USA, 2024
Review:
JA Kerswell
An intriguing and sometimes eerie indie horror thriller that uses the slasher movie formula to frame its central narrative. A man on the run from the law hides out in a motel room, but despite hearing what sounds like a murder in the room next door can’t investigate lest he gives himself away. Add a masked serial killer who may or may not have returned to town since a rash of murders in the 1990s. It is an expertly constructed film bolstered by impressive performances, although those expecting a traditional slasher movie may need to approach it with an open mind.
The city of Larsen was plagued by a murder spree by a never-caught figure who became known as the Pale Face Killer. The killings stopped back in 1997, but once again, missing posters are seen across town, and there is a growing fear that the city’s boogeyman has returned. Stumbling into this paranoia is Carly (Jessica Staples), who books a room at the Skyline Motel at the edge of town from the disarmingly jovial owner Bryce (David E. McMahon). However, she has really booked it for her ex-partner Gabe (Colin Cunningham), who we soon discover is on the run and is pursued by US Marshalls after fleeing the scene of an accidental killing following a botched robbery. Carly is furious that she has been dragged into this situation but agrees to help Gabe stay hidden until he can be given safe passage by mutual friend Andre (Jake Watters). However, she refuses to stay with him and returns to her home nearby.
Whilst sheltering in his room, Gabe hears what sounds like a woman being attacked next door - but he cannot go to her aid as he knows he will give himself away. The next day he asks Carly to check and the woman who answers says she is fine and it was a misunderstanding. However, when she returns home Carly spots someone in her garden wearing a pale mask …
HE NEVER LEFT is a handsomely mounted thriller with horror touches set on Halloween. The season is nicely evoked with spooky decorations and the impressive camerawork swooping over a russet, Autumnal countryside. The film does feature what might be termed traditional slasher movie set pieces. Still, it focuses mostly on the claustrophobic situation Gabe finds himself in and his inability to escape the increasingly dangerous situation at the motel. Cunningham is excellent in a challenging role as the man-on-the-run, whose character has frailties and empathy that are as welcome as they are surprising. The character of Carly is also surprisingly three-dimensional and is well-played by Jessica Staples. All the central performances are excellent, but special mention must also go to McMahon and Charla Bocchicchio as the husband and wife team who run the motel, whose forced joviality may hide something else.
There are obvious shades of Alfred Hitchcock’s PSYCHO (1960) in the motel setting. The Pale Face Killer’s white mask nods to John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN (1978) - including the killer’s penchant for his visage to appear in the darkness like a low-hanging full moon. Given the film’s Halloween setting, it also teases the supernatural, as Gabe is haunted by the bloody figure of the man he accidentally killed (which is reminiscent of Ti West’s THE INNKEEPERS (2011)). The fact that the filmmakers also wrapped a mediation on guilt into the story shows that there is more going on here than you might expect.
There are some moments where the film’s lower budget shows, but the makers are clever with their limited settings to get maximum bang for their buck. Again, those looking for a more straight-ahead slasher might want to look elsewhere. However, the central mystery - with its shocks, twists and stellar performances - is just so well done that it is certainly recommended. The slasher movie touches are just the icing on an expertly crafted Halloween-flavoured cake.
BODY COUNT 7:
Female 4 / Male 3
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HE NEVER LEFT trailer