"BEEZEL" (2024) Is A Bloody Good Time With A Gnarly Blind Witch (REVIEW)
There’s nothing like an “old-fashioned” horror movie. No, we’re not talking about the bourbon cocktail, but rather a subset of modern horror films that focus more on action rather than ambiguity. These are films that embody the spirit of some of the best in the genre by offering simplistic and exciting stories that feel less like a puzzle of themes and commentary, and more like campfire stories made manifest. While this interpretation is our own, we also find that these kinds of movies are less and less common today. That’s not to say that most horror movies have something deeper to say, rather, that the trend around aligning the real-world’s problems with supernatural ones in horror can occasionally become tiresome. This is what got us so excited about “Beezel”, the upcoming horror film from DREAD Presents. Is this blind witch’s brew an “old-fashioned” remedy or a modern cocktail of social commentary?
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
Over six tumultuous decades, three unwitting guests of a cursed New England home stumble upon a sinister secret dwelling beneath its floors - an eternal witch with an insatiable thirst for the souls of the living.
HOW IS IT?
The opening of this review spoke about “old-fashioned” horror movies and how these films, subjectively speaking, are more focused on fun than any sort of subtext or complexity. They are films that endear the most entertaining aspects of the genre and use them to wield a narrative that centers eccentricity over thorough explanation. “Beezel” is such a film. One that wholly embraces the core intent of the genre, to excite and terrify, while not involving itself too much in metaphors or commentary. This is not to malign horror films that opt for more thought-provoking fare but rather to celebrate the simplicity of a solid premise, stellar practical effects, and an efficient delivery that wastes no time getting to bloody business.
“Beezel” begins as audaciously as it ends with a child being lured into a basement by a mother who resembles something close to Henrietta in “Evil Dead 2”, before the full-on deadite transformation. You see, the house here, much like the cabin in “Evil Dead 2” is host to a malevolent blind witch named Beezel and throughout four different timelines, we experience how her horrific rage manifests in these distinct periods. Taking cues from similar timeline-jumping movies like “Barbarian”, and “Beezel” isn’t intent on building connections with consistent characters as much as it is about showing you why living in this house is essentially signing your death warrant. Each part of the timeline packs a punch, with the second story featuring a familiar face from this year’s “The Hangman”, Lejon Woods as he faces off against a widower who has been possessed by the witch. The third event involves a caregiver and a bedridden woman she is assigned to care for, which doesn’t go as planned, and finally a couple who move into the home as it was bequeathed to the son after his mother’s passing. The same woman who was featured in the third event. The connective tissue between these events is subtle and delicately handled to not beat the viewer over the head with the relationship. The decision to make these stories connect while also allowing each one to stand on its own is a testament to the wonderful scripting from co-writers Victoria Fratz and Aaron Fradkin.
One of the standout parts of “Beezel” is the blind witch herself. As noted from our interview with Fratz and Fradkin (check it out here), the inspiration for the design was based on tree trunks and it is wonderfully illustrated here with a witch who is both menacing and unforgiving in her deadly delivery. The emphasis on practical effects shines throughout as characters meet their untimely demises. The gore and bloodshed here are ample, but not inappropriate and are handled with precision and care. In addition to some truly outstanding effects work is some very compelling cinematography handled by Keelan Carothers, in particular one scene involving a basement trap door transition that is pure cinema. And not for nothing, but “Beezel” clocks in at a breezy 82 minutes and moves at a breakneck pace. It’s as if the film was made for folks like me who enjoy efficient, direct, and punchy storytelling that doesn’t waste time. One of the gripes that shorter films often get is the lack of character development, but “Beezel” is a testament that great performances can do more for developing characters than exposition any day as long as you script them as interesting and authentic, another feather in “Beezel”’s glorious cap. Fratz and Fradkin are a duo to watch, and their production company Social House Films (check out their YouTube channel) and if “Beezel” is any inclination as to what is to come, we can’t wait to see what’s next!
LAST RITES
“Beezel” is a lean, mean horror movie that eschews long-runtime norms to deliver a gloriously fun and brutally menacing movie that wastes no time getting to the good stuff. With great performances, efficient storytelling, and captivating practical effects we think “Beezel” is one of the must-see horror films of the year!
THE GORY DETAILS
Directed By
Written By
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Where can you watch it?
BEEZEL will have a limited theatrical run beginning September 20, and on September 24 the film will be available to rent or purchase on video-on-demand (VOD).
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