directed by Brett Pierce and Drew Pierce
It's also quite obviously set in my home state of Michigan though I can't remember if the story made that explicit. It was shot in Michigan.
It might as well have made its location explicit as there is plenty of expository dialogue about people maintaining vacation homes and farms in the north of the state. That's what lots of Michiganders, including some of my family and friends, do. Boating is also a big part of the story.
After some spoilerish events which I won't mention open the film we see that the film's default hero, troubled teen Ben (John-Paul Howard), has moved in with his father Liam (Jamison Jones). Liam is a usually genial man who is going through a divorce with Ben's mother. Ben was implicated in some minor criminality which is why his mother has temporarily sent him up north to live and work with his Daddy.
Well Liam is less interested in playing strict paterfamilias than in trying to convince Ben to accept that Liam has swiftly moved on to a new significant other, Sara (Azie Tesfai), who works with Liam at the marina which he owns/runs.
Working at the marina Ben runs afoul of some richer kids but also befriends a co-worker Mallory (Piper Curda) who might have some interest in him. Ben's unsure if he wants to reciprocate as he's more interested in another girl. Liam and Ben's neighbors are Ty (Kevin Bigley) and Abbie (Zarah Mahler-looking both delectable and dangerous). They have two children, the older son Dillon (Blaine Crockarell) and a baby. Dillon and Ben are friendly.
Driving home, when Abbie hits and kills a deer, she decides to bring it home to use it for meat. As she explains to a skeptical Ty she doesn't want Dillon growing up thinking that meat comes from the supermarket wrapped in plastic. Abbie's an outdoorsy type woman. She routinely takes Dillon for walks in the woods. Once Dillon noticed some trees with some strange markings before his mother found him.
Coming home late, Ben notices some strange movements in his neighbor's yard and a new hole underneath their porch. Attempting to investigate, Ben is politely told by Ty to stay on his own property and that there are plenty of animals out and about.
Soon, Dillon comes to Ben's home and claims that something is wrong with his mother Abbie. He doesn't want to be around her. And that is enough plot description. This is one of the better horror films made in recent years. I'm not sure but it looked as if the primary special effects were not CGI or at least not just CGI. They looked real.
This film uses darkness and light equally well. There are some very obvious nods to Hansel and Gretel and other myths that involve monstrous women. I thought the film would have done better to not include a prequel scene in the opening moments of the movie. I appreciated that no one believes Ben after he's done his research and found that 1 + 1 = 3. Occasionally this is played for laughs as Liam is convinced his son has been on drugs again.
This film is creepy with minimal special effects. Ben's habit of watching Abbie, who has suddenly changed her wardrobe from grunge wear to high slit sundresses, through his window is not exactly calculated to make Liam or Mallory think his interests are protective and not voyeuristic.
TRAILER
