PopHorror Let's Get Scared
I’ve been following Concept Media since Don’t Fuck in the Woods (read my review here) was released back in 2016. Since then, I’ve reviewed most of their features and short films, and I’m always excited when they announce a new project. Recently, they did something a little different: They revealed they had shot a film in secret… a film called Trespassing. I was recently given the chance to check out the film. Here are my thoughts.
Trespassing is the latest film from writer/director Ryan Stacy (Failing Grace 2018). The film stars Char Stone (Cinematic Reality 2018), Payton Pleska (Seasons Greetings 2 2019), Mike Pleska (Betsy 2018), Rob Collins (Stranded), Brittany Blanton (Don’t Fuck in the Woods 2), Jason Crowe (Violet 2020), Kaylee Williams (Teacher Shortage 2020), Shayna Jaliegh (The Dead Kid 2020), Ryan Stacy (Betsy 2018), and Annabelle Taylor.
Trespassing is centered around a young photographer who quickly finds herself eluding a trio of masked killers while trying to navigate an abandoned property with many dark histories.
When I first started watching Trespassing, I thought the lead actress, Char Stone, looked familiar. Then I realized I knew her from Brandon Prewitt’s film Cinematic Reality (2018 – read my review here). She was amazing in that film, and she does does a great job here as protagonist Loren, a well-meaning young woman who gets herself in way over her head when she tries to free a hostage and draws the ire of a quartet of masked killers who will slaughter anyone who gets in their way.
As always, Jason Crowe does puts in an excellent performance as Mark, a man who isn’t quite who he seems. Jason does a wonderful job flipping personalities like a switch, and that is very much the case here. I’ve loved Brittany Blanton since she played the heroine in Don’t Fuck in the Woods, and it was cool to see her play a villain here. Her character plays with the idea of what makes someone a killer and how sometimes it’s necessary, although she takes it a step too far by letting innocent people get caught up in the crosshairs.
I’m becoming quite a fan of Kaylee Williams, especially after her role in Troy Escamilla’s Teacher Shortage (2020 – read our review here). I enjoyed her performance here, although it was pretty brief. Rob Collins is an intimidating presence as always. Payton Pleska is someone that I have recently come to enjoy through her badass turn in Season’s Greetings 2 (2019 – read my review here), and I enjoyed her as the take charge second in command/middle management of the group of killers.
Final Thoughts
Trespassing is a film that does a lot with limited time and resources. The reported budget for the 35 minute long film is $1,500, and it made the most of that money as it manages to be packed full of carnage as well as twists and turns. I wasn’t expecting Trespassing to go where it did, and the film’s ending fucked me up as it wasn’t at all what I wanted to happen. I was a bit sad about what did happen, although I give Ryan Stacy props for being able to surprise me as that doesn’t happen very often.
