Review of Dread (2009) by Danielle K — 20 Aug 2011

Slow-moving, genuinely unsettling movie, based on a Clive Barker story, written by the director, about an obsessive sadist, Quaid who starts up a friendship with a wannabe filmmaker/student, Stephen talking him into basing his thesis on fear, interviewing a plethora of subjects, observing their moments of dread. Stephen partners with Cheryl, an editor, and the trio compile the thesis, but Quaid wants more truth and trauma..it's all part of Quaid's ultimate goal to understand fear through others' dread so he can be freed from the monster that lurks in his nightmares, a hooded killer who used an axe to butcher his parents right before his eyes.

Psychological-horror would be the best way to describe this movie. It plays on the deep rooted fears of people but please don't expect from this movie to give you plenty of scare moments, or anything of that sort. It's not really a horror in the classic most common sense of the word. The drama plays an important part as well, which only strengthens the movie its psychological-horror aspects. In that regard alone this movie already works out as an original and interesting one. The movie has a story that steadily but slowly progresses. Yet the movie becomes never a boring or dragging one because it is capable of getting you involved with the characters and their stories. It's a real intriguing movie to watch and because it's being so original, you also can't really predict all the time what is going to happen next in it. No, not everything works convincing or works out as strong and effective as it could had but still this movie feels like a breath a fresh air and is perfectly watchable.