The Shade

While the Babadook is about a mother being plagued by a supernatural creature representing her grief, loneliness, and despair as a failed mother and lost partner, the men in The Shade are menaced by a hideous harpy being that likewise represents their grief, anxiety, emotions, and fears that they're not good enough and are slipping.

The film's impact comes from it's normalcy. How completely regular and everyday it is, and then suddenly there's this flash of an arm, or your worst fear slinking across the hall. And you can't say anything, because you are so scared it's not real and no one will believe you.

The film is from the masculine perspective and explores, in a subtle, tactful way underneath the horror premise, the damage done to men when women usurp and then block their natural communication amongst themselves and ways of processing.

The men are hobbled in facing their (literal) demon by the women in their lives who cannot even see the creature as real, as many women deny male emotions are real, yet still manage to make the men's experiences about their own feelings and what they need those men to provide for them. Even men speaking just amongst themselves are hindered, since they are hedged into feminine modes of therapy speak and must reframe their experience to be less offensive or obtrusive, apologizing even as they are ignored.

The inability to share in a masculine way and the reluctance to participate in an ineffectual-for-them feminine one leads to anxiety, panic attacks, and suicides as the Harpy creature infiltrates their lives.

It's not until they band together and take up their natural roles that they can face the demon down.

Film all in all is not bad - the metaphors make it across the board, the characters and acting is well for the most part, the cinematography and thensome is phneomal, however the issue I personally had was the fact that the film dragged it's feet through thick mud. If you're expecting this to he a horror flick to the core, scary - immediately disregard that, this is an all in all very reality stricken tale of many challenging emotions like depression, grief and the repercussions of what our lashing actions can do. It really gets the messages across the board well, but as said, thick mud. I can see many people losing their patience with this one, finding it boring with its very prominent slow burn approach. This is a film to watch, if you're seeking to immerse yourself in this characters trauma and grief journey, as well as get a glimpse of some really well captured raw emotions.

I fully see where they were going, I personally enjoy the message and thensome, however with its extremely slow wrapping up and ending that ( for me ) felt like the capsize of this film, this was quite an endurance to sit through and watch. Mentally prepare and know what this film has to offer before jumping in.

The Shade (2023) is not your typical horror film. While it certainly has its share of chilling moments, it's far more than just another dumb jump-scare flick. This is a film with a powerful message, one that explores the dark and often taboo subjects of grief, mental illness, and family trauma.

What sets The Shade apart is its allegorical approach to horror. The entity that haunts the characters is more than just a monster; it's a representation of the destructive cycle of depression and suicide that can plague families for generations. This metaphorical layer adds a depth and complexity to the film that elevates it above standard horror fare.

The film follows Ryan, a young man struggling to cope with the recent loss of his father. As he grapples with his own grief and anxiety, he begins to see a terrifying vision that no one else can see. This vision leads him down a dark path, forcing him to confront a hidden family secret that has been buried for years.

The Shade is a film that will stay with you long after the credits roll. It's a haunting and thought-provoking exploration of the human psyche, and it's sure to spark important conversations about mental health and the importance of seeking help.

If you're looking for a horror film that is both terrifying and meaningful, The Shade is definitely worth checking out.

"The Shade" is a deceptive film, masquerading as a traditional horror flick but revealing itself to be a poignant exploration of grief, depression, and the lengths we will go to protect those we love.

The film follows Ryan, who is grappling with the loss of his father. As he attempts to maintain a semblance of normalcy for his family, his older brother begins exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior.

What sets "The Shade" apart is its refusal to rely on cheap scares or jump scares. Instead, it delves deep into the emotional turmoil experienced by its characters. The horror is not supernatural, but rather the psychological torment inflicted by grief and loss. The film's pacing is deliberate, allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves in the characters' struggles which is why I want to clearly state, that this is not a horror film. Because those expectations will have you starting to squirm in your seat thirty minutes into its two hour plus run-time.

The performances are exceptional, with Chris Galust (Ryan) delivering a raw and emotionally charged portrayal of a young man struggling to cope with immense pain. The supporting cast is equally impressive, adding depth and nuance to the story.

While "The Shade" may not be the adrenaline-fueled horror film that some may be expecting, it is a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of the human condition.

Despite the fact of never having heard about director Tyler Chipman's 2023 horror movie "The Shade", as I stumbled upon it here in 2025, of course I needed no persuasion to watch the movie, given my love of all things horror.

The narrative in the movie is a bit slow paced, and that sort of makes it a bit of a drag and a test of will to sit through the movie. There was very little of anything overly interesting happening as the narrative dragged on and one. So writers Tyler Chipman and David Purdy didn't really impress me with the script and storyline that the conjured up for this movie.

The only familiar faces on the cast list for me were actors Michael Boatman and Brendan Sexton III. Despite the fact that the script was a sluggish affair, I will still say that the acting performances in "The Shade" were fair.

This was not a movie that made use of an abundance of special effects, I can't really claim that the effects were doing much to lift up the movie in general.

While I did manage to sit through the entire movie in its 127 minute runtime, I did almost drift off to sleep once or twice along the way. With a runtime could have benefitted from a round-handed trimming down in post editing.

I would not recommend you to throw away 127 minutes of your life on this movie, it just simply doesn't have the entertainment value to sustain such a long runtime. Nor is it a movie that I will ever suffer through a second time.

My rating of director Tyler Chipman's 2023 movie "The Shade" lands on a generous three out of ten stars.