Outpost

This was an interesting one no doubt. Granted, not without its flaws, but still generally entertaining while also being a pertinent narrative on mental health, the effects of abuse and how it can manifest itself in a multifaceted way.

They had some cool ways of representing her ptsd and hallucinations that pleasantly caught my attention, even though they did start to become a tad repetitive. The pacing was a bit up and down. Sometimes it was on tack and other times it dragged. As a whole the run time felt longer than it was, which i don't think is a particularly great sign.

The story at its core was a solid and semi original concept with an execution that wasn't unsuccessful by any means, but felt like it got a bit messy and predictable and needed some focus/streamlining. Acting all around was fine, passable... definitely felt indie. Lead woman had some nice moments.

Third act was when it really picked up. It got a little silly at times but I appreciated the excitement. It was like this film had an underlying layer of camp to it. I know the main actress is often times cast in comedic roles so maybe that has something to do with it? Either way, I didn't hate it but I do wish it felt a little bit more purposeful or not there at all. Ending left a little to be desired, very open... but for whatever reason I wasn't too mad at it.

At the end of the day this was an intriguing and entertaining indie experience that had some fun twists and turns, some scares and some humor (whether intentional or not haha). The concept was definitely there and along with it came the engagement. These are the kind of indie productions you can tell have heart and effort behind it and they are the ones that should be given a chance. Would recommend.

Filled with completely unnecessary lingering close-up shots of maggots and insects wriggling around on corpses and food. It absolutely ruined the movie for me. Which is very unfortunate because I was really drawn into the premise of the film.

The characters seemed interesting. The setting felt different and unique.

But the damn BUGS just RUINED it.

If there was an edit that removed all those disgusting and unnecessary scenes, that would be awesome.

Seriously it's very misleading and should come with a trigger warning or something.

Now if you'll excuse me, I feel like I have to go throw up now.

Rating Breakdown: Story - 1.00 :: Direction - 1.25 :: Pacing - 1.25 :: Performances - 1.00 :: Entertainment - 1.00 :::: TOTAL - 5.5/10

Solitude, trauma, and creeping paranoia: Outpost has all the ingredients for a chilling psychological thriller. It begins with promise: Kate, a woman seeking escape from a violent past, takes a job in the remote wilderness, only to find that the real horror lies within. Writer-director Joe Lo Truglio builds tension well, creating an atmosphere where silence is suffocating, strangers feel like threats, and past trauma seeps into every corner of Kate's fragile reality. There are standout moments, such as the brilliantly unsettling café scene where an entire room seems to turn against her in quiet judgment, and Truglio's direction makes excellent use of sudden, shocking violence to mirror Kate's unravelling mind.

But just when the film should take us deeper into her madness, it hesitates. Instead of a harrowing psychological breakdown, we get a restrained, tentative decline that never fully grips. It flirts with disturbing brilliance but ultimately backs away. Beth Dover's performance is equally inconsistent; sometimes she nails Kate's defiant strength, but other times, her expressions feel oddly disconnected from the character's turmoil. The supporting cast, however, delivers solid performances, adding layers to an otherwise underdeveloped descent.

Outpost is intriguing, occasionally effective, but ultimately frustrating. It promises a dark, psychological spiral and then loses its nerve. Still, for those who prefer their psychological horror on the milder side, it is worth a watch. Just do not expect to be haunted by it for long.

Found this on Prime and hope it gets onto something like Shudder. Definitely better than the 4.6 on imbd, tho Im biased because I love these kinds of psychological horror flicks. Movies like The shining and The thing deal with similar themes of isolation but don't expect anything as bombastic as those, this reminded more of 90s films like Jacobs Ladder. Has a Great outdoor setting and some nice dialogue about nature. I liked the lead and felt her struggle. Ive never seen this actress in anything else so cant say if this kind of role is something new to her. I also really liked the odd supporting characters. As far as 90 min horror/thrillers go this is a fun way to spend an evening. Unfortunately I think the 90min format doesnt work for most viewers today even though I find it to be superior. Get in tell your story efficiently and get out.

Outpost was not what I was expecting, I had put off watching it for a while but was certainly pleased that I finally sat down to view it. The story is about a woman who has been abused mostly all her life, in adulthood she has a restraining order against her ex partner who is abusive and he breaks the order and attacks her. She survives physically, but mentally she is not coping at all. Seeking a way out, she takes a volunteer job at a fire tower organized through her best friend's brother. What ensues then is the slow decay of her character mentally, as she battles with the seclusion and her trauma memories.

It has a nice twist that rounds off the movie perfectly. I don't want to give any spoilers in that regard. I enjoyed watching it. Give it a go.