Review: The Horror

Director Jerry J White’s debut film, The Horror,  is a psychological thriller that takes you on a journey behind the mind of a man pushed past the breaking point.  Kayla and Malcom have just gone through the most traumatic experience of their young lives. Their family lake house is burglarized, and then they witness their parents death in a car crash.

Kayla, played by Kayla Nocera, is the more responsible sibling. She’s currently seeing a psychiatrist to learn to cope with what has happened, and Malcom, played by writer Raymond Creamer refuses to do so, letting his own personal darkness take over. The film takes you on a trip back to the lake house with Kayla, Malcom, and their friends. Their friends see that the situation they’ve undergone has truly changed them both.

The actors in the film aren’t terribly convincing. The acting style was reminiscent of watching a high school play. That made it very hard to really emerge myself into the film. Also, the sequence of events is hard to follow while bouncing back and forth to Kayla in therapy, and true events.

Despite the film’s shortcomings, there were many details that made it a unique addition to the horror genre. The cinematography, directed by Tristan Noelle, was a breath of fresh air. It was a brilliant showcase of the films setting in Lima, Ohio, and Bear Lake, Michigan. The visuals of the film were a main facet in the production.

The music, which seemed to go hand in hand with cinematography, was also remarkably individual to the horror depicted onscreen. There was not a score throughout the film, adding to the eerie impression of the cinematography. However, when you hear the delicate notes of the soundtrack, the disturbing notion of the film comes together. The music was specifically used to represent the visuals, or characters in each scene. It was a truly remarkable experience over all, watching the way that the film and music come together.

All in all, I’d say The Horror is worth watching at least once to experience distinct take on the genre itself. They took something dark and terrifying, and put it together with something alluring and rare. Keep an eye on Moondog Media. There’s more to come from them very soon, and with this being their first production, I’m sure we’ll get to see them grow, and create more beautiful works of art.

Wicked Rating: 4/10

Director: Jerry J White III

Writer(s): Raymond Creamer

Studio/Production Co: Moondog Media

Stars: Raymond Creamer, Kayla Nocera

Year: 2015

Running Time: 74 minutes

Sub-genre: Psychological Thriller