these days, there’s so much awesome talent out there and so many different styles and takes on the horror genre that I find I nearly have new favorite artist each week.

Fatally Yours: What upcoming projects are you working on?

Shane Ryan: I’m currently working on a new fine art piece called “Infection” which is a fusion of my realism and abstract styles, taking my out-of-this-world abstract work/style and getting it to make sense in a real world environment, which I have achieved by depicting a break out of a mutant infection inside an emergency quarantine medical ward, resulting in the once were humans in the ward becoming contorted twisted freaks. Also the bikey themed tattoo design I mentioned earlier, plus a number of other fine art pieces that I’m currently throwing ideas around the darkest corners of my imagination for, which I’m going to be putting to paper over the next few months. I also have some possible film contracts for story boarding and concept art on the horizon that if they turn into reality I will be starting work on real soon.

Visit Shane Ryan’s Official Site!

Book Review: On Monsters - An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears by Stephen T. Asma

What do you think of when you hear the word “monster”? Do you think of what could be lurking in the shadows or do you think of the latest murderer to pop up on the news? Are our fears governed by the unknown or the ever-present threat that a monster could be living next door? Where do our fears of monsters even come from?

Stephen T. Asma’s masterful and whimsical tome, On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears, seeks to answer these questions by giving a comprehensive account of all kinds of monsters and their changing roles in society. Asma takes on through different eras to show us how monsters were perceived and how humans tried to explain and rationalize them. He covers five different parts with his book, starting with ancient monsters (griffins, Cyclops, gorgons, etc.) to Biblical monsters (Behemoth, Gog and Magog, demons, etc.) to scientific monsters (where seemingly supernatural or abnormal “monsters” were explained and rationalized by science) to the more modern “inner” monsters and examining their psychological aspects to the final part of the book which examines monsters today and tomorrow (terrorists, technology, etc.).

Asma’s expansive book seeks to examine monsters from the past and present and exactly pin point how and why each era’s monsters so terrified its denizens. The book explores how monsters were handled and how some became incorporated into scientific rationality while some defied (and continue to defy) logic.

On Monsters is an amazingly insightful, educational and even humorous book and begins with detailing some of the oldest recorded writings on monsters. Asma presents all the facts, then postulates on whether ancient monsters were actually real or just embellished accounts of extraordinary animals. He continues to do this across each era he examines, presenting more and more monsters that have been written about through the centuries. On Monsters would be a fascinating read if it were merely a catalog of monsters, but Asma goes much, much further than cryptozoology and examines the philosophies of many different cultures when dealing with “monsters”. For example, Asma delves into the philosophies of Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, Darwin, Freud and many, many more to try and discern their views on the monstrous and how monsters fit into their world views.

Asma accompanies his cultural and philosophical studies of monsters with his many detailed drawings along with reprinted photographs and pictures from other texts. These add to an overall comprehension of the monsters and each era’s apprehension about them. It’s so great to be able to see interpretations as to how certain by-gone monsters looked (griffins, Cyclops, manticores, Behemoth, the dog-headed version of St. Christopher, sea monsters, etc.) as well as more misunderstood “monsters”, including people with medical conditions that were put into side shows (Fedor Jeftichew – the “dog-faced boy” and William Henry Johnson – “Zip the Pinhead”) and medical anomalies like the so-called “headless children”. Asma’s own drawings are extremely detailed and really look like sketches one might find in old scientific texts on supposed “monsters”.

On Monsters is an insightful and wondrous book packed to the gills with the history of monsters and how views on monsters have changed across time. Yet, each era will have its own examples of monsters and the monstrous can never be fully eradicated. Asma shows us that if we learn to live with our “monsters” our lives might be all the better for it.

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The Curse of Micah Rood (2009)

The Curse of Micah Rood is a short film based on an old and true Connecticut legend of cursed apples that have a pattern that looks like a blood stain in their center. The legend dates back to 17^th century Connecticut, and the variety of apple was available up until the 1930’s.

Filmmaker Alec Asten has stayed true to the original legend of Micah Rood and constructed an eerie short film on the supposed true events.

The film begins in 17^th century Connecticut and hard-working farmer Micah Rood. Rood is obsessed with his apple orchard, which yields some of the sweetest fruit in New England, and he is convinced the townspeople are stealing from him. Because of this, he distrusts pretty much anyone and has become a recluse. His suspicions are further aroused when a traveling peddler comes to his farm and seeks shelter. He seems overly interested in Rood’s apples, putting Rood on the defensive. The next morning Rood discovers that the peddler has stolen apples from him and exacts swift and brutal justice underneath his prize apple tree. Obsession and madness soon follow when the apples are discovered to be tainted in their middles with blood-like splotches.

Filmmaker Alec Asten has crafted a taut and intriguing short film that is also visually rich. The unique story, with the screenplay by Nick Checker, is one that hasn’t been explored before and it makes for an eerily haunting film. The fact that the film is based on a true story makes it that much more interesting. The Micah Rood apple, with its distinctive bloody spot in its middle, mysteriously appeared in conjunction with the legend, but the last known variety of the apple tree was destroyed by a hurricane in the 1930’s. Still, its strange markings have never been scientifically explained and there have never been any other apple varieties like it.

Besides the rich story, the film is wrapped in an ominous tension that keeps building until the startling finale. The cinematography by Marc Wishengrad is filled with stark tones, flickering shadows and splashes of vibrant color, all which help build suspense and create a spooky atmosphere. I especially loved the shots of blood dripping from the apple trees.

The acting was also surprisingly good, especially for a low-budget film. Ron Palillo, best known for playing “Horshack” in the ‘70s show Welcome Back Kotter, does well playing Micah Rood, though sometimes the character’s thick Scottish accent gives the short an unintentionally comic feel. Some of the dialogue feels a bit heavy-handed and melodramatic at times, but other than those two problems I enjoyed this short very much.

The Curse of Micah Rood is an excellent short film that relies on psychological thrills as opposed to copious blood and gore. If you dig historical horror stories that are based on true legends, The Curse of Micah Rood is a very engaging film to check out!

Visit the Official Site!

Deadline (2009)

A good haunted house movie is an extremely rare find. Perhaps the most well-done and well-known haunted house movie among hardcore horror fans is Robert Wise’s 1963 film The Haunting. This is a film that still manages to creep under my skin as the ominous Hill House seemingly becomes a character itself and terrorizes the characters with strange noises and odd occurrences.

I am always excited to watch haunted house/ghost movies because they are one of my favorite sub-genres of horror, even though I usually end up disappointed that the film failed to scare me. So, I settled in to watch the new release Deadline with excitement yet trepidation…hoping it would utilize its atmosphere to the max but ready to be disappointed.

Was Deadline a rare haunted house movie that actually entertained or was it another flop? Read on to find out…

After an unexplained traumatic event, Alice (Brittany Murphy) retreats to an old Victorian house in the middle of nowhere to finish her screenplay under an encroaching deadline. Though isolation is what Alice was initially seeking, she soon feels as if she isn’t alone in the house. Strange noises, wet footprints and an ominous atmosphere start to make her feel paranoid. In the attic she finds videotapes of the house’s previous occupants, a newlywed couple (Marc Blucas and Thora Birch), and she soon finds that their damaged relationship mirrors her own tragic past. Are their ghosts haunting her or is it merely her own damaged psyche playing tricks on her?

From the synopsis you can tell this isn’t a terribly original movie, and yet the first few scenes pulled me into the story. The mystery surrounding Alice’s past and the beautifully gloomy Victorian house held my attention for the first 20 minutes or so, but from there the film treads familiar “haunted house” territory. There’s the obligatory spooky sounds (dripping water, strange creaking, etc.) a bathtub that seemingly fills itself in the middle of the night, lights that turn on and off, things that fall over and so on. While most of us would be calling the closest cab to get us out of there, Alice seems more intrigued than frightened. Even after discovering watery footprints leading up to the attic, she still takes the time to go through the previous occupants belongings, unbelievably not worried that an intruder might be in the house! There are several far-fetched instances like this throughout the film, where suspension of disbelief is pushed a bit too far.

The film is also peppered with several plot holes or unresolved plot points. We eventually find out that Alice was in an abusive relationship and she is scared her significant other has or will track her down. And yet, I don’t feel this part of the story was exploited enough for tension and scares. It kinda drops away, forgotten, until the last part of the film and even then it’s not utilized to its potential. Also, Alice’s closest friend Rebecca (Tammy Blanchard) gets calls regularly from a freaked out Alice, but never pays her a visit to make sure she is ok?  As for plot holes, the couple that lived there previously to Alice was reported missing, but the police never found the tapes that Alice discovered that would have explained their disappearance? And why didn’t Alice watch the “final” tape to start with? If she had, she would have been out there lickity split (but we wouldn’t have had a film, which actually might have been a good thing!).

The familiarity of the story in addition to the niggling plot problems really dragged this film down for me. It started fairly strongly, but soon became repetitive and even boring. There was little suspense or tension, and I really feel that more should have been done to make it scary. A lot of important plot points (like Alice’s abusive ex) were just left on the backburner, when they could have been used to really crank up the tension. Plus, the big finale was a real let-down and you can pretty much see it coming (and Alice should have seen it coming, too).

One of the film’s only good points was the evocative score, which really added to the overall gloomy atmosphere of the location. Also, the cinematography by Ross Richardson was stunning, capturing the dark shadows of the old house and making it a character onto itself. I also appreciated that there weren’t many cheap jump scares and director/writer Sean McConville relied on atmosphere over shocks. I just wished he had pushed it a little further and capitalized more on Alice’s turbulent past and fragile mental state.

Horror fans will most likely not enjoy Deadline. It is too by-the-numbers to keep the interest of well-watched horror fans. However, it may appeal to those with little experience in the horror genre and more mainstream audiences.

Order it on Amazon!