My Review Of "The Dwelling"

"The Dwelling" is a supernatural horror directed by Jeff Maher. The film stars Colin Price, Alysa King, Gwenlyn Cumyn, Dennis Andres, George Krissa, Hamza Fouad, and Alex Loubert. It returns to the classic story telling, blending gothic fantasy with surreal horror.

Four people find themselves stuck on a haunted antique bed where leaving means suffering a gruesome death. Plagued with frightening hallucinations, they must figure out the bed's secrets before they are ultimately picked off one by one.

At first glance I expected "The Dwelling" to be a spoof, gimmick flick like "Killer Sofa" or "The Selling". What I watched was a cool return to classic horror filled with gothic supernatural themes and 80's spaghetti thriller suspense. The story is unique, filled with contrast, and manages to make an inanimate object truly terrifying. 

It starts of with a dark, occult-laden opening sequence that actually makes a story about a possessed bed seem plausible without using humor. It sets the tone. The acting is quality, some characters have more depth than others but the point-of-view, and writing allow the cast to be impressive on screen. Plus the writing is layered, almost meta level story telling.

The horror never really fades away from those captivating first scenes. The asthetics, lighting and suspense flows through the majority of the movie. There is one area in the first half that is a bit dull, offering a very generic character driven plot point- mostly meant to introduce us to the ill-fated cast. Still it is the only real moments that the story falls short, and it doesn't last long.

"The Dwelling" has an almost Clive Barker visceral feel, blended with a surrealist look. The gore is up front and allows for some quality gore moments. The dark tone never gets broken up too much. So everything stays in that traditional horror area. I found myself looking forward to what was coming next. Plus the soundtrack and cinematography is classic.

Overall I enjoyed "The Dwelling". The story is entertaining and interesting. The suspense and horror stays true to more conventional constructs. The movie is fun without needing comedy to legitimize its premise. Plus the layered storyline with the extra supernatural elements is one of the better ones I have seen in cinema. Definitely check this one out! (4/5)