He Never Left

Arriving at a run-down motel, a woman prepares for her significant other to appear so they can start a new life together, but as they stay at the motel come to believe that a savage killer from local folklore has taken up residence in the room next door and must try to get away alive.

This was an enjoyable enough effort, but it did have some issues. The biggest factor with this one is the strong setup that provides a great opportunity for this one to go with an intriguing thriller premise throughout. The central premise offering a fine bit of world-building with the backstory on the killer terrorizing the town and going uncaught for years since with them believing that there's a chance he's returned makes for a great setup, much like the resulting storyline about the couple staying at the next-door room. The way they come together with the room being used as a hideout after his fugitive status makes him go on the run and arrive there which sets him off into a panic when everything starts going wrong waiting for a pick-up to get out of the situation as the escalating tension trying to ensure nothing happens to him means that getting involved in the potential murder next door is all handled quite well. Given that this all goes with a strong secondary storyline about the potential killer following the girlfriend to her house as the atmospheric setting and tense stalking give this some great moments. Beyond this, there are some big factors here that come about more from viewers' expectations more than anything. With the setup about the legendary killer supposedly returning from an absence to start up a rampage once again with the setting taking place at the remote motel where the couple going through their own issues at the same time, the potential is there for this to delve into a stalk and slash template knocking off the rest of the motel guests before turning to the remaining couple. Instead, this opts for a thriller route about him trying to evade capture at the location rather than dole out the kind of body count or even slasher setpieces usually associated with the genre and leaves this one with a generally lackluster tone which leaves everything somewhat underwhelming with more focus on these factors that don't lead to the type of content you want. It's what lowers this the most.

Rated Unrated/R: Language and Violence.

Seeing the 8, 9, 10 ratings and reviews I couldn't not express my view of this film.

I guess technically it was mediocre. The plot was intrresting and could have worked.

What canceled out any positives were the preposterous breaks in continuity.

Every time the dialog negated what was established moments earlier was physically jarring.

After the 3rd or 4th total break in the established story, I just could not take it anymore.

I stopped to write this half way through.

If you watch this, you will know what I'm talking about assuming you follow what has been established.

Literally mind boggling.

This was a blind purchase primarily based on the artwork, granted I did read the synopsis and thought to myself this seemed promising.

Sadly it was not the case, it took a lifetime to get going, I will tip the hat to Colin Cunngham who plays Gabriel, he certainly brought his A game to the proceedings, but I found myself thinking, did his performance belong in another movie.

Strangely the artwork at first glance reminded me of The Town That Dreaded Sundown but as far as thrills and chills go, it was quite a numbing experience and storyline wise it was all over the place.

Proceed with caution.

This is a film I brought based on the description at the same time as heart eyes and hoped in a similer vein it would be just as good. Unfortunatly though I was very wrong. This woman called carley goes to a motel, but smuggles her boyfriend in the trunk because his on the run from the cops because of murder. The guy running the place seems a little creepy but not a whole lot really happens here in terms of horror. This becomes more of a thriller and any attmept at horror is null void. The mask however was creepy enough. Acting not the worst ive seen in these typs of films either. I was just overall let down by this one.

This is not a slasher...it is something more. It is a fantastic character study, executed with a stylish sense of filmmaking whilst bathed in Halloweentime ambience. The writing and presentation recall a time when horror films (thrillers, if you prefer) were just as much about mystery and intrigue as they were about shock and schlock. He Never Left has all of this to offer in spades, plus a few surprises along the way. The wonderful Witching Season Films family never fails to impress, with James Morris masterfully manifesting the macabre mise-en-scène both behind and in front of the camera, beside Michael Ballif, who poignantly paints each frame in dual roles as cinematographer and editor and never allows the same motel setting to get stale. Randin Graves' score is composed with as much compelling, calculating complexity as the performances from Jessica Staples and Colin Cunningham who evoke unrelenting empathy as David McMahon and Charla Bocchicchio meanwhile offer quiet quirkiness to round out a truly classy cast. Also true is that this film may not go the way you want or expect, but it stands currently as an antithetical to so many of its contemporaries in the zeitgeist and if it doesn't find massive success now, it will certainly find a cult of its own in due time.