Movie Review ‘Behind You’ (2020) is A Harrowing Nightmare

After watching the trailer for Behind You, I couldn’t wait to check it out. It looked like the perfect horror thriller and something that could help take my mind off all this quarantine stuff. Did it deliver the goods?

This is a Paralleloverse and Tremendum Pictures Production, written and directed by Andrew Mecham and Matthew Whedon. The cast includes Addy Miller, Elizabeth Birkner, Philip Brodie, and Jan Broberg. Produced by Jesse Ranney and Larissa Beck and executive produced by Chris Lofing, Travis Cluff, Melissa Cannon, and Inger Labrum.

Synopsis for Behind You

Two young sisters, sent to live with their estranged Aunt, find that all the mirrors in her house are covered or hidden. When one of the sisters happens upon a mirror in the basement, she unknowingly releases a malicious demon that had haunted her mother and aunt years ago.

This film starts out pretty slow but intense. A sense of dread and sadness lingering in the air, almost suffocatingly so. Two sisters have just lost their mother and the last thing they want to do is move in with their estranged aunt, someone they’ve never met and know very little about. As per usual, they don’t follow the rules of the house, which leads them to discover the hidden secrets and terrors that live inside the mirrors.

I loved the concept and storyline. It’s the perfect nightmare come alive. Mirrors have always had their place in horror with different scenarios throughout the years and this one is terrifying. I also enjoyed the possession part of it. Not completely original, but fun and creepy. I like how it all connected.

The acting was great by all those involved. Addy Miller and Elizabeth Birkner are both phenomenal young actresses with huge personalities and range. Jan Broberg played distraught and broken perfectly. You could feel and see the years of pain and terror that she had endured. Philip Brodie brought much warmth and kindness to the film and helped counteract the feeling of constant dread. 

The end is packed full of twists and turns and surprises. Although this isn’t a film with much blood or gore, it’s an intense drama and psychological suspense and mystery will thrill you. We get to see their aunt become a closed-off woman, to a caring and protective family member whose only trying to do what’s best. Claire and Olivia prove that they’re not ready to give up fighting despite the recent tragedy in their life.

I also love the use of lighting in this. The red tones really played with the eerie and harrowing atmosphere that lingers throughout the entire film.

Final Thoughts

As I mentioned previously, the film is a bit slow at first, but once it gets going, the drama, suspense, and mystery are worth the wait. If you’re looking for something to watch during quarantine, I high recommend checking out Behind You which is now available on VOD.