In Fear and Full of Adrenalin with Jeremy Lovering's First Feature: A Movie Review

Full disclosure: a theatrical screening of this film was provided by Sinister Cinema.

Director/writer: Jeremy Lovering.

Cast: Iain De Caestecker, Alice Englert and Allen Leech.

Jeremy Lovering's first feature film, In Fear, played in twenty-eight Canadian cities March 13th, 2014. Sinister Cinema hosted this one night engagement. This horror fan managed to see the screening and the trip was well worth it. In Fear is an indie horror and thriller title, which was filmed in the United Kingdom. Full of tense situations and surprises, In Fear is one of the best indie features this film fan has seen.

The story is simple in nature. A new, young couple are heading out to a music festival together, but Tom (Iain De Caestecker) wants to take a detour, to an isolated Irish hotel. Lucy (Alice Englert) plays along. And soon, this couple is driving off into the remote Irish meadows. Except, these meadows repeat and repeat over and over again, with Tom and Lucy becoming lost. A passerby, Max (Allen Leech), comes between the duo and a masked man hounds their travels. But, events and motivations are not as they appear.

Australian actress Alice Englert as Lucy.

In Fear is mostly an indie horror feature. The focus is on two characters for much of the film: Tom and Lucy. Indie horror features often follow just a few characters. An isolated thoroughfare is the main setting. Meanwhile, phones lose service and a GPS unit malfunctions. And, horror films often isolate characters. As well, there is lots of cat-and-mouse play. But, there is also tension.

This film is one of the more perplexing and tense films to release this year. Lots of questions come up during a viewing of this film (at least for one viewer). Is Tom creating all of the chaos onscreen? Are local pub patrons stalking this couple? Are these woods cursed? Much of the story is left unexplained, until late in the film. All of the mystery creates for some great tension and thrills. Once the film's McGuffin is revealed, events play out a little more like a typical horror feature.

Still, there are a number of surprises housed within In Fear. The fates of all of the character's are revealed in a surprising fashion. The fate of two characters is ambiguous, but this viewer has his own ending for the film. Some of the surprises come from the answers to the questions above. Those answers are fairly simple and less elaborate than those created by the mind. And, these surprises are what keep the film fun and exciting.

In Fear is one of the better indie features to come out so far this year. From settings to performances, this production is world class. Also, director Jeremy Lovering captures much of the action with tight, interior shots. A claustrophobic feeling begins to develop. As well, the soundtrack from Daniel Pemberton and Roly Porter is eerie. The music helps create much of the tense atmosphere. Overall, there are few missteps in Lovering's first film.

Most horror and thrillers fans would enjoy this indie feature from Big Talk Productions. Although the story is on the smallish side, the use of darkness and atmosphere creates for an entertaining time. Horror elements appear in the final acts, but this title is thrilling much of the way through. With few speedbumps, In Fear was a compelling and unique feature, set in the remote and possibly haunted Irish highlands.

Overall: 8.25 out of 10 (small story, few characters, lots of unsettling moments, the open conclusion is a mild letdown).

A trailer for In Fear is here:

In Fear Trailer on 28DLA


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Posted in: 2014,independent,indie,irish,movie,movie review,review,story,synopsis,united kingdom