Rating: 3/5
Cult Movie Challenge 2024 | 51/52 | Christmas Horror
When Alex was a child, an associate of his father’s entered the house with a gun and killed both his parents. The associate wore a mask made from a fox pelt. The memory has haunted him ever since.
As an adult, Alex is an aspiring writer. His brother Jack wants Alex to join his company, but Alex won’t abandon his dream. He still sees the man in the pelt mask, but his friend Danny assures him he’s making something out of nothing. Danny gives Alex a pill to keep him from dreaming, but the void that comes with it is hard to bear.
Danny introduces Alex to Maggie. Though they have a rocky start, the two start dating. Everything is looking up for Alex. But his internal world is falling apart. What is a nightmare, and what is reality for Alex?
The film is cheap and not well-acted, but the script is pretty decent! The cinematography makes some artistic choices in places that work for me. I mean, it sort of disintegrates in the third act twist factory, but it never loses me.
The characters are terminally unlikeable, but that’s such a common problem with horror movies that I tend to tolerate them if I’m into the story. Best of all, the direction is sharp—too many women second-unit directors were relegated to cheap horror and erotica.
Alex’s fixation on Maggie has classic disorganized attachment written all over it. He falls in love with her while barely knowing her, then totally derails when he learns anything about her, especially if what he thought wasn’t true.
I’m not saying this is a lost classic. I’m just saying this movie is better than any straight-to-VHS psychological horror ought to be.
Give me more horror movie shower scenes with handsome, fit dudes!