Directed by Kevin Greutert (Saw VI, Jessabelle)
Visions
Starring Isla Fisher, Anson Mount, Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) and Gillian Jacobs (Community).
David (Anson Mount) and Eveleigh (Isla Fisher) leave their city life behind to move to a remote vineyard. Mother-to-be Eveleigh begins to see and hear things in the house and is terrified of the mysterious hooded figure that appears about the property.
David doesn't believe her and becomes concerned that her sanity has been affected by the move and the pressure of becoming a new mum, suggesting she go back on medication. Their relationship begins to unfold and there is a greater sense of isolation for her character.
Eveleigh learns of the house's history from some of the locals and is determined to prove that the sightings are associated with the people who lived there before. But when everything begins to fall into place- she realises that there is something more sinister at work.
I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by this film. With any new horror, comes the dread that it will follow the same format as so many of its predecessors. This one didn't. Unlike the stereotypical setting for a horror film- the vineyard was light and modern and didn't follow any of the tropes one would usually associate with a 'haunted' house. A welcome breath of fresh air and it made me want to delve deeper into the story.
I was also curious to see how Isla Fisher would handle herself in a role she has never really tackled before and I was really impressed by her performance. Because she is so small- she looks physically vulnerable to start with but she's very convincing as a protective mum to be who just wants to be trusted and believed by the one person she loves the most.
This movie really leads you down the garden path- you think you have it worked out but it's only at the end that everything comes together and is far removed from your initial predictions.
Thank you to director Kevin Greutert for proving that there are still new stories within the genre and that you can gravitate away from the overdone and predictable and still give audiences the chills.
A solid film that will make you breathe a sigh of relief at the end that there is still hope for horror.
Tagged in Eva Longoria Isla Fisher Jim Parsons