“The Shade” has very little traditional horror in it. Yes, there is a terrifying ghoul and some menacing Druid like figures but the focus is on mental illness and post traumatic stress disorder so please don’t expect ghouls jumping out of the bushes.
Ryan Beckman as a boy watches his father commit suicide by firearm. A decade or so later Ryan Beckman (Chris Galust) is on heavy anti-anxiety drugs suffering from flashbacks, nightmares and panic attacks and eventually repeatedly seeing a naked woman ghoul and Druid like figures. He is a mess held together by his girlfriend Alex (Mariel Molino) and caring for his younger brother Jamie.
Ryan’s older brother Jason Beckman (Dylan McTee) returns to the family home from out of state university “mid semester”. He is angry, moody and argumentative suffering from some type of mental illness which he applies the final solution to placing yet more stress on Ryan.
I query if you agree with my mental illness tack I am taking and it is not the first horror movie I have watched this year where the mind takes precedence over the ghoul.
You may find two hours a bit too long but with the tremendous performance of Galust you just might be enthralled and certainly not bored or restless. This is one of the most stellar performances I have seen this year. Where do I send my Oscar nomination to? Molino as Ryan’s girlfriend has a supporting role and crushes it. There is Batman and there is a Robin!
You can watch the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIFwX4ryBKc
After its theatrical release it moves to a 22November2024 digital release.
It is directed by Tyler Chipman.
RKS 2024 Film Rating 95/100.
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