#Kevon Cronin

[thebutcher-5]

Wolf Hunter

Benvenuti o bentornati sul nostro blog. Nello scorso articolo abbiamo deciso di catapultarci nel mondo della fantascienza e in particolar modo un film sci-fi incentrato sui paradossi temporali davvero interessante ossia Predestination. La storia è incentrata su un agente spazio-temporale il cui compito è catturare un noto terrorista chiamato Frizzle Bomber che nel passato, nel 1975, fece un…

[fearsmagazine]

THE RETURN - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: Uncork'd Entertainment

SYNOPSIS: Rodger returns home from college with his friends Beth and Jordan to settle the affairs of his recently deceased father. They begin to experience weird and unsettling occurrences in the house. Rodger’s strange childhood memories about a haunting by a ghostly presence begin to resurface. The memories boil over into reality culminating in an intense showdown with the terror that has returned.

REVIEW: THE RETURN is an old school horror film that combines classic story elements in a fresh and engaging film that features some impressive locations and solid visuals.

The story focuses on Rodger who has some serious family issues, memory loss, unresolved personal issues with his girl friend and best friend, not to mention the presence in his family home that might have killed his father. The plot is a mixed bag of elements as Rodger and his friends try to Scooby-Doo the mystery behind his past and the presence, which may be connected. The story has some nicely crafted characters that engage the viewer and pull them into the drama. The narrative slowly peels back layers to get at the mystery and the film offers up explanation through both dissertation and visuals. I thought the family background story was nicely crafted and developed to add another level of mystery and tension to the drama. AS the veil is lifted the story does an excellent job of moving Rodger from the outskirts of the storm to the eye. I thought the character of Rodger’s psychiatrist was a tad cliched, but still effective. An excellent balance of characters, story, and a nice hook at the end.

BJ Verot and his team have found some excellent locations. Rodger’s family home is a nice piece of architecture. The set dressing feels genuine and the layout flows so you don’t feel that some of the rooms, especially the basement, feel like a set, but an actual location. The visual effects had a bit of a cgi edge to them, but they were impressive in the scale and rendering. The film is nicely paced, some fluid transitions, and solid framing. I enjoyed the cinematography, but felt that night scenes could have a bit more softer tone to add a little more mystery, surreal feel to them. Overall, it was very impressive.

Verot has assembled an impressive cast. The performances, the relationships, their reactions to the unknown feel organic. I have to admit that at first I thought actor Richard Harmon was cast partially because he has that Robert Pattinson look, I mean they could pass for brothers. Once I got over it his performance drew me into the narrative and I was along for the ride. He had great chemistry with his co-stars and you believe their connections and issues. Actress Sara Thompson, who has done quite a bit of work on television, is sublime as Rodger’s girlfriend Beth. Her performance feels genuine and honest. Actress Echo Andersson plays Rodger's childhood friend Jordan. She was simply a delight to watch. She radiated a complex spectrum of emotions and she was able to emote so much with her eyes. I loved her performance and feel she has a long way to go before she’s tapped into the full potential of her talents.

BJ Verot’s THE RETURN is a film that looks and feels like a late 80’s studio genre film. It has a well crafted story, great cast, impressive visuals that make for a memorable viewing experience. While you might think you know where the story is going, Verot offers a few unexpected twists and turns to keep you guessing and keep the story fresh. I enjoyed this film, and I think I would have enjoyed it even more on a big screen with an audience. In the end I’m a fan of the film, BJ Verot, and this cast. Can’t wait to see what this talent group of Canadian filmmakers do next!

CAST: Richard Harmon, Sara Thompson, Echo Andersson, Marina Stephenson Kerr, Erik Athavale, Gwendolyn Collins, Zoe Fish and Kristen Sawatzky. CREW: Director/Screenplay/Producer - BJ Verot; Screenplay - Ken Janssens; Cinematographer - Brad Crawford; Score - Kevon Cronin; Editor - Jeremy Guenette; Costume Designer - Laura DeLuca; Production Designer - Chad Giesbrecht; Visual Effects Supervisor - Andrew Degryse OFFICIAL: N.A. FACEBOOK: N.A. TWITTER: N.A. TRAILER: https://youtu.be/ak-UtnUTHf8 RELEASE DATE: VOD and DVD August 10th, 2021

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay),  or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri