Review of Wake the Witch

I was most intrigued to watch 'Wake The Witch' because out of all the films we've reviewed here at the Drive-In, nary a one has been directed by a woman; so believe me when I say I was keen to see a female's take on the horror genre and if the director, Dorothy Booraem, could successfully break the mold of a male dominated profession. Did she succeed? I'm happy to report an affirmative on that count. Booraem delivers a film that is intelligent and intriguing - terrifically utilizing the limited locations of central Nebraska and using them to her advantage – yet crafting a tale that is offbeat just as much as it is suspenseful (I was reminded of stories by Joyce Carol Oates, which is a good thing!) While a comparison to Oates is high praise, this is not to say that it was a perfect film. While I was sufficiently impressed by most of the cast – with Stefanie Tapio, Karis Yanike, and Martin Kenna standing out – there were a few supporting cast members who were hit and miss with their deliveries. I also thought the same about the music in the film. Whenever something evil was afoot the low bass notes of the synthesizer were adequately chilling, but throughout the rest of the film the score seemed much too bland – sounding more like a Disney Channel movie-of-the-week than anything. I think a darker, fuller score would have helped sell the sinister happenings more effectively for this reviewer. Likewise, the sound quality was suspect – with some muddy dialog and soft conversations often lost in the mix. I'm also not a fan of the 'leather-jacketed-detective' character (see my review for 'The Hagstone Demon' for more on this guy). While the events of the story may have dictated such a character's presence, his cliché dialog took me out of the film more than once – although I must admit I did dig on the weird way he was portrayed (was he privy to the curse?) What I appreciated about Dorothy Booream's film is this: she invested in her characters, taking the time to fully flesh most of them out, which in turn made their fates much more compelling. Now, with that being said - the main drawback about investing in your characters is that the film tends to run a little long. Taking into account the few flaws I mentioned above, what this film really needed was a more discerning eye in the editing booth. I honestly think this film could have been trimmed down by a good twenty minutes or so, cutting away the fat from scenes that draw out with unnecessary exposition and trivial plot points (such as the one involving the cheating boyfriend) that do nothing to further the narrative. It's a credit to star Stefanie Tapio that she is able to carry a nearly two-hour movie while being in every scene. I think 'Wake the Witch' was an above average indie horror flick that had some really effective atmosphere – and more than a few genuinely spooky moments. You'll love the hoodie creatures in the woods (their crawling, herky-jerky movements were stellar!), and the creepy basement scenes were on the money. The urban legend story, even though it's as old as the hills (think: what would happen if the Blair Witch followed you home?) is effective and the midwest locale keeps the picture grounded in reality – although I have to confess that the ending seemed over-the-top. Unfortunately, the sub-par special effects and fake cobwebs didn't completely sell what was supposed to be a mind-bending Lovecraft-ian scene for me, making the pay-off for the hour-and-a-half build-up seem rather disappointing (although, in keeping with genre comparisons, the classic John Carpenter 'downer ending' was a gutsy call by Booraen that was definitely the correct way to end the film – if only the 'crack in the wall' netherworld was done more convincingly. I would have downplayed that scene using a 'less-is-more' approach, and used a real wall with a real hole in it – with nothing to be seen on the other side but blackness; leaving the fate of a certain sibling to the viewer's imagination (but hey - you know what opinions are like…) When the final chain is yanked, I found 'Wake the Witch' to be a unique independent horror film that was crafted with enthusiasm and dedication from its cast and crew – and that passion by those involved definitely comes through on the screen. Yes, it has its flaws, but the film possesses just enough heart and strange macguffins to keep you watching until the macabre finale. Now let's wake up this son of a witch!