“Don’t Look Away” is a textbook movie for anyone wanting to learn how to make a scary, funny, and attention-worthy thriller for almost no money. Need something to "stalk" the victims, a novel twist on The Many Faces of Chucky and a novel piece of Biblical problem solving? What could be scarier than a killer dummy?
“He moves without moving,” an alarmed would-be victim mutters in a less-experienced actor's version of shock. “He is everywhere and nowhere at the same time,” gasps another. This is how you solve the problem of "animating" an inanimate object, a mysterious and murderous "mannequin, like the ones they have at Bloomingdale's" that in shadows and silhouette resembles Gort from "The Day the Earth Stood Still" who did the diet. Slenderman Fast. .
Director: Micheal Bafaro
Writers: Micheal Bafaro, Michael Mitton
Stars: Kelly Bastard, Michael Mitton, Colm Hill
It doesn't really "move". He has edited, quite cleverly, this place, that shadow, and right into your face. It's terribly creepy, and the youngsters he's chasing yell "DON'T LOOK AWAY" because that's when he sneaks up on you. "Run! GET OUT!"
Well, they're young Canadians, so it's "Get OOOOT!" But you get the idea. Kelly Bastard (okaaay) plays Frankie, the young woman who accidentally stumbles upon a hijacked truck where the hijackers are killed when they open the lonely box in that trailer. She "sees" what did this. She is speechless.
PhD candidate Steve's boyfriend (Colm Hill) has a hard time getting his LSAT-studying girlfriend to say anything to him or taking her fear of him seriously. But his friends drag her to the club. A bit of molly from her friend Molly (Vanessa Nostbakken) and Frankie not only seeing things in the shadows, she's struggling to explain to the police how she's covered in someone else's blood, as it's not the first time in recent years. two days. .
Her friends don't believe her until they see "it". Steve may never accept it, but old boyfriend Jonah (co-writer Michael Mitton) does. He sees this plastic "SlenderMan".
Mitton and director Michael Bafaro, known as "The Michaels," shared writing credits on this hit or miss indie. They could have leaned a bit more into how darkly funny this all is. Horror references abound in the dialogue, editing (“Signs”), and we “hear” our friends watching “The Shining.”
There's a threat level that builds too slowly that should add to the suspense and fear, but doesn't. However, only a couple of players seem very good at transmitting "terror".
An energetic, bravura opening with mostly off-camera violence (slaughter and gunshots heard, not seen) and the viewer getting only a fraction of a glance at this terrifying prop in the shadows outside of Frankie's field of vision it finally sinks into a more boring talky, half relational act. And the "explanatory" ending leaves much to be desired.
But the blocking, shot compositions, cinematography and editing energize it, and a chilling electronic score by Phil Western recalls the musical gifts of John Carpenter, which is the idea.
Shortcomings aside, by all means take that title seriously. "Don't Look Away", you might be missing out on something scary, funny and pretty good.
Watch Don't Look Away 2023 Movie Trailer
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