The Canal (2014)

Information

mdclarke
Watching this film just after watching The Babadook (2014) and Jessebelle (2014) leaves it at a bit of a disadvantage-- as far as supernatural thrillers dealing with parental trauma, the aforementioned are executed more crisply and with more effective endings. That said, this film offers great slow-burn horror and a very isolating, tightly singular narration (we see the world as the protagonist does, perhaps not as it truly is). Production-wise, the acting at its core is on par with some of the better indie horrors I've seen recently, though the quality dips as the circle widens to include tertiary characters (notably crummy is Steve Oram as stock surly detective). The connection to film through the protagonists role as film archivist heightens the tension of what is real and what is perceived, though some may complain that the reliance on "old reel-to-reel that has something spooky on it" (like those prevalent in Sinister (2012)) is becoming a boring way to produce scares. My only real complaints are towards the herky-jerky camera style to enhance active scares, and the thinly explained ending that comes together more like A BIG TWIST than a well-concluded story (which is a shame because there are some Rosemary's Baby (1968) elements that could have really salted the wounds if they didn't seem hollowed by the rapid conclusion). 9 years 4 months ago