THE SHRINE - ****

Directed by Jon Knautz. Starring Aaron Ashmore, Cindy Sampson, Meghan Heffern, Trevor Matthews, Canada, 82 mins, cert 18.

Released in UK on DVD/Blu Ray by Arrow Films on the 27th February 2012, RRP £12.99 (DVD)/Blu Ray (pricing to be confirmed).

THE SHRINE’s writer-director, Jon Knautz, was previously responsible for schlocky horror JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER and the contrast between the two pictures couldn’t be more different. Whereas JACK BROOKS opted for an old school horror combination of laughs and chills similar in feel to direct-to-video horror nonsense from the Eighties, Knautz’s latest offering THE SHRINE opts out on the laughs and wannabe cult status and instead hits the viewer head on with a fast moving, gory, noisy thrill ride that doesn’t hold back on delivering the grisly goods.

Pushy young Canadian journalist Carmen (Cindy Sampson) grabs at the opportunity to go to Poland to investigate what happened to Eric Taylor (Ben Lewis), the latest in what happens to be several disappearances in the same location. To do so Carmen lies to her employer about where she and her eager intern Sara (Meghan Heffern) are going and sets about getting her career back on track. Carmen also drags along her photographer boyfriend Marcus (Aaron Ashmore) – both of whom are stereotypically having relationship issues – and he continually tries to acts as the voice of reason only to be constantly overruled by Carmen as events continue to spiral out of control.

Their investigation takes our threesome to the fictional small Polish village of Alvania (with Toronto and Ontario doubling for location). Alvania proves to be as unwelcoming as most out of the way locations do in horror movies. They receive a far from friendly welcome from the locals and are asked in no uncertain terms to leave. But Carmen is not going to listen to anyone especially as she views this investigation as a big opportunity to get her career back on track. However before you can shout ‘Demon Statue!’ the two girls are entering into a mysterious dense fog that appears static in just one forest location and from here the movie takes a devilish turn and with a neat twist THE SHRINE elevates above the more standard direct-to-retail fare.

So are our young journalists and photographer at the mercy of a religious cult taken to hammering ghastly iron maiden masks onto their victims or is there something more going on than meets the eye? THE SHRINE’s plot is lean and simplistic and works like a dream. To say more about the storyline would ruin the viewing for those looking to see it for the first time. It’s not dazzling or groundbreaking but it is eerie, full-on and not afraid to take to having a kid disembowelled.

There’s a startling lack of subtitles to explain what the Polish villagers are saying so as an audience we observe as bemused, shocked and as in the dark as Marcus as ghoulish and freaky occurrences befall our two female leads. It’s rather perplexing and at times infuriating that there are no subtitles. At first you get to wondering if the copy you are watching was meant to have subtitles but in production they had been lost or forgotten and then you realise that like our main characters we are not meant to know what they are saying because you know it might give away where the movie is going. It’s a brave move but initially for viewers it can prove a tad frustrating to be kept out of the dialogue.

The screenplay, written by Jon Knautz, Brendan Moore, and Trevor Matthews (who also stars in THE SHRINE in a supporting capacity and was the lead in JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER), plays on the usual horror motif of having characters venture outside of their comfort zone only to have horrible things happen to them and. It also plays on the cliché of hostile villagers before twisting the truth behind their gruff attitude before melding elements of THE EXORCIST and THE EVIL DEAD as it accelerates towards its bloody climax.

Whereas JACK BROOKS acquired a cult following it’s unlikely that THE SHRINE will, however it will build up terrific word of mouth from those renting or buying it that end up caught unaware by the direction it takes and its deftly built mood and shocks as we enter into its final half hour. Scenes such as the fog statue’s head turning to follow Carmen are an attention grabber and gleefully unsettling at the same time and whilst the performances are variable there’s enough to recommend and enjoy from the unexpected delight that THE SHRINE proves to be.

Sean Cockwell.

GORE IN THE STORE
REVIEWS BY FANS FOR FANS
5 STAR FAB - 1 STAR RUBBISH