In Fear [2013 Psychological Horror]

BLOT: (23 Mar 2014 - 02:30:58 PM)

In Fear [2013 Psychological Horror]

cast and crew. Starring Iain De Caestecker, Alice Englert, and Allen Leech. Written and directed by Jeremy Lovering. Soundtrack by Roly Porter and Daniel Pemberton. Produced by James Biddle and Nira Park.

gist. Tom and Lucy are on the way to meet friends at a festival when he springs a surprise side-trip to a hotel on her. Trying to find their way proves problematic, as backwoods roods crisscross and signs pointing to the hotel end up contradicting. Then something starts toying with them and Lucy sees a man out in the woods in a white mask [don't worry, this is not a Slendercopy]. When they come across Max, things turn for the worse, and someone or something, for some unknown reason, is playing a game of no certain rules nor outcome.

In Fear

review. The first half of In Fear, which I would argue is the better half, is an indefinite thing ostensibly about a young not-quite-a-couple stuck down backwoods roads trying to find a hotel where lovemaking and safety can commence, and is partially a horror tale and partially an allegory about the tribulations of young love facing an uncertain future. Tension is built up without a release valve. The latter half, in which the movie turns much more run-of-the-mill, shifts it instead into a cat-and-mouse game with people who do not quite know each other, but who try and work together, facing off against a surprisingly omnipotent and omniscient opponent who works best when off camera and fails as a known thing. The camera-work and sound design and general interplay between Tom and Lucy are strong enough that you can nearly forgive any faults, at least. If only, you might say, they had played a slightly different puzzle with the heart. As for the ending, it will upset some and delight others, and is mostly worth discussion as to how it connects to the whole.

score. 5/8, +1 for those who like tight, claustrophobic shots, -1 for those who are irked by either improbable red herrings or too little conclusion..

commentary. There is enough that I need to spoil about this movie, that I want to put the spoilers in Rot13. Use that link right there to decode, or whichever tool you prefer: Gur zbivr ernyyl unf gjb urnegf, V srry. Rvgure gurer vf n fhcreangheny ryrzrag, juvpu vf obgu gur jrnxrfg naq qrrcrfg fbyhgvbaf, jurer Gbz naq Yhpl ner fbzrubj va n chetngbevny fgngr ercerfragvat fbzr hafcrpvsvrq jebat qrrq; be gurer vf ab fhcreangheny ryrzrag naq Znk vf fvzcyl na Vevfu Wvtfnj gung cresrpgyl pensgrq n fpranevb jurer n lbhat pbhcyr jbhyq pbzr gb n cho, trg va n ovg bs n gvss, frr fbzr jevgvat ba gur jnyy, naq gura sbyybj pbashfvat fvtaf cresrpgyl gb svg uvf arrqf naq gura fgbc naq cvpx uvz hc naq gura svaq gur ubgry naq gura qb rknpgyl jung ur arrqrq gb oevat nobhg uvf cynaf. Vg vf funyybj, vzcebonoyr, naq trarenyyl hafngvfslvat qrfcvgr nafjrevat zbfg bs gur dhrfgvbaf. Ng gur raq, jr frr ure cyhzzrg gbjneqf uvz naq xabjvat gung gur bcravat fgnegf jvgu n pne fznfuvat bire jr pna nffhzr gung fur raqf obgu bs gurve yvirf ng bapr, ohg ernyyl jr unir fb yvggyr pner nobhg guvf nfcrpg bs gur cybg gung raqvat gur zbivr ba vg zrnaf jr cebonoyl fubhyq unir orra pyhrq vagb gur zvaqtnzrf rneyl ba vafgrnq bs gelvat gb jbaqre ubj n zna pbhyq chyy ure unve bhg va gur jbbqf jvgubhg ure fb zhpu nf frrvat uvz (qba'g sbetrg, gur pnzren qvq abg frr uvz rvgure). N arne zvff bs n cybg, ohg fgvyy n zvff.

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