Sunday, June 10, 2012

The Pact Shows Spirit(s): A Movie Review



Director/writer: Nicholas McCarthy.

Cast: Caity Lotz, Casper Van Dien, Agnes Bruckner, Mark Steger, Haley Hudson, Kathleen Rose Perkins, and Sam Ball.

The Pact is Nicholas McCarthy's first feature. The story here is based on a short film of the same name that debuted at Sundance in 2011. The short has been expanded upon with some casting changes. Caity Lotz stars as Annie; she is a woman returning to her birthplace. Her mother has recently died and the funeral leads to some mysterious disappearances. McCarthy then plays with genres as the film begins as a supernatural mystery that shifts to a serial killer thriller. Both of these genres are set in one very haunted house.

The story begins with Nichole (Agnes Bruckner) who returns for the funeral first. She talks with her daughter on Skype late one night only to see mysterious shapes out of the corner of her eye. She disappears later that night. Her sister, Annie, goes in search of her with her cousin (Kathleen Rose Perkins), Liz. Liz also disappears. By this time, Annie calls in the reinforcements with a disbelieving detective (Casper Van Dien). The bodies stack up as Annie's mother tries to point her in the right direction (from the grave).


Much of that pointing comes through a supernatural wrestling match, strange pictures and haunting dreams. A poltergeist is about. The trickery continues with Annie also seeing strange shapes. Lights flicker and the film teases a supernatural mystery. After all, there is a ghostly hand pointing Annie to her next clue. But, then the genre changes. As Annie digs deeper, a more physical presence makes itself known. Apparently, there is a serial killer in the family and he may or may not still be active. That plot device will remain hidden. It is at this point that the genre changes to that of a serial killer thriller. The clues are now more violent with hidden bodies turning up in the basement.

Nicholas McCarthy is admittedly a horror fan, so he tries to include as much material as possible in this short 90 minutes. And, The Pact has this haunted house feel. Lights flicker, closets hold memories and a secret room promises stories of torture and murder. These walls have a tale. These walls also host a ghost or two as expunged by a medium. They desire rest or release of some sort. McCarthy also keeps this eerie setting in partial darkness at night to allow the spirits to roam. The house is small and rooms are dank, which helps create some of the film's tension. This is one of the better haunted house thrillers to come out so far this year.

The Pact was an enjoyable watch for many reasons. Lotz's Annie is troubled, alone and mistrusting. Her character is multi-dimensional and watching Annie struggle towards the truth is one of the film's draws. There are other mentionables. The music amplifies the tension on screen ever so subtly. It is especially chilling during the climactic final act. McCarthy uses pacing well with the film developing slowly over time. Some might not appreciate this slower build, but the payoff is worth the wait. As well, the final act does bring together the supernatural and the killer for a tense few final minutes. And this is how a horror film should be: exciting and tense.

The Pact is a great little horror film that should be seen by a larger audience. Released on video-on-demand May 25th, The Pact is highly recommended. Just make sure you turn the lights down low to experience some of the terror that lies in the film's many shadows. And expect a few transitions as McCarthy plays with genres and directing styles to more fully create a thrilling piece. The Pact is worth seeing and fans of the genre should enjoy this slow build to a supernatural explosion.

Overall: 7 out of 10 (good characters, a solid climax, good blend of the supernatural with the physical, a twist or two).

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