I was really surprised by the quality of the film that Mane and Geerlings wrote and produced! I don't know Tyler Mane outside of the silent superhero/villain roles he had played previously in movies like X-men and Troy. This was the first real time I have seen him act, he's not Olivier or even a Jason Statham level, but he carried this movie well as the lead character. He's got the size of somebody you see as being Quite threatening physically without having to take his shirt off. He is just naturally a really big guy. Same with Derek Mears who plays the villain in this.
The plot is mired in some genre conventions but not a rip off of any other picture in a specific way.
Spoiler part.......
It is a haunting story, of a malevolent spirit of Mane's character psychotic ex brother in law. Mears murdered Mane's sister right in front of Geerlings, who portrays Mane's fiancée, and Saxon, who portrays Mane's nephew. Mane then stumbled upon the scene and killed Mears before he could finish killing Geerlings and Saxon. Mane's family harbours a secret of knowing how to control your transition into the afterlife. Every family member has a rune carved into their fore-arm flesh that allows them to manifest themselves inside their family home and thus spend eternity together. Unknown to Mane and Watson, who plays the family patriarch, Saxon's mother had carved the rune into Mears arm, before he went psychotic and was a loving husband, out of love at the time.
Their are some undercurrents of spousal abuse permeating the lives of Watson involving his deceased ex-wife, Mane's mother, who's cause of death is truly heartbreaking and the reason why Mane despises his dad. The violence also involves his current wife as well, played by Police Academy's Leslie Easterbrook. Easterbrook, a former Second City cast member in the 70s, does a great job in the small dramatic role. I had only seen her in comedies before and was surprised at her abilities.
The movie does contain some graphic gore, nothing too over the top, the level of injury seems natural to cause a death.
I look forward to seeing more of what Mane and Geerlings can provide in the future. In terms of low budget film making, they really delivered here with something better than most Hollywood A-level budget horror attempts.
The plot is mired in some genre conventions but not a rip off of any other picture in a specific way.
Spoiler part.......
It is a haunting story, of a malevolent spirit of Mane's character psychotic ex brother in law. Mears murdered Mane's sister right in front of Geerlings, who portrays Mane's fiancée, and Saxon, who portrays Mane's nephew. Mane then stumbled upon the scene and killed Mears before he could finish killing Geerlings and Saxon. Mane's family harbours a secret of knowing how to control your transition into the afterlife. Every family member has a rune carved into their fore-arm flesh that allows them to manifest themselves inside their family home and thus spend eternity together. Unknown to Mane and Watson, who plays the family patriarch, Saxon's mother had carved the rune into Mears arm, before he went psychotic and was a loving husband, out of love at the time.
Their are some undercurrents of spousal abuse permeating the lives of Watson involving his deceased ex-wife, Mane's mother, who's cause of death is truly heartbreaking and the reason why Mane despises his dad. The violence also involves his current wife as well, played by Police Academy's Leslie Easterbrook. Easterbrook, a former Second City cast member in the 70s, does a great job in the small dramatic role. I had only seen her in comedies before and was surprised at her abilities.
The movie does contain some graphic gore, nothing too over the top, the level of injury seems natural to cause a death.
I look forward to seeing more of what Mane and Geerlings can provide in the future. In terms of low budget film making, they really delivered here with something better than most Hollywood A-level budget horror attempts.