Yes, we know, it’s a knock-off title. We can’t blame the filmmakers here, though since the title change is down to the distributors. We can blame them for the rest of the movie, though.
Looking to make some money, college student Jim (Parris Bates) takes a job housesitting for an elder lady, Eunice (Rebecca Kimble, who – according to her IMDb page – started out working with the Black and White Minstrels, but we won’t hold a grunge for that) and her son Tony (Jon Ashley Hall, who unfortunately doesn’t have a similar skeleton in his CV, although he did contribute to the screenplay). Eunice has already creeped Jim out but soon he’ll experience something spectral, which appears to have emigrated from a substandard J-horror.
Written and directed by Calvin Morié McCarthy – who has a good eye for setting up sequences but not necessarily making them interesting – the film biggest problem is its pedestrian pace. We can forgive low budget restraints when it comes to actors and even video quality, but if you’re working on a shoestring at least keep the viewer awake. The scenes of horror are peppered throughout and some are well conceived and executed, but endless footage of Bates looking sullen won’t cut it in a 90-minute film. The retitle doesn’t do the picture any favours whatsoever. It’s not set in Amityville and the spirit isn’t a poltergeist, so we’re doubly short changed. The movie does make a good point about the dangers of owning a gun at least.
Away from the negatives, some of the cinematography is wonderful, which is where McCarthy must be congratulated and there are moments when some eerie atmosphere almost breaks through. Fans of indie horror might get something out of it, but the mainstream the title is aiming for will find it a turn off.
Release Date: Out Now (US)
