Dogged

A badly shot montage of establishing shots of locations and props, and about two hours of people walking around, occasionally speaking briefly, while nothing happens. A pretty sad state of affairs

I rented the title on Google play and really enjoyed it. The film has an unnerving and creepy atmosphere throughout which I thought worked really well to suck you into the world of the remote village. The overall story I thought was strong and easy enough to follow, not to mention a decent plot twist.

Only a few things that took away from the viewing experience for me was some mildly inconsistent cinematography, some unusual camera angles in there and a lot of quick edits which can be disorientating from time to time. However the sound is crisp and well mixed with an atmospheric musical score to accompany.

I'd highly recommend the film to anyone who's a fan of films such as the Wicker Man and those who prefer suspense over blood and gore.

I had a great time watching Dogged, in my opinion it was time well spent. If you are only into big budget Hollywood films full of CGI then unfortunately this film is not for you. However if you're a die hard horror fan like myself that watches as many horror films as possible, and at the same time enjoys seeing new creative ideas, and supports independent horror films than I recommend this to you!

Not everybody goes for slow-burning horror films, but I do. So 'Dogged' won't be for everyone. It's a low-budget venture that lasts for nearly two hours. For those who like spectacular, fast-moving jump scares and mind-altering special effects, this probably won't appeal.

Director, producer and co-writer Richard Rowntree's folk horror would have been more effective if its rich and atmospheric camera work was achieved in a grainy filmic texture; here the video causes it to lose its richness somewhat. But make no mistake, 'Dogged' is an immersive experience, and if you go with it, it'll provide you with a rewarding 116 minutes. Funded via Kickstarter, it tells the story of Sam (Sam Saunders) who returns to his coastal island home to attend a funeral. Here, he discovers that things seem to have changed in his absence, and the local ambience has taken on a very sinister tone. Women folk have been relegated to a position of subservience, while their men have claimed a certain unchallenged dominance. Things get darker here on in ... My score is 8 out of 10.

Sub Wicker Man plot and some lumpy acting, but the true evil here is the lack of editing. This should be a snappy 85 minute film. Instead, all the bits anyone with any concept of flow and pace would have cut out are left in. Every scene is too long. Also, the music, being subdued, does not match the action sequences. A missed opportunity.