PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Remnants (2020) is a new indie movie written and directed by Mark Byrne (Bigfoot! 2019). In many ways, the film is quite strange, but in a good way. It’s difficult to classify what subgenre this movie belongs to, a combination of the supernatural and slasher elements.
https://pophorror.com/director-mark-byrne-swerves-into-supernatural-horror-with-indie-feature-remnants-2020/
Synopsis:
Trapped between the worlds of the living and the dead, remnants are a violent memory burned into a space. These remnants may be good or bad, just as in life. But what happens once these memories between worlds are set free?
Besides PopHorror’s own Matthew L. Furman, the Remnants cast includes Jim Krut (Zombthology 2008), George Stover (Blood Massacre 1991), Gus Zucco (The Making Of The Mob TV series), Hillary Styer (V/H/S 2 2015), Monique Dupree (Sex, Blood and Fairy Tales 2016), Mel Heflin (Grindsploitation 2016), Jeremy “Ogre” Amos (Miscount 2016), newcomer Jess Conley, SPX Artist Mathew Amos, and Casey Wallace (The Haunting of Pearson Place 2015).
I have to give credit to Mark Byrne and everyone else involved in Remnants. I like the fact that Byrne wanted to do something different. The indie horror scene is overly saturated with slashers, in my opinion. My hope is that, perhaps, other indie directors will watch Remnants and be inspired to do something else.
The movie is unique in that the first half has a supernatural element, while the second half feels like a slasher. I might even add X-files to the overall feeling of Remnants. The plot is good but at times, I felt like there was too much going on. I felt lost when watching the film. I believe that indie horror films work best when the plot is simplistic, so perhaps removing some of the plot points would have made this one feel more concise. Overall, I really like what Byrne was trying to accomplish.
The acting in Remnants is good. Of course, some performances were better than others. We all know as horror fans that indie movies are not recognized for phenomenal acting, but I do give credit to the cast for doing their best and having fun with their roles.
For me, one of the high points of the movie are the kill scenes. It always impresses me when the makers of an indie horror film work hard at making the kill scenes look great. I can tell the special effects team in Remnants are talented and worked hard to make these scenes look great.
My main criticism is that there’s too much going on in the plot. Also, oftentimes you can’t tell who is a ghost and who isn’t. I understand they had a limited budget, but it is confusing to see a character who is a ghost with no spectral aura around their bodies. You only see them towards the latter half of the film. I know they were working within a very limited budget. So, just keep that in mind when you watch Remnants.
Despite a few small setbacks, I really liked this film. If you’re in the mood for something different, fun, and a little weird, then Remnants might be the perfect movie for you.
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