Review of Absentia (2011) by Jim B — 16 Mar 2012

Absentia is a creepy and subtle horror flick that starts out like a traditional haunting movie and turns into quite something else. After her husband has been missing for 7 years, Tricia (Courtney Bell) is set to have him declared dead and then try to move on.

Joined by her troubled sister Callie (Katie Parker), Tricia is reluctantly ready to start a new life when she suddenly starts having hallucinations of her husband who seems to be quite angry about being declared dead and that his wife is now pregnant from her new cop boyfriend (Dave Levine).

But, those hallucinations are only the beginning of what seems to a surreal nightmare. Absentia is a very effective low budget chiller from writer/director Mike Flanagan who not only crafts an interesting tale of missing people and what might happen to them but, also touches on the emotional struggle of those left behind.

Flanangan maintains an atmosphere of dread and even cleverly leaves enough doubt in our minds that keeps us on edge as to whether this is a product of denial and emotional distress, or, is it really the work of something else.

To say anymore would ruin a really enjoyable and spooky low budget horror that is refreshingly back to basics and knows that sometimes less is more. Mike Flanagan is a filmmaker to keep an eye on.