SILHOUETTE (2018)- An Expertly Crafted Horror Film That is Actually Scary- Fitz of Horror Review

Bryan Fitzgerald (Fitz of Horror) January 20, 2019

Synopsis-Silhouette is the story of Jack and Amanda Harms who, after the passing of their young daughter, set out into seclusion to begin their lives anew. Quickly upon their arrival, things go awry when the sins of their past come back to haunt them.

Silhouette from Absentia Pictures and up and coming director Mitch McLeod is an expertly crafted and beautifully shot horror film. McCleod is masterful with his camera work and cinematography and as a result, creates several scenes of pure horror brilliance that were actually quite creepy. The opening sequence was the first of these examples and sets the stage for the amazing film to follow.

The overall tone of the film is dire, to say the least, as our main characters Amanda (April Hartman) and Jack (Tom Zembrod) try to pick up the pieces of their life after the unexpected death of their daughter Sarah (Savannah Solsbery). With grief hitting Amanda hard, Jack tries his best to make her feel at home in their new house but almost immediately Amanda begins to quickly lose her grip on reality.

As the film carries on we start to see that Jack and Amanda have much deeper relationship issues that they need to overcome but it may be too late for reconciliation. When Amanda begins to start seeing her dead daughter, this is where the film gets truly creepy. Some of the shots that were used and the choice of foreboding music that made up the score add to the fear and tension that McLeod was able to create. 

Another key factor in the greatness of Silhouette was the amazing performance given by April Hartman. Her portrayal as a grief-stricken mother and a jaded wife was as powerful as they come. One scene, in particular, is when their new neighbor Dawn (Jessica Dawn Willis) comes over to introduce herself to Jack and Amanda. Hartman’s demeanor was quite serious as she seems to stare a hole through Dawn thus creating a very intense and uncomfortable scene that cements the fact that Amanda has, in fact, lost her damn mind. From there she shows a great range of emotion in very convincing ways that make you empathize and feel for her character.

Silhouette was so well done that I feel it should be in the conversation with films like Hereditary, It Follows, Insidious, The Conjuring and Get Out. It is not your run of the mill horror movie that relies on jump scares, blood and guts or gratuitous nudity to appeal to or engage the viewer. McLeod creates an atmosphere of despair that has a palpable tension that builds throughout the film until its unpredictable and heart-wrenching finale.

I can’t recommend this film enough and can’t wait to add it to my collection when it comes out. I guarantee Silhouette will be on several “Best of” or Top 10 lists at the end of the year. Remember the name, Mitch McLeod, because of his powerful work behind the camera he will no doubt be catching the eye of big studios soon.

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