Enigmatic tale full of claustrophobic chills
Anxiety-ridden directorial debut
When beginning their feature film careers, directors dream of a dynamic debut that immediately puts them on the movie map.
And that’s exactly the position Irishman Damian McCarthy finds himself in as he knocks it out of the park with this suspenseful Shudder original horror.
The simple story sees Jonathan French’s Isaac agreeing to look after the psychologically troubled Olga (Leila Sykes) in an abandoned house on an island.
But there’s a lot more to it than that as right from its arresting opening, where Olga wanders round the house carrying a creepy rabbit toy while her nose is bleeding, Caveat grips your every sense.
The dimly lit home is the stuff of nightmares, with its dirt and dampencased peeling wallpaper and dull, autumnal colour scheme immediately making it a place you wouldn’t want to spend a few minutes in, never mind days.
The sound design is a character in itself as rattling chains, howling winds, creaking floorboards and that terrifying rabbit’s drumming combine with Richard G. Mitchell’s unsettling score to keep you on edge throughout.
Given the isolated island location, tension is already high but McCarthy adds to the dread by utilising several enclosed shots of holes in the walls ridden with terror.
McCarthy also penned the script and considering there are only really three cast members – predominately two – he packs in a lot of story, depth and twists.
French and Sykes are both exceptional as the horrible truths spill out; the former’s expressive, startled eyes tell the story, while the latter is a troubled presence who is coiled and possibly ready to strike out at any second.
Darkness falls during the third act as torches and head lamps become the only source of light and what was already a tight location becomes even tighter as claustrophobic chills abound.
Not every question is answered, which may frustrate some, but I feel just adds to the callous charm of an enigmatic, anxiety-ridden debut from a director defying his experience.
●Caveat is available to own on DVD and Blu-ray from Monday.
●Pop me an email at ian.bunting@ reachplc.com and I will pass on your movie or TV show recommendations to your fellow readers.