Written by
Pradip Bhat
Review for the film "
Dead Within"
Runtime:
01 Hour 22 Minutes
MORE CAST & CREW
Dead Within (2014) a psychological horror thriller from filmmaker Ben Wagner who co-wrote the movie with Amy Kale Peterson and Matthew Bradford. The film, which Amy Kale Peterson produced and is about themes of isolation, paranoia and survival in a post-apocalyptic setting. The story revolves around a pair of people, played by Dean Chekvala and Amy Kale Peterson, who are stuck indoors inside a cabin when a mysterious outbreak wipes out the outside world. Their resources diminish, their paranoia kicks in, they have difficulty deciding between reality and delusion. Using its sparse environment to its advantage, Dead Within makes for a claustrophobic study of fear and survival.
Plot
In Dead Within (2014), an unknown outbreak has decimated most of humanity, and Kim (Amy Kale Peterson) and Mike (Dean Chekvala) shelter in a remote cabin. Cut off from the rest of the world, they ration the little food and water they have, living in constant fear of what waits just outside their walls. Months become days, and the cost of psychology starts taking its toll. Bizarre sounds emanate outside, and glimpses of dark figures increase their paranoia. With the passing of time, their unbreakable bond begins to fracture. Mike lingers on moonlight walks to look for supplies, convinced that without risked his one path to survival. Kim, though, is terrified, believing that whatever is left outside is no longer human. When Mike finally departs, hours go by without him returning. Alone, Kim’s grip on reality slips — she hears voices, has harrowing visions and wonders whether she is really alone. Then there is a knock at the door. It sounds like Mike, but his voice is hauntingly off. But as she gets closer, dread sets in—has Mike come back, or has something else come knocking? Should she open it and risk everything, or does survival in isolation beat that?
Star Performance
Dead Within revels in psychological tension, led by Amy Kale Peterson’s arresting turn as Kim. She creates avow as a woman splintering under confinement, and her fall into paranoia is both upsetting and credible. Dean Chekvala, who plays Mike, complements her with a reserved yet intensely committed performance. Peaking at “We Don’t-Go There: The ‘Tartantion’ Story,” director Ben Wagner creates a claustrophobic atmosphere, leveraging only a handful of locations in building suspense. The cinematography successfully tracks the balance between darkness and exposure, reinforcing the film’s strangeness. Distant shrieks and whispers complement the sound design, which ramps up the tension, making it hard to tell whether characters are in reality, or if they exist only in delusion. Slow going, but Dead Within works, a quiet, psych horror character piece all about the performance and the mood.
Analysis
Dead Within is a psychological horror that leans on atmosphere and isolation instead of jump scares. Director Ben Wagner places the audience in a confined and unsettling setting that makes them feel just as trapped as the protagonist and makes full use of a minimalist set. The film leans, particularly, on Amy Kale Peterson’s performance, which finds the conviction in Kim’s slide into paranoia. Dim lighting, extreme close-ups, and an eerie soundscape help create psychological tension and diffuse boundaries between reality and hallucination. However, the languid pace and open-endedness of the story may not be to the taste of standard-issue horror movie fans. It does build suspense well, but not leaving any clear resolution left some questions unanswered that may frustrate audiences looking for closure. These flaws aside, Dead Within is a powerful meditation on the processes of fear, trauma and survival, and even uses its limitations to create a deeply unsettling experience, eschewing the Tim Judson-style external horrors.
What’s There?
What’s Not There?
Verdict
Dead Within is an intense psychological horror that uniquely captures paranoia, isolation, and the limits of the human mind. Although the film is a masterwork of mood and unsettling sound design and features a terrific performance by Amy Kale Peterson, who plays its unnamed protagonist, its glacial pacing and open-ended finish might not be for everyone. An eerie but not at all conventional horror experience.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Horror, Thriller
Ben Wagner
01 Hour 22 Minutes
23-08-2014
Dean Chekvala, J. Claude Deering, Rick Federman, Sarah McMaster, Amy Cale Peterson
Plot revolves around Horror, Thriller, etc.
3.5
3.45
Yes, it's rated UA
No, it will be available soon on Amazon Prime Video
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