Familial terror rises in the horror film The Pact (2012). Written & directed by Nicholas McCarthy
the film is about Annie (Caity Lotz) whose sister Nichole (Agnes Bruckner)
disappears not long after moving into the home of their recently deceased
mother. When her cousin also disappears
she sets off on discovering what happened to them but the secrets that lie
within her family home are darker and deeper than she could have ever imagined.
I actually found myself really enjoying this film. The script is very well written with flawed
let relatable characters with a very good cast.
Bridger Nielson is the director of photography and the look of the film
plays a tremendous part in creating the mood and atmosphere. This is McCarthy’s debut feature after
several shorts (including one for this film) and it’s already apparent that he
knows how to craft a horror film built around character and an atmosphere of
dread. It will be interesting to see
where he goes from here (he’s already directed another feature At the Devil’s Door, 2014, which I have
yet to see).
The film works because Lotz does a great job creating a
relatable character who is not only grieving for a lost mother but the
disappearance of an estranged sister as well.
It’s about her character trying to come to grips with a really screwed
up family. Even the presence of the
supernatural doesn’t take away from the film or make these elements seem cliché. Haley Hudson plays Stevie, someone who can
speak with the dead who helps Annie discover the truth about her family. Hudson steals every scene she’s in but never
overshadows the rest of the film. The
same can be said for actor Casper Van Dien who plays the only detective that
believes Annie’s story.
This is a very good film with a few surprises that’s both
suspenseful and entertaining.
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