PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Suspicions rise when teenage Boy Scout Tyler Burnside (Charlie Plummer: All the Money in the World 2017) stumbles across a box of questionable magazines and photos within his seemingly pristine father’s (Dylan McDermott: American Horror Story TV series) private shed, making it appear as though he’s linked to the notorious clovehitch murders from years back. With tensions growing between father and son, Tyler must choose between revealing his suspicions about his father, or sparing his family from what he may or may not be.
With a story like this that is housing multiple routes of unpredictability, The Clovehitch Killer will have you basking in suspense from start to finish. This film takes its time, allowing the hairs on the back of your neck to rise naturally from realistic and progressive build up. While a lot of modern filmmakers would feel the need to rush a plot like this, Director Duncan Skiles (Our Robocop Remake 2014) chooses the tactile approach of building your fears through time and patience – an approach primarily seen in classics from the ’60s and ’70s. This allowance forces the viewer to sit back and become enveloped in the plot, letting their fear swell slowly from within. There are definitely several moments that will set you on edge, and have you actually concerned for Tyler and his safety.
To encompass a plot around the dirty and dangerous secrets surrounding a seemingly well-rounded and likable man of faith allows for endless possibilities for a thriller. Actor Dylan McDermott was a perfect match to play Don Burnside, giving in-depth insight towards the psychological battles that occur within the mind of someone who may or may not be mentally deranged. To see the progression of these elements unfold through great writing and nicely shot sequences heightens the movie to a level all its own.
Every actor seemed appropriately chosen – from Charlie Plummer giving Tyler a reserved personality with an underlying strength to prevail, alongside Madisen Beaty (The Fosters TV series) as Kassi, who provided the backbone and brains behind the entire operation at hand. These two characters interacted perfectly with one another. Where one lacked in strength and integrity, the other was right there to provide it for them throughout numerous difficult situations.
With only a sparse amount of plot points that lacked in believability, The Clovehitch Killer is definitely one of the independent greats of 2018. Showcasing intriguing drama wrapped in the ambiguity of a specific era offers the perfect setup for a slow rising thriller that will feel all at once modern with the familiar touch of the early 2000s. The color palette and production design alone were enough of a great setup for a film involving a serial killer. Be sure to check out The Clovehitch Killer in theaters on November 16th.
