Have you ever lived in an older house? Were there strange noises? Did things go bump in the night? If so, did they scare you half to death or did you chalk it up to creaking floors and and the house "settling"? Well if you thought it was the latter, you might want to think back to those nights lying in the dark, hearing those strange sounds. Are you certain they were sounds of the floors creaking and settling? Or could there have been something more sinister lurking in the dark corners or beneath the floorboards? The new horror movie, Beezel, may have you rethinking those noises.
Rob (Bob Gallagher; Midas) moved into a large house in Western Massachusetts with his wife and his young son, but something wasn't right from the beginning. After his family is killed Rob discovers Beezel, an ancient, blind, witch who lives under his house and eats people. Rob becomes her servant, bringing her people she can "eat". After Rob and then his second wife die, the creepy, old house becomes the property of Rob's estranged stepson, Lucas (Nicholas Robin; The Program), and his wife (Co-writer Victoria Fratz; Val). While in the house, they discover some of the bodies of people who have gone missing and encounter Beezel herself.
Writer/director Aaron Fradkin (Val) actually grew up in the home where the movie was shot and, having lived with odd noises at night that were coming from below, his creative mind conceived the plot for Beezel. His familiarity with the surroundings allowed him to optimize space and utilize the various rooms to offer the scariest surroundings. He handles the crawl space and basement scenes well and gives the house a truly terrifying feel. The film's pacing flows well so the movie doesn't drag at any point.
The cast is minimal but effective. Robin and Fritz have good chemistry and her attitude of excitement is unusual for a horror movie giving it a fresh perspective. Gallagher has piercing eyes that make his character believable as a person cursed with helping a demon "feed". His demeanor, stature, and vocal cadence also make his scenes especially horrific. The casting for Beezel was vitally important and the result is part of what makes the movie work. The few other members of the cast are decent but don't make a lasting impact.
If I have one complaint about Beezel it is that I wanted to know more. The screenwriters didn't delve into Beezel's story - why is she in this house? Why does she need to eat people? Where did she come from? Etc. While this omission allows the viewer to focus on the plot presented to them and the killings, it leaves many questions making Beezel seem unfinished as a film. Of course, it does leave the door open for a prequel which may have been their intention all along. Regardless, I would have liked at least something added to this terrifying witch.
For fans of gory, jumpy, full of "sneak attacks" and blood horror movies, Beezel delivers. Fradkin does enough to build tension in anticipation of a kill that, while the audience expects something, the actual scene is still jarring. Beezel is also so grotesque-looking that one would want to hide their eyes to not look at her. You end up feeling sorry for the poor souls who are tricked into becoming her next meal, not only because you know they are about to die but because the last thing they see is her. The effects make her terrifying.
While Beezel made on an independent movie budget, doesn't always feel that way which is one of the things going for it. Horror fans will enjoy it, those who are not into the genre, probably won't.
Grade: C
