#horror – #horrormovies – #horrorreviews – #Desolation –
Director: David Moscow
Writers: Craig Walendziak, Matthew McCarty
Starring: Raymond J. Barry, Cailey Fleming, Dominik Garcia
There’s a feeling you get when you sit down to view a movie and you’re under the impression that you have a pretty good idea of what you’re about to watch, only to find out that no, you in fact were not adequately prepared for this movie. This is what Desolation did for me, in leaps and bounds.
The movie opens with a clearly distraught woman on the verge of a total breakdown. The camera captures much of the imagery around her, including prescription pill bottles and a glass of wine. Clearly losing her grasp on reality, she has finally been pushed so far to the edge of hopelessness that she only has one way out. While we don’t actually watch it, her self-immolation is evident in the reflections around her. This opening sets the pace for a very dismal and dark film.
We are next introduced to Katie and Debbie, two best friends working a somewhat dead-end job. Debbie is excited due to the fact that a Hollywood movie is being shot locally and she gets the chance to meet Jay, a handsome actor for whom she would do pretty much anything. Unfortunately for Debbie, Jay begins talking to Katie, develops feelings for her and the two begin a relationship. Soon after, Jay asks Katie to move to Los Angeles with him. Despite apprehension she accepts his offer and is soon living in Jay’s apartment.
From the moment Katie is introduced to Jay’s lifestyle, her unease amidst her new surroundings is more than evident. Combine this with the fact that Jay is called off to doing an acting shoot, and Katie is soon left alone with her trepidation in a new city and new surroundings. Her fears soon come to be realized as odd incidents begin happening around her in the apartment building. But in the world of acting, nothing can ever be what it seems, which Katie will soon find out.
I cannot stress enough how much of a shocker this movie was. Each time I thought I knew what was going on, another twist would hit me in the face. Combine this with brilliant acting throughout the entire cast and excellently crafted set design and you have an amazing little story being fleshed out perfectly. Dominik García-Lorido especially deserves a well-earned pat on the back for her portrayal of Katie. Her ability to play a fish out of water, so to speak, in addition to her eventual downward spiral will keep you captivated all the way to the final harrowing moments that you never see coming. Trust me.
With plenty of room left wide open for a sequel, I would certainly enjoy seeing some of these characters come back for more. Plain and simple, Desolation grabs hold of you and does not let go until it is done with you. In a world that has become infatuated with gory horror movies and over-abundant jump scares, Desolation is a thrilling and psychologically disturbing breath of fresh air that will not disappoint.
Desolation opens theatrically in NYC and LA on January 26th with a nationwide rollout to follow (via Parade Deck Films).
Rating: 8/10