CAVEAT; THE SHUDDER EXCLUSIVE THAT WILL MAKE YOU WANT A CREEPY, DRUMMING BUNNY
More discerning viewers of horror oeuvre can usually glean some reassurance from the fact that SHUDDER very rarely grant a release to any ol’ garbage. In fact, they’ve been at the forefront of providing fresh and interesting takes on everything from found-footage (HOST) to serial killer dark comedies (VICIOUS FUN) for so long that not a day goes by where I don’t wonder why they never find themselves in the same sentence as household names like NETFLIX or PRIME (who we know to grant a release to literally any ol’ garbage). Writer/Director DAMIAN McCARTHY’s debut feature, CAVEAT, is one of the latest inductees into SHUDDER’s already-impressive stable of independent spookies, and arrives on Blu Ray as of today…
THE PLOT:
Isaac (JAMES FRENCH), a man suffering from partial memory loss, accepts a job to look after a psychologically disturbed young woman (LEILA SYKES) in an abandoned house on an isolated island.
THE REVIEW:
While the premise of CAVEAT might seem pretty old-hat, you can be (un)comfortable in the knowledge that it bristles with a quirky, mischievous originality that us Britlander’s are adept at pulling out of the bag at a moment’s notice, though I would argue that certain elements of it, while showing definite signs of promise for any future motion picture endeavours upon which McCARTHY may find himself, don’t entirely come together satisfactorily at the film’s conclusion. The introduction, for example, of the film’s most notable and memorable character, a toy rabbit that drums of its own accord with all the care and precision of LARS ULRICH, presents us with a seemingly very clear set-up that this is going to get ghost-spooky, but then doesn’t really follow-up on it, and Isaac’s semi-incarceration within a makeshift harness that is attached to a chain which prevents him from accessing certain parts of the house is another example of an intriguing idea not fully realised. That the movie edges further and further towards crime-thriller territory as the plot unfolds unfortunately leaves a lot of the supernatural elements by the wayside, and though the entirety of the mystery (supernatural or not) keeps a firm grip on the attention, it’s appears as though too many ideas are weighing it down.
Visually and audibly, CAVEAT can’t be faulted, nor can any criticism justifiably be levelled at the two stars of the show itself, who demonstrate a wonderfully fraught, distrustful relationship with each other. McCARTHY’s extensive experience with the making of short films also serves the film immeasurably, as each scene is executed with the efficiency of an atomic clock even if all of the scripted elements don’t quite tie together. Sound-wise, the persistent clanking and dragging of the chains that Isaac is forced to wear as part of his harness are a simple, effective touch, and a nice play on the tired and somewhat old fashioned notion of ghosts dragging chains around behind them like dead dogs on a lead.
Overall, CAVEAT isn’t a terrible feature debut, but more of a disappointing one if you’re looking for a film that neatly travels from point A to B. It’s a deliberately paced, visually arresting and fascinating film, but it doesn’t quite scratch that haunted house itch. McCARTHY shows a considerable degree of future promise and only time will tell what he conjures up next. Keep the faith.
THE PRESENTATION:
SHUDDER’s release of the movie is excellent. The deeply unsettling house, with it’s flaking paint and inky, black corners which tempt the appearance of something nasty are deep, rich, and bizarrely sumptuous. British films, for better or worse, are often thoroughly depressing, whether visually or tonally, and CAVEAT is no exception.
THE SPECIAL FEATURES:
Director’s Commentary
Producer’s Commentary
Storyboards
CAVEAT is available to buy now from all good retailers. You can also enter into a competition to win a copy of the film on Blu Ray over on my Instagram page here.
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