PopHorror Let's Get Scared
It’s the time of year for Holiday horror films and I recently got to watch one that definitely stands out from the run of the mill Christmas horror stories. Await Further Instructions caught me by surprise and took me on one hell of a crazy ride.
Was that ride one that I would revisit again? Find out!
From British director Johnny Kevorkian and was written by Gavin Williams. The film stars David Bradley, Neerja Naikm, Abigail Cruttenden, Holly Weston, Sam Gittins, and more.
Official Synopsis for Await Further Instructions
It’s Christmas Day and the Milgram family wake to find a mysterious black substance surrounding their house. Something monumental is clearly happening right outside their door, but what exactly – an industrial accident, a terrorist attack, nuclear war? Descending into terrified arguments, they turn on the television, desperate for any information. On screen a message glows ominously: ‘Stay Indoors and Await Further Instructions’. As the television exerts an ever more sinister grip, their paranoia escalates into bloody carnage.
Dark Sky Films delivers a mysterious and thrilling horror with story with Await Further Instructions. It’s packed full of family angst, fear of the unknown, and a bizarrely unique villain that is reminiscent of classic favorites like The Thing and 2017’s The Void.
Holidays are often a time for celebration or dread depending on who you are. Family gatherings can often be unpleasant with everyone cooped up in the same house, but just be glad your family isn’t like the Milgram’s in Await Further Instructions. They make the Firefly family from The Devil’s Rejects look like saints. The characters throughout the film deliver rude, racist, overbearing, and utterly infuriating performances that will leave you wishing for their demise.
There’s only three that I could actually stand including Nick (Gittins), Annji (Naikm), and especially Grandad (Bradley). Grandad’s role was quirky and fun and brilliantly delivered.
The suspense and mystery of it all keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. It’s not until towards the middle of the film that things start to pick up and we see what all this chaos is about. Is the world ending and if so by who/or what? The design was beautifully crafted and unnerving leaving me want to know more.
Throughout the film there’s a theme of loss and dread, but I also want to highlight another one I picked up on which was how we easily turn a blind eye to things. If the government tells us to do something, we just do it. If an authority figure says this is the right thing to do, we follow along. Await Further Instructions highlights how sheep-like we can be in making our decisions even if it is a life or death situation.
Final Thoughts
Await Further Instructions is different from anything out there. It’s widely bizarre but intriguing and visually stimulating. It is already out on VOD and will be available everywhere on Tuesday, December 12 via DVD/Blu-Ray. It’s a great holiday movie to watch with your family that will make you appreciate your loved ones even more.
