Review of Beneath (2007) by Robert B — 30 Oct 2007

Christy returns home to battle the demons of her childhood, which involve a horrible accident, a peculiar grandmother, and a boogeyman.

I didn't expect much from this film. The MTV logo, and straight to dvd pedigree did little to whet my appetite. However, I'm glad I gave this one a chance.

It's clear that this is a first time film maker. The opening sequence (or "development" period) was very poorly constructed. It rushed forward towards the more interesting and more thought provoking midsection of the film. This unfortunately sacrificed little things like character development, pretense, and a structural foundation so the audience has a clear notion of who is who. The direction at this stage of the movie seems "unique" at best. Oddly enough, what hinders the film in the beginning directionwise, actually propels the movie towards its inevitable climax. Once we're in the house with Christy the tense moments continue to build. A reasonably executed mystery unfolds, and we as the audience are treated to a circular mystery that rarely leaves us with a familiar ground to stand on. There are some tense moments, and the film kept my interest throughout. That said, Matthew Settle was particularly flat in this film (and really in anything he does), and there are some "cheese" elements. Overlook these and take the film at face value and you'll find it's not a bad way to spend 1.5 hours. It should be interesting to see what comes next from this filmmaker.